Historical Timeline

The foundation for St.Vincent de Paul Village was laid in April 1950 when Bishop Charles F. Buddy dedicated St. Mary of the Wayside Chapel at 811 F Street in downtown San Diego.

Joseph Carroll graduated from St. Joseph's grammar school in the Bronx.

Under the direction of Father Edward Kokosoka, St. Mary's of the Wayside Chapel and thrift store moved to 630 Fourth Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter.

Joe Carroll moved from the Bronx to Southern California.

St. Mary's of the Wayside and the thrift shop merged and became the St. Vincent de Paul Center under Father Lawrence Geoghan.

During this decade, St. Vincent de Paul Center at 4th and Market Street met increasing demands for services from the poor and impoverished people who lived in the area and were impacted by the revitalization of the Gaslamp Quarter that began in earnest in 1974. 

Father Joe was assigned to St. Rita Parish, San Diego, under the pastor, Rev. Frances Pattison. 

St. Vincent de Paul Center moved to 1550 Market Street and was dedicated by Bishop Leo T. Maher on May 11th.

Msgr. Joseph Topping purchased land at 15th Street and Imperial Avenue for the future expansion of the St. Vincent de Paul Center.

Following 16 years of service, Msgr. Joseph Topping retired as head of St. Vincent de Paul Center. San Diego Bishop Leo T. Maher assigned Father Joe Carroll to take over and establish a "preferential option" for our community's neighbors in need.

Once Father Joe became the new director of the St. Vincent de Paul Center he began his tradition of handing out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to those experiencing poverty and homelessness in San Diego.

Father Joe leased rooms at the Travolator Hotel adjacent to the El Cortez to accommodate 200 people. Services there included overnight shelter, breakfast, basic medical care and a one-room school operated by the San Diego Unified School District.

Father Joe founded the Ladies of Charity, Auxiliary- an all-volunteer corps. Members assist in fund raising activities and volunteer their talents in many programs at the Center.

With seed money from the Helen Copley Foundation, Father Joe breaks ground on the new St. Vincent de Paul Center at 15th Street and Imperial Avenue.

The St. Vincent de Paul Joan Kroc Center is dedicated on August 31st to much fanfare. Named for Ray Kroc's widow, Joan Kroc, who made a major gift to the project.

St. Vincent's opened the first Josue Homes for those who are homeless and living with HIV/AIDS in central San Diego.

The Medical Clinic opened in Joan Kroc Center providing primary and pediatric care.

St. Vincent de Paul Center received the United Nations International World Habitat award for building and social housing excellence.

The Bishop Maher Center, adjacent to the Joan Kroc Center, opened to provide shelter for 150 men.

Father Joe is recognized by President George Bush as number 42 of his "Thousand Points of Light," for inspiring community volunteers to help change people's lives.

During this year, volunteers provided 64,000 hours of service to neighbors in need at the St. Vincent de Paul Center. The number of bed nights provided at the Center for homeless men, women and children grew from approximately 100,000 in 1987 to 200,000 in 1990.

St. Vincent de Paul Center became St. Vincent de Paul Village when the Center separated from the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego and became an independent, board-governed nonprofit organization.

St. Vincent de Paul's second Josue Homes opened.

With a naming gift from Paul Mirabile, the Paul Mirabile Center opened with 350 beds of short-term shelter for women and men, extending the Village campus to 14th Street. The medical clinic and employment services also move into the new building. 

In September, St. Vincent de Paul Village served its 10 millionth meal to neighbors in need in San Diego.

Village Place opened on 17th Street, providing 47 units of permanent supportive and affordable housing.

The Village Family Health Center, a licensed primary care facility, received the Peter F. Drucker Award for its innovative program making a difference in the lives of people it served.

St. Vincent's Village Family Health Center and UCSD School of Medicine Combined Family Practice and Psychiatry Residency program began partnership to provide care to homeless and medically underserved patients.

Father Joe celebrated his 20th anniversary at St. Vincent de Paul Village.

Father Joe initiated the annual Thanksgiving Day 5k Run/Walk in Balboa Park with hundreds of adults and families participating. 

The inaugural class of the Freddie Evarkiou Culinary Arts Program is trained to prepare participants for careers as chefs in the food and hospitality industry.

Villa Harvey Mandel, Father Joe’s second permanent supportive and affordable housing development, opened with 90 apartments. It includes one of the largest exterior glass mosaic murals in the world. Created by Botti Studio of Architectural Arts, the one-of-a-kind art adorns the entire six-story west wall of Villa Harvey Mandel.

Father Joe's Villages' 12-story housing complex with 136 units for families with low or fixed incomes opened at 16th and Market Street, San Diego. Many of Father Joe's graduates have benefited from the state-of-the-art apartment complex.

Father Joe's Villages dedicated its fourth affordable housing complex, Boulevard Apartments, with 24 apartments for low income families on El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego.

Father Joe's Villages opened the new Commercial & 15th mixed-use development. The three-buildings-in-one project includes a state-of-the-art Child Development Center, Transitional Housing in the Bishop Maher Center, and 64 permanent supportive and affordable housing. This multi-use facility ensures that individuals and families who are homeless have access to high quality childcare and shelter.

Father Joe retired on his 70th birthday leaving a legacy of compassion, inspiration and countless lives transformed at Father Joe's Villages.

Father Joes Villages joined the United Way, County of San Diego and San Diego Housing Commission to launch Project 25, a 3-year initiative providing targeted housing and supportive services to 35 of San Diegos most chronically homeless individuals. This innovative project resulted in a $3.7 million savings of taxpayer and other social service dollars over the course of a 24-month period.

Father Joe received the "Citizen Service Before Self" award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and Foundation.

Deacon Jim Vargas became the new president and CEO of Father Joe's Villages.

To honor the legacy of President Emeritus, Father Joe Carroll, St. Vincent de Paul Village rebrands as Father Joe's Villages which includes a new brand logo.

Deacon Jim and the Father Joe's Villages Board unveils the Turning the Key initiative, with major plans to bring 2,000 units of affordable housing to San Diego.

Father Joe’s Villages received the Live Well San Diego Award for demonstrating extraordinary achievement in promoting the health of community members living in San Diego County.

In January, a Temporary Bridge Shelter for families and single women opened adjacent to the Paul Mirabile Center.

In January 2018, Father Joe's Villages was named one of four organizations in California "making a difference in turning people's lives around" by Pacific Research Institute. 

In August 2018, Village Family Health Center was named a Health Center Quality Leader – a designation given to community health centers who placed in the top 30% in the nation for clinical quality measures – by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Health Resources & Services Administration.

Father Joe’s Villages was voted San Diego’s Best Charity in the 2018 San Diego Union-Tribune Readers Poll.

Father Joe's Villages Ladies Guild celebrates 35 years.