History

The courtyard at the Carriage Manor Apartments where the Rosalie Rendu Center is located in East Palo Alto.

The Rosalie Rendu Center opened on February 9, 1998, in the Carriage Manor Apartments in East Palo Alto. In order to help growing families make lasting changes in their lives, Sister Trinitas Hernandez of the Daughters of Charity rented an apartment and offered on-site English as a second language (ESL) classes to immigrant families living in the complex.

The Junior League of Palo Alto – Mid-Peninsula is an organization of women volunteers focused on developing the potential of families through its projects, community grants and public policy advocacy. In 1998, the Junior League (JL) was looking for a way to make a difference in East Palo Alto. Carrie DuBois (of the JL) met with Sister Trinitas to see if there was anything the JL could do to assist her at the Rosalie Rendu Center (RRC). Sister “T” explained that a childcare option for the ESL students would enhance the learning environment since so many students had to bring their young children to class. Thus, the Tot Spot was launched by the Junior League and Sister T to provide childcare simultaneously with ESL class. The Tot Spot has evolved into a structured educational playgroup for preschoolers.

One day Sister T was asked if she could help a young boy with his homework. The boy’s mother found it difficult to assist her son herself because she was still working on her own English. With this impetus, Sister T and Cathy Perga, a volunteer for the RRC, developed an after-school tutoring and reading program for school-age children. Volunteer tutors are available to help children with their homework in this twice weekly program. Along with offering tutoring services, a file is kept for every child with appropriate reading material.

In the fall of 2000, the owner of the Carriage Manor Apartments received a $5 million offer from a developer to buy the property. This would have meant the end of the RRC, not to mention the certain eviction of the four dozen low-income families living in the complex and being served by the RRC.. Instead, the Daughters of Charity stepped in and purchased the building. A group of Junior League members and other interested donors contributed to this purchase which saved the building from being developed into condominiums. In this way, the complex has been preserved as an affordable housing solution for many families. The rent has not been raised since the purchase in 2001.

Though the Junior League has been an integral part of the evolution of the RRC, their official involvement will be coming to an end in 2007. Thus, the need for independent volunteers is crucial. We hope you will consider becoming a part of the RRC.

Sister T and kids taking a little time out. The children love playing under the canopies or "casitas" as they call them.