Center History
In 1904, Blessed Sacrament Parish was the first to be established in Hollywood. With nearly 100 years of history, Blessed Sacrament sought to institutionalize its personal brand of community service for the new millennium.
In late April 1999, Sr. Peg Dolan of Loyola Marymount University headed a group of “Alumni for Others” in the restoration of the former convent on Selma Avenue in Hollywood. Alumni from Jesuit Universities at LMU, University of San Francisco and Santa Clara University helped transform the vacated building into a fully-functional Social Service Center, which opened its doors just one month later. With the majority of furniture and fixtures donated by parishioners and Hollywood residents, the Center began on its path of offering quality services almost entirely by donation of goods, funds and time.
Since May of 1999, there has been a dramatic increase in the number and in the quality of services offered at the Center. This could not have been achieved without the talent and dedication of volunteers and Center staff. There are presently two part-time and two full-time staff members and more than twenty active volunteers who serve in a variety of capacities from client services to office administration.
In 2006, the Social Services Center embarked on a renewed mission to continue assisting those in need. In order to raise awareness and maximize funding opportunities, the Center became an independent agency and obtained its separate federal and state tax-exempt status. While continuing to be an integral part of the Blessed Sacrament social services mission, the Center is now governed by an independent Board of Directors comprised of civic leaders, volunteers and local residents. The Center provides services to all who are in need without regard to religious affiliation. Social Service Center at Blessed Sacrament, Inc. continues to provide the services it has for eight years and it hopes to do so for many years to come.
As of July 1, 2007
