The Delphinium Foundation Donates $425K to Father Joe’s Villages in San Diego

Funds Allocated for Affordable Housing for Those Who Have Experienced Homelessness

SAN DIEGO, May 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The Delphinium Foundation, a San Diego-based philanthropic organization, along with Mark Schmidt and Randy Williams, real estate developers and philanthropists, announce $425,000 of cumulative donations to Father Joe’s Villages in the past four years. Demonstrating a commitment to ending homelessness in San Diego, the majority of the $425,000 donations from Schmidt, Williams, and The Delphinium Foundation were part of the capital campaign for the building of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Villa, an affordable housing community by Father Joe’s Villages.

Philanthropist Mark Schmidt states, “We believe wholeheartedly in the mission of Father Joe’s Villages, and are happy to play our role in helping to give our neighbors a brighter future. We hope that everyone who comes through the doors of the Saint Teresa of Calcutta Villa will find new opportunities and a better life.” 

About Father Joe Carroll
Schmidt has made numerous contributions over the years to Father Joe Carroll’s inspiring work. For 40 years, Carroll was devoted to helping people experiencing homelessness in San Diego. It began in 1982, when parish priest Father Joe Carroll was tasked with taking over running the St. Vincente de Paul thrift store in downtown San Diego, and turning a nearby parking lot into a homeless center. In 1987, Carroll’s innovative plan materialized as the St. Vincent de Paul Center opened, offering a comprehensive approach to addressing homelessness by integrating housing and services into one location. In 1988, the center was given the World Habitat Award, which recognized that it enabled clients to “return to mainstream society with self-assurance and dignity.” It also elicited national media attention from Reader’s Digest and 60 Minutes. Through the ensuing decades, Carroll became a San Diego icon, who raised tens of millions of dollars as the center’s services expanded, and he helped change countless lives. In 2015, the center was renamed Father Joe’s Villages in his honor. While Carroll passed away in 2021, his legacy continues through the work of his namesake.

About Saint Teresa of Calcutta Villa
In naming its new affordable housing building after Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Father Joe’s Villages honors the compassion and selflessness she demonstrated throughout her life. Saint Teresa of Calcutta (also known as Mother Teresa) was a Roman Catholic missionary and nun who devoted her life to helping others. For over 45 years, she aided the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying. In keeping with her spirit of service and charity, Father Joe’s Villages has provided affordable housing and comprehensive support services to help hundreds of thousands of people move off the streets and into homes of their own.

About the Affordable Housing Community
Located at 14th & Commercial Streets in downtown San Diego, the 14-story Saint Teresa of Calcutta Villa opened in January 2022. The affordable housing community features two residential towers with 407 apartments, including 80 units dedicated to serving veterans. The new affordable community is part of the Father Joe’s Villages’ Turning the Key Initiative, which aims to build 2,000 units of affordable housing for people who have experienced homelessness.

About Father Joe’s Villages  
Father Joe’s Villages aim to prevent and end homelessness, one life at a time. Father Joe’s Villages was established in 1950 at a small chapel in downtown San Diego to serve San Diegans experiencing homelessness and poverty. Today, Father Joe’s Villages has grown to include a comprehensive campus and programs that house over 2,000 people nightly. For more information, visit: https://my.neighbor.org/. 

Media Contact: Beth Binger
BCIpr
Mobile: (619) 987-6658
[email protected]

SOURCE The Delphinium Foundation