Our Mission
To help individuals and families achieve stability and transformation in their lives, ultimately influencing and uplifting the surrounding communities.
Our Vision
The vision of Santa Maria Urban Ministry is to support permanent transformation for individuals who reach out to us for support – to feed the body, mind, and spirit by providing nutritious food, learning opportunities, critical services and meaningful ways to give back.
Our Values
At Santa Maria Urban Ministry, we are guided by core values that shape our work and interactions:
Community
We believe in the power of collaboration and collective action to support each other.
Dignity
We hold firm to the inherent dignity and worth of each and every individual.
Compassion
We engage with empathy, striving to understand our differences and meet people where they are.
Respect
We celebrate diverse backgrounds, cultures, wisdom, and experiences.
Integrity
We act with honesty, accountability, and transparency in all we do.
Empowerment
We provide resources and support that help individuals and families achieve self-sufficiency.
Our History
We know our clients by name. We know their children and their grandchildren.
Santa Maria Urban Ministry was founded in 1983 to provide emergency food to working poor families in downtown San Jose, California. Santa Maria has provided a food pantry continuously for more than 40 years.
Since our beginnings, we have listened to the community’s needs and started many new services that not only address immediate necessities but also seek to empower families and individuals to fulfill their potential. For people experiencing homelessness, our Warm Hearts Initiative also provides bagged lunches and hygiene kits as well as sleeping bags and other resources in winter.
An outreach ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real, Santa Maria welcomes people of all faiths or none and does not discriminate on any basis.
You must be logged in to post a comment.