Rosalie Rendu Center

Sister Trinitas and the Daughters of Charity quickly saw how providing English as a Second Language (ESL) classes in East Palo Alto – a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood with historically high crime rates and low performing schools – could help provide a safe, caring environment for adult students to reduce social isolation and poverty and create thriving, healthy families. Knowing that a dedicated space was necessary to conduct classes, Sister T used grant money to rent space in the Carriage Manor Apartments. In January 1998, the center offered the first official ESL classes for local community members. Today, as many as a hundred adults and children benefit every year from the services offered year-round at the Rosalie Rendu Center. A fortuitous partnership with the Junior League of Palo Alto-Mid Peninsula (JLPA•MP) in the first few years of the Rosalie Rendu Center provided much-needed resources for the rapidly expanding programs. The League provided funding, volunteers, and expertise to help Sister T provide a range of ESL classes for the community. Members of the JLPA•MP are credited for being the driving force behind the powerful fundraising campaign in 2000 that allowed the Daughters of Charity to purchase Carriage Manor Apartments, preventing the facilities from being developed into upscale condominiums and saving 46 families from being displaced. The sale secured a permanent location for the Rosalie Rendu Center to continue its programs and preserved low-income housing opportunities for community residents. Even though the JLPA•MP’s formal partnership with the Rosalie Rendu Center ended in 2007, many League members have stayed involved by serving on the Advisory Board, making annual donations, and volunteering for various programs throughout the year. Many other philanthropic organizations have stepped up to provide services, personnel and grants to support the Center. These include groups like the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, student volunteers from Stanford and the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, to name a few.

The Rosalie Rendu Center is a non-profit organization based in East Palo Alto, California, sponsored by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. It works to empower local families—particularly low-income and immigrant adult learners—by providing free, accessible education and life skills programs. Key Programs & Services: Language Education: Offers English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, U.S. citizenship preparation, GED study support, and a "Language Partners" program that pairs students one-on-one with community volunteers to practice English conversation.Life & Career Skills: Provides workshops on basic computer literacy, keyboarding, online job searching, resume building, interview preparation, and rights for immigrants.Family & Child Support: Offers free, supervised structured play for children while parents attend classes, eliminating childcare barriers to education. They also partner with local organizations to host parenting workshops and organize family outings.Community Wellness: Features rotating workshops on physical and mental health, artistic expression, and financial literacy.All classes and resources are provided at no cost to participants.