May 2023

Progress Newsletter

By Bill Somerville, PVF Founder

Over the past 25 years Philanthropic Ventures Foundation has had the spectacular opportunity to work with two Catholic sisters who lead significant nonprofits on the Peninsula: Sister Christina Heltsley and Sister Trinitas "T" Hernandez.

Sister Christina Heltsley with a student at

the Holy Family School

Sister Trinitas "T" Hernandez

Sister Christina has been the Executive Director of the Saint Francis Center in Redwood City since 2000, leading its expansion into a multi-service agency serving hundreds of people living in poverty. Sister T. developed the Rosalie Rendu Center in East Palo Alto, providing English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for working adults and parents year round. Both programs are outstanding, comprehensive, and prodigious in what they offer.

Over the past 23 years, Sister Christina has developed programs that offer food, clothing, showers, education and shelter. Any one of these entities is spectacular by itself, but together they have transformed a neighborhood. The Saint Francis Center educates children of low-income families through 8th grade at the Holy Family School, provides the working poor with food and clothes, offers showers and clothes washing to the homeless and transient populations, houses 200+ families in low-income apartments, and provides 50 families with plots to grow food. About 175 volunteers keep these programs going.

Bill and Sister Christina

St. Francis Center in its current form is all thanks to Sister Christina's passion and dedication. The neighborhood is transformed and over the years it is estimated that 5,000 youths, adults, and families have prospered as a direct result.

Sister T. has been a Sister for over 60 years and started the Rosalie Rendu Center in 1996 teaching English to adults in East Palo Alto. The program has since served over 2,000 people. As Sister T. points out “we are not only teaching English, we are animating our students to have self-esteem and reach independence.” She feels their work affects the children as well. Indeed, three young women who took English classes at the Center were hired as Parent Involvement Workers in East Palo Alto schools, serving as a liaison between classroom teachers and parents.

Bill with Nancy Alvarez and Imelda Jovel – parent involvement workers at Cesar Chavez Academy

The program is located in East Palo Alto and is free. Sister T. is especially proud that adult students develop their personal potential which trickles down to the children. Small classes, individual attention, operating throughout the day into the night. A visitor sees the energy, the motivation, the sacrifices, and the joy of accomplishment.

With both programs, these inspiring leaders will be moving on. Sister Christina is being called back to serve in an elected leadership position with the Dominican Sisters. Sister T. is retiring and a new Executive Director of the Rosalie Rendu Center has been brought on.

We at Philanthropic Ventures Foundation are indebted to these Sisters for their dedication, talent, initiative, and work over the years. We are better for their presence and it has been an honor to fund and support them.