When a single mom in Redwood City lost one of her two jobs in October — and wasn't eligible for unemployment — she turned to a longstanding community organization to help her make rent.

Her landlord referred her to Fair Oaks Community Center in Redwood City. The center, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2024, was able to provide her with funds to pay rent for October and November while she looked for another job.

"It's exactly the way we want to be able to come in and help folks: to be able to maintain housing and get back on track," said Teri Chin, human services manager for the city of Redwood City, who runs the community center. Chin noted the woman has since been able to land another job. "It was created in response to wanting to have a place, more in the community, where people could come for programs and services. It was a grassroots community initiative."

Chin said the community center, located at 2600 Middlefield Road, is unique in that it partners with both nonprofits and public agencies to provide services such as subsidized child care and older adult activities, food distribution, shelter referrals and citizenship classes, along with financial and legal assistance through San Mateo County's LIBRE. Chin finds it rewarding to help people who can't find services that quite fit with their needs.

"It's rewarding to know programs and services make a difference for folks," she said, especially in extraordinary situations.

The center serves Redwood City, North Fair Oaks, Portola Valley, Woodside and Atherton, but most clients live in Redwood City and North Fair Oaks, according to Chin. Between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, it served 6,500 people and almost 500 households sought some form of emergency financial assistance, according to Chin.

Funding for financial aid comes from a variety of sources: Measure K funds, the San Francisco Chronicle's Season of Sharing, the Samaritan House and more.

Fair Oaks Community Center is also one of the beneficiaries of The Almanac's Holiday Fund. Donations are divided equally among this year's 10 nonprofit organizations and 100% of the funds raised go directly to the recipients. Donations to the Holiday Fund can be made at almanacnews.com/holiday_fund. Chin said Holiday Fund contributions will go toward the center's holiday diaper program.

Pandemic changes and getting back to normal

Financial emergency assistance from Fair Oaks Community Center skyrocketed during the pandemic. A breakdown of the funds, according to Chin, are as follows:

• March 20, 2020-June 30, 2020: $1.2 million (almost all rent relief)

• July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021: $2.1 million (mostly rent relief and deposit assistance)

• July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022: $358,684 (community center staff focused on assisting community members to access the California COVID-19 Relief Fund which ended on June 30, 2022. Redwood City residents alone received over $13 million in funds from this relief effort.)

• July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023: $1.1 million (mortgage, rent, deposit and utility assistance)

The Fair Oaks Community center was deemed an essential service, so it was "really important we were able to keep our doors open" during the pandemic, Chin said. It shifted many of its indoor activities to outdoors and shifted some services to over the phone. The child care and senior programs only shutdown temporarily.

The center was remodeled in the last year, with new spaces for video conferencing meetings, client services rooms that offer more privacy and a new kitchen.

Its holiday toy drive and book program, in partnership with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Department and Redwood City, has been around for 40-plus years and was hosted through drive-thru distribution during the pandemic. It's on track to have over 500 people from North Fair Oaks and another 200 from the Coastside participate in this year's drive, Chin said.

The client services at the center are available Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.; and Tuesday and Thursday from 9-11 a.m. and 3-4 p.m.

Facility hours are: Mondays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Friday from 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

To donate to the toy drive and book program, go to tinyurl.com/fairoakstoydrive.

For more on the center, go to tinyurl.com/holidayfundcommunitycenter.