Agency History and Background 

Centro Latino de San Francisco,Inc.,was founded in 1972 by a small group of seniors volunteering at a breakfast program for Mission Neighborhood Youth, and has grown from a one day per month meal program to a year round , multipurpose community based center.

Centro Latino, began as a nutrition project called (Los Mayores de Centro Latino)(1977-1984). Inspired by a strong commitment to more responsibility and permanently address the critical needs of the elderly, Ernest "Chuck" Ayala and Gloria Bonilla formed an official non-profit charitable organization and called it Centro Latino de San Francisco, Inc. In pursuit of their dream to have a home for this new corporation. they worked diligently with Centro Latino`s Board of Directors to purchase a facility in the heart of the Mission District of San Francisco

In 1986, the dream became a reality! Through a major grant from the California Department on the Aging , Senior Bond Act, a generous challenge grant from the S.H.Cowell Foundation, Corporate and Community wide support, we raised $432,000 needed to secure a loan from Wells Fargo Bank for the balance of the purchase price.

While our primary focus during these past years has been the provision of nutritious, Latino style meals for seniors, we have grown into a full service community center providing a wide range of life sustaining and enrichment services for 2,300 low-income multi-ethnic seniors, immigrants and families. This outcome could not have ever been achieved without the on-going funding support for Centro Latino`s programs and services by the San Francisco Office on the Aging, the stewardship of a committed Board of Directors, the hard work of the "Las Madrinas"(Godmothers), the "Amigos"(Friends) support organizations, and other generous individuals who support Centro Latino`s programs unconditionally.