Hogar de San José Foundation

Hogar de San José Foundation (St. Joseph Home Foundation) was founded in 1942 by the Society of Jesus in Gijón, Spain, to assist where families are unable to properly care for their children. It began with a school, and now runs three residential facilities and additional programs to train and accompany youth until they have achieved steady employment, also working with young immigrants. Another program assists parents or guardians in successful parenting.

Services

Fundación Hogar de San Josébegan in 1942 as a small school with 12 boys at 3 Covadonga Street in Gijón. Today the foundation runs three homes for boys and girls together. Alpamayo houses 14 children (in sibling groups) ages 3 to 12, and uses several floors to prepare older youth with social and employability skills. San Jose Home houses 24 youth of 8 to 18 years. SEMA houses 8 youth 16 years and older in their transition to independent living. Many of the youth have been expelled from school due to behavioral difficulties.

Educational Tomorrows program tends to an average of 125 children a year after their release from the residential programs. There is also the separate ”PAPIL” labor training and insertion program, which assists youngsters who are struggling to achieve steady employment. The Family Reincorporation program teaches parenting skills to parents and guardians, for the successful reintegration of children into the family living situation. A School Reinforcement Program has the assistance of about 18 volunteers.

On its 75th anniversary in 2017, the foundation received the José Lorca Prize for its success in "prevention, intervention, promotion of rights, and the socio-labor insertion," with thousands of children ages 3 through 18 having benefited from its programs. It now benefits over 200 minors each year. The anniversary year also featured the release of a YouTube video.