One of the great Stories of the Brother Benno Center
Yvonne and her son Danny had to live in their car while they waited for Yvonne’s disability checks to start coming and her Section 8 housing approval to be final. They came to the Center for breakfast and for help with some of their dire needs. Then the police stopped her for an expired car registration, and her car was taken away. An officer brought them to Brother Benno’s, where they were given a voucher for a few nights’ stay at a motel. Yvonne found an apartment and enrolled Danny in school, and a volunteer at Brother Benno’s was able to speed up the approval process for them. She also saw to it that their apartment was furnished with donations from Brother Benno donors.
Brother Benno Center
Brother Benno’s is a non denominational charity and has been committed to serving the poor and homeless in North San Diego County since 1983. Harold and Kay Kutler started out operating as a soup kitchen in downtown Oceanside. They named it after Brother Benno Garrity, a monk known for his work with the poor in Oceanside.Their first meal was served on October 21,1983.
For the first few years most who came to be served were street people. Now most of our guests are the working poor (parents and children who struggle on a daily basis for their most basic needs), the disabled and low income senior citizens. Our services have expanded beyond just serving food. In 1991, Brother Benno’s Foundation moved its operation to the present location, a 12,000 square foot facility with a dining room, full kitchen, shower room, clothing room, children’s reading room, chapel, administrative offices, warehouse and computer lab.
The goals of the Brother Benno Foundation are to see that, within the limits of their resources, no one in our area goes hungry, no one goes without shelter or clothing, and most importantly, no one goes without someone to care for him or her. We also strive to help our guests attain self-sufficiency.
From the beginning, our founders decided to refer to the people they serve as guests instead of clients. Their choice of the word “guest” has been the underpinning of our philosophy, which is one of loving service, the belief that everyone has value, and no one is a lost cause
Brother Benno’s is committed to operating with a very minimum amount of paid staff to accomplish their Mission and to enlist the greatest number of volunteers to help with the same goal. Our Board of Directors is a “working” board and receives no compensation. We do not hire anyone to raise funds. Fundraising is carried out by our volunteers, therefore your donations to Brother Benno’s are not eroded by overhead, administrative, and fundraising costs.
Volunteers play a key a role. Each month, over 200 individuals offer their time to carry out important jobs in accomplishing our mission. Over 90% of our funding comes from private donations, grants, and bequests. Our intention is never to rely on government funding to accomplish our mission.
Brother Benno’s wide base of support within the community continues to grow year after year. We are grateful to the thousands of people who express their support of our work with donations of food, clothes, thrift shop items, time and labor, and of course financial contributions. Without them we would cease to exist.
This organization has received many awards for it’s administrative efficiency. A Four Star Charity Navigator Rating Award.
