St. Mary's Center

California Senate Budget Sub-Committee 3 Senator Dr. Akilah Weber Pierson, Chair Senator Shannon Grove Senator Caroline Menjivar                                       March 20, 2025   Prepared Remarks on SSI and Homelessness Sharon Cornu, Executive Director, St. Mary's Center     Good morning, Senators, and thank you for your time. My name is Sharon Cornu, and I’m the executive director of St. Mary Center in West Oakland—a community of hope, healing, and justice. While we’re often thought of as a soup kitchen and shelter, St. Mary’s has grown into much more. Today, we provide homeless services, transitional housing, a vibrant Senior Center serving breakfast and hot lunch, and even a Preschool. I’m here today to highlight the undeniable link between the inadequacy of SSI benefits and homelessness. At St. Mary’s, we run a housing clinic twice a week. Last year alone, we saw 1,247 visits, primarily from seniors living on SSI with just $1,000 a month. Over the past five years, we’ve secured housing for more than 200 seniors. This program, though unfunded, addresses a critical need by offering low-barrier access to vital information, counseling, and support during housing searches. Among seniors enrolled in our case management, 95% rely on SSI, and approximately 85% are Black—individuals who have faced a lifetime of systemic discrimination in education, healthcare, housing, employment, and finance. The reality is stark: affordable housing is scarce, and SSI benefits remain shamefully inadequate. California cannot simply defer to the federal government for a cost-of-living adjustment. Action is urgently needed to raise SSI income and prevent more seniors from falling into homelessness. When I joined St. Mary’s six years ago, I thought of SSI as support for the aged, blind, and disabled. I mistakenly associated disability with substance or alcohol abuse. In my time here, I’ve met seniors who worked as truck drivers, childcare providers, landscapers, handymen, domestic workers, and even shoe salesmen. They toiled in the underground economy, where their labor went unrewarded and unrecorded—denying them the safety net they deserve in their golden years. I urge you to take a hard look at boosting SSI benefits, and I warmly invite you to visit St. Mary’s Center. Come share a meal with our seniors and see firsthand the challenges and resilience of this community. Thank you for all that you do.

The Council of Elders, Board of Directors and Management Team of St. Mary's Center met recently to review progress on our Vision 2025: Charity to Justice strategic plan, celebrated our achievements, addressed challenges, and dug into our opportunities. Cannot imagine a more dedicated, compassionate or knowledgeable group to do this work with! We are ready for the future!

Here's the update on Day 2 of our parking lot safety improvements at St. Mary's Center. Pedestrian walkway, better signage and drainage coming just in time! Much appreciation to seniors, staff and neighbors for your patience during construction. Phase 1 wraps up just in time for vote center activities this weekend!