About Us

Changing Lives

58,507 Service hours

were provided by peer counselors in Older Adult Services.

Opening Doors

635 participants

were supported by volunteer counselors in 2023.

Who We Help

We support 2 counties: San Mateo and Santa Clara. Our programs reach all ages from birth to 100 + years.

Children & Families

Early Learning curriculum, STEM from the Start, support for ages birth to 12 years, healthy meals, and therapeutic interventions.

Financial Stability

Financial education for teens and adults, loan information, lending circles, prepaid debit cards, and credit building tools.

Employment for Older Adults

Mature worker skill building, resume development, job search coaching, specialized workshops, and networking.

Older Adults Thriving

Resource hotline, transportation, peer counseling, Fair Oaks Adult Activity Center, and technology training.

Our History

View Timeline

75 years

Established in 1950

1950

We Opened Our Doors

Peninsula Family Service opens with only two staff members.

1961

Auxiliaries

First auxiliary was established. The auxiliary’s silent auction held in May was the first of hundreds of benefit events.

1967

Family Fashion Fair Shop

Members of Family Fashion Fair, 621 San Mateo Ave., San Bruno, Mmes. Thomas F. Pokorny, left; Ernest Robinson, Fred Bauer, and J. M. Garcia, volunteer of the year.

1973

Child Day Care

Family Service launched an innovative network of neighborhood family day care homes in Redwood City with funding by the State Department of Education.

1973

Infant Care Center

San Mateo Infant Care Center opens for children age 12 months – 2 years.

1982

Life Board Member

Ms. Ruth Wisnom is inducted into the Honorary Life Board, and continues to be part of the PFS family today.

1989

South San Francisco

Family Service took on management of Leo J. Ryan Intergenerational Child Development Center in South San Francisco.

1989

Family Tree Shop

The REd-Car-Bel Auxiliary holiday shop at the Family Tree in San Carlos.

1991

Visitation Center

A Grand Jury awarded a new contract to establish and provide supervised visitation and exchange services for families referred by Superior Court and CPS.

1991

Parent Child Interaction Therapy

Family Service began providing Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) to the community in 1991, an evidence-based treatment that provides live coaching to parents of children with behavior problems.

1990s

Volunteers

Older adult volunteers help during lunch service for older adults.

1995

Winner's Breakfast

The Winner’s Breakfast event was formed as a forum to honor students in front of families and friends.

1996

Week of the Young Child

Volunteers celebrate the Week of the Young Child with yummy snacks and activities.

2000

Fair Oaks Adult Activity Center

The City of Redwood City Parks and Recreation Department invited Family Service to take over operations of the struggling senior dining program at the Fair Oaks Community Center

in unincorporated area of the County.

2005

10th Anniversary

The Winner’s Breakfast event was formed as a forum to honor students in front of families and friends.

2005

10th Anniversary

Michael Pritchard hosts the Winner’s Breakfast event 10th anniversary.

2005

Winner's Breakfast