Dr. Ryan J. Smith



President & CEO

St. Joseph Center

Culinary Graduate and Neighborwood Eats Head Chef Steven Becomes MVP at Intuit Dome

Chef Steven Reynaga is a graduate of Bread & Roses Training Kitchen at St. Joseph Center. Today, he is the Head Chef of Neighborwood Eats at the Intuit Dome Plaza, where a rotating lineup of local restaurants highlights Inglewood’s culinary talent. He also hosts pop-up events internationally, with events in Mexico, Canada, and soon England.


That shift may sound simple, but it says a lot about who Chef Reynaga is. Cooking is something he takes seriously and is proud of. It gives structure to his day and a sense of direction he did not always have.

Through the Bread & Roses Training Kitchen, Chef Reynaga gained practical experience, guidance, and a space to grow. He speaks about that time with clarity and gratitude.

Honoring our Volunteers: Claire Stone Builds Community Through Service

On a quiet Monday morning in Venice, a line forms outside St. Joseph Center’s Bread & Roses Café well before the doors open. Some guests clutch backpacks while others bundle in their coats. Before service, Chef James offers his usual reminder: “Our guests don’t have to be homeless, they just have to be hungry.”

Inside, the Monday Crew moves with purpose, their laughter rising above the low hums of ’70s and ’80s rock and roll. It is the heartbeat of the Café—community built one Monday at a time. Among them is Claire Stone, a longtime volunteer and supporter, who quietly begins her mornings rolling silverware and setting tables—small, thoughtful acts that help ensure every meal is served with dignity.

Transforming Lived Experience into Art: Renee Westbrook on Homelessness, Healing, and “Shelter”

You’re living in a house, everything is fine. Then the next night you’re out on Olympic and Bundy with a suitcase, a backpack and a purse. That’s it.

Renee Westbrook performing Shelter, her one-woman show.

It’s something impossible for most people to understand. If you’ve never been unhoused, the feeling of having a roof over your head one night and being out on the street the next is incomprehensible. I can’t blame anyone for not getting it. I couldn’t process it myself, even after it happened to me.

That’s actually the reason why I developed my own one woman show, Shelter, which I wrote, produced and performed in Fringe Festivals, all while I was experiencing homelessness.

Building Stability on My Own Terms: Lauren's Story

Lauren’s story is not about a single turning point. It’s about what stays with you, even as your life moves forward. For Lauren, success is not a simple “before and after.” Stability has unfolded slowly, built step by step through opportunity, support, and persistence.

Her story reflects that reality. As St. Joseph Center celebrates 50 years of impact, we are honored to share her reflections on homelessness and the slow, deliberate work of building stability and meaning on her own terms.

A former St. Joseph Center client and CodeTalk graduate, Lauren was honored at our annual Gala with the H.O.M.E. (Helping Others Move Effectively) Award, recognizing her extraordinary resilience and personal achievement.

If you believe in this mission and these stories inspire you, please make a donation to St. Joseph Center. Your support keeps us on the frontlines and helps our neighbors thrive.

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