Take a trip through Family Connections’ history…

It all began in September 1993…

Family Connections Centers (originally “Portola Family Connections”) was formed after residents in the Portola neighborhood overwhelmingly expressed a need for family support services. The first programs we offered took place in the E. R. Taylor Elementary School basement!

In 2003, we launched programs in Excelsior.

Seeing a growing need in the neighboring community of Excelsior, Family Connections’ staff and Board began working with residents, local partners, and regional officers to expand our education and family support services there. Our first programs in the Excelsior were held on Ocean Avenue, where we worked to ensure children and families could access the services they needed for healthy and successful lives.

In 2007, 2565 San Bruno Ave became a permanent home.

We became the official owners of our Portola center on San Bruno Avenue. Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to expand our Portola footprint into the neighboring garage, renovate our building to better support our range of programs, and add murals and a beautiful outdoor space.

In Spring 2019, we celebrated the Excelsior Center Grand Opening.

5016 Mission Street opened its doors as our second home in the Spring of 2019. Owning our Excelsior center has enabled us to launch a second preschool program, strengthen our partnerships in Southeast San Francisco, and continue to adapt to best meet families’ needs.

And in 2024, we opened our third family resource center in Visitacion Valley.

Thanks to generous funding from the Department of Early Childhood, we opened a third family resource center in the Viz Valley neighborhood. Through our new FRC, we offer early child playgroups and a full range of family support services and events.

Today, children and families can access multilingual, multigenerational education and support at our three locations in San Francisco!