Linda Fries, an artist who was raising two small children in the Richmond District at the time, was among the first to recognize the need for a community center. After learning about the plans for the new condo complex, she conducted a needs assessment of the neighborhood and discovered that there were more unmet needs for child care and other neighborhood services than any other district in the city. Residents banded together with Fries, established a non-profit organization, and secured a long-term lease from the property owner—the San Francisco Unified School District.

Since 1980, the Neighborhood Center has grown into a thriving, multi-purpose community center with programs serving all ages in the neighborhood. Our shared space flourishes with children hard at play at the Cross Cultural Family Center, jazz music piping through the Community Music Center, families seeking an after school program and lively crowds at our many events. The Richmond Neighborhood Center has truly become a second home for everyone in the community and we hope it will for you, too!