1985

• Shelter opens. Members of the Hamilton United Methodist Church respond to homeless crisis by opening the doors of their basement to homeless families in December. Shelter hours are 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

1987

• Shelter is formally incorporated as Hamilton Family Center.
• Shelter operation expands to 24 hours per day.

1989

• Day Program opens, allowing parents with small children to remain in the shelter.
• Loma Prieta earthquake strikes in October, increasing number of homeless families in San Francisco.

1990

• Homeless Prenatal Program opens at Hamilton Family Center. Community Health Outreach Workers provide health care and follow-up services on site (HPP later spins off as independent organization).
• Pre-school program opens.

1992

• Jesse Jackson spends night in the shelter, bringing national attention to Hamilton Family Center.

1993

• Homeless Children’s Network opens in February, providing therapy to children in family shelters in San Francisco (HCN spins off as independent agency in 1997).
• Learning Center opens, thanks to a literacy grant from the San Francisco Giants.
• Steve Young plays Santa for Hamilton Family Center children at agency holiday party.

1994

• Family Shelter Alliance created to provide mutual support and weekly collaborative meetings.
• “A Home Away From Homelessness,” a partnership with the National Parks Services to provide a cottage in Marin Headlands for homeless families, launches at Hamilton Family Center. Volunteers from Junior League, Smith & Hawken and California College of Arts and Crafts helped renovate and landscape the cottage. (‘Home Away’ later spins off as independent non-profit agency)
• Housing Initiative is formed, with Hamilton Family Center acting as sponsor, to advocate for more transitional and permanent housing for homeless and poor families.

1995

• Land purchased for new transitional housing facility.

1997

• Salvador Menjivar named Executive Director on September 15.
• Capital Campaign to raise $1.8 million for transitional housing facility begins.
• “Winter Shelter” opens, expanding Hamilton Family Center capacity to 100 through winter season.
• Family therapist hired to provide counseling for families.

1998

• Groundbreaking ceremony for transitional housing facility held in September.
• Hamilton Family Center opens Housing Program, funded by HUD, to provide housing assistance for former residents.

1999

• “Winter Shelter” program adds 12 beds in gymnasium through May 1999.

2000

• New building complex completed; Hamilton Family Center opens Transitional Program to families in February.
• Administrative and Development offices move to the new site at 1631 Hayes Street.
• Hamilton Family Center begins development of third facility at 260 Golden Gate Avenue to accommodate up to 120 beds.

2001

• 260 Golden Gate site, named Hamilton Family Residences, opens with capacity to serve nearly 150 people each night.
• Waller Street site becomes Hamilton Family Emergency Center; provides one-night and 30-day beds for up 70 people each night.

2002

• Planning has begun to offer Permanent Supportive Housing for homeless families in collaboration with Mercy Housing California and DHS at the former Dudley Hotel

2003

• The Dudley Apartments receives its certificate for occupancy and is stated to open August 1, 2003.

2005

• The Schwab Foundation grants Hamilton Family Center’s Housing and Aftercare Program two $75,000 grants to “shift gears” with a pilot project to move towards a housing first method of services for homeless families.
• Hamilton Family Center celebrates 20 years of work to end family homelessness in San Francisco.

2006 

• Hamilton Family Center’s First Avenues: Housing Solutions for Families program is launched on July 10^th at a press conference at City Hall with Mayor Gavin Newsom.
• Hamilton moved its emergency center program from the founding location of the organization in the Haight to 260 Golden Gate. The building at 260 Golden Gate now will serve emergency, 60-day and 3-month families in one building.
• Hamilton launches www.myhousing.org for low-income families in the Bay Area. The site was created to provide families with easy access to community resources. Please visit the site at http//www.myhousing.org
  
• The organization undergoes an extensive rebranding process and launches a new logo for its six programs to end homelessness in San Francisco.