When Rudolph A. Johnson III went through the Head Start program at Neighborhood House Association as a little boy more than 40 years ago, his teachers never imagined they were preparing him for a leadership position in San Diego’s largest social services agency.

This year the Neighborhood House Association (NHA) is celebrating 100 years of history and of service to the San Diego community.

Johnson said he’s proud of leading the organization into a new era. “It is very special to me, not just as president and CEO, but as a former student in the Head Start program,” he said. “For me, it’s like coming full circle. I’m a guy who believes in a higher power, and I know I was meant to be here.”

Neighborhood House Association kicked off its centennial celebration in late January at a ceremony at the Marston House Museum in Balboa Park. Community and business leaders came together to celebrate the agency’s achievements and commemorate the agency’s history and impact to the San Diego region.

San Diego Interim Mayor Todd Gloria said during the event that NHA is an important part of the city.

“This organization started helping immigrants in the community and has continued their service today with youth, families, and seniors,” Gloria said. “It’s a great organization worthy of great support from the city of San Diego.”

Founded in 1914 by a group of women, NHA began as a settlement house assisting Mexican and other immigrants in transitioning into the San Diego Community. NHA has been instrumental in supporting underserved communities throughout history’s most difficult periods, including the Mexican Revolution, the Great Depression and two World Wars.
Earlier this month, the California State Assembly recognized NHA for its 100 years of service.

Throughout 2014, the agency will celebrate and commemorate a legacy of service to the San Diego region.

Although in a century NHA has grown into one of the largest human services organizations in San Diego providing service to more than 24,000 families each year, Johnson said that the agency hasn’t forgotten its roots.

“We still make sure that it is an efficient operation that maintains its heart,” he said.

Johnson added that the founding mothers were ahead of their time by realizing that Mexican immigrants deserved the same rights and benefits as anybody else in San Diego.

Dan Muñoz, editor and publisher of La Prensa San Diego, serves on the NHA board of directors, believes in the agency and shares the same vision with NHA of serving the community.

With an annual operating budget of over $84 million and more than 700 employees, NHA is the largest multi-purpose human services organization in San Diego County, serving thousands of residents (children, families, seniors and youth) each year.

The agency has 12 key program areas offered at more than 120 locations throughout San Diego County. These programs include an array of services designed to meet the cultural, social, health and emergency daily living needs of underserved residents. Program service areas are focused on: Health, Youth, Child Development, Seniors, Mental Health, Nutrition, HIV/AIDS Services, Housing Counseling and Emergency Assistance.

Among the events scheduled to commemorate NHA 100 years of history are a Celebrity Chefs Table on March 23rd at NHA Central Kitchen, with the participation of popular regional chefs, including Tijuana’s Javier Plascencia.

Also, the NHA Centennial Gala will take place on Nov. 8th at the San Diego Convention Center.

To learn more about the Neighborhood House Association’s services and 100 years of history, please visit www.neighborhoodhouse.org.