Vista Maria was founded 130 years ago as an orphanage by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. The Sisters’ legacy of rescuing and restoring women and children provides the foundation for the agency’s mission today: to deliver innovative care, support, treatment and education so that vulnerable youth heal, believe in their worth and build the skills needed to succeed.
Filled with compassion and a sense of responsibility to care for women and girls who were homeless, or caught in abusive, destructive and dangerous situations, the Sisters devoted their lives to helping women and girls regain their self-worth, dignity and become self-sufficient—in much the same way as Vista Maria does today.
Over the years, the agency continued to grow to meet the ever-changing needs of children and their families from our communities. Today, the agency offers an array of community-based programs that include: education through two on-campus charter schools; general and treatment foster care; youth assistance programming; independent living; transition services; and after-school programming.
With a strong foundation and core values firmly in place, the Sisters’ mission of caring for the whole person—physically, emotionally and spiritually—will continue to guide the agency’s efforts to help our vulnerable children and families end the multi-generational cycle of poverty and achieve self-sufficiency.
