St. Joseph's Neighborhood Center: A Bridge Not a Barrier to a Better Life

Tiffany Paine–Cirrincione is the Director of Development & Communications for the St. Joseph Neighborhood Center. SJNC provides primary & specialty care, mental health counseling, support services & referrals, healthcare access assistance, to individuals & families who are uninsured & under-insured in the greater Rochester area. In the 1970’s the Sisters of St. Joseph were actively involved in the Catholic Worker Movement. They opened the House of Hospitality, Nazareth University, Special Touch Bakery, & The Villa of Hope, to name a few. The House of Hospitality dealt with housing & food insecurities. In the 1990’s the Sisters realized these people needed medical & mental health care assistance. So the Center was created. Caring for the “*dear neighbor without distinction*” is a tenet of the Sisters of St. Joseph, and has stayed with the Center even though it became an independent non-profit in 2012. While the SJNC does provide primary care services, they are not looking to keep patients long-term. The SJNC is meant to be a **bridge** from *needing* healthcare services to *getting* healthcare services.  SJNC's Care Coordinators will help with paperwork for financial aid, or to get you into a larger healthcare system, and provide referrals to community partners for housing insecurity or food stability. They can help with transportation by way of bus passes or Uber gift cards. The best way to be seen at SJNC is to make an appointment: 585-325-5260  The SJNC is not a free clinic. The fees for services in the building are based on a sliding scale from $5 to $50.  The Center provides prescriptions like a primary care physicians office might and sends it to the patient’s preferred pharmacy, providing any available coupons to minimize cost for the patient. Whenever possible longer scripts are written to minimize inconvenience and transportation difficulties for the patient. The Center has introduced a refreshed set of organizational values & a renewed strategic framework. A clever acronym has been created for the revitalized value system: **B.R.A.V.E.** SJNC hosts events to discuss the needs of the underserved, explore opportunities for collaboration, and find new ways to better meet those needs: **Table Talk and Tastings** is the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 5:30pm **Breakfast at the Center** is the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 8am. Please register in advance. The Center is getting ready to host their annual **Tasting and Auction on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.** Tickets are $60. Come dressed as your favorite Legend! St. Joseph Neighborhood Center, 417 South Ave., Rochester NY 14620 585-325-5260, sjncenter.org Please email your questions about today's episode or any questions you have about real estate, or buying or selling a home to glennadvantage@howardhanna.com. We will be answering these questions in our future podcast episodes. Marcia Glenn is a licensed Associate Real Estate Broker with has worked tirelessly since 1992 for her clients, whether they are buying or selling a home. Her team of agents brings with them experience, innovation, perspective and drive to make them part of the top 10% of all REALTORS in the Rochester NY area.  Join us next time for "On the Go with the Glenn Advantage Team". Search for "On the Go with the Glenn Advantage Team wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to our YouTube channel @glennadvantage, or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.