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Archive | Houstonians
Founding of San José Clinic
Malnourishment and disease from Mexican Americans and Mexican’s impoverished communities in 1922 led to high infant morality rate and mothers’ lacking adequate knowledge about childcare. To combat these concerns, Msgr. George T. Walsh enlisted the help of Katherine Carroll and Theodora Kendall to establish a free clinic for the Mexican and Mexican American community in […]
Respect, Dignity, and Home
By Joseph Castillo Pins added to the map above indicate the early clinic locations in Second Ward. Pin 1: 1900 Franklin (1922-1925); pin 2: 1909 Canal (1925-1954); pin 3: 1919 Runnels (1954-1956); and pin 4: 301 Hamilton (195 6 -2 010 ). Map from Alacrán essay courtesy of the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public […]
Pillar of Refuge, Maria Ramirez
By Joseph Castillo In the forty years that she has been with the San José Clinic, Maria has watched the clinic grow and maintain its family-like community. Her devotion and ability to connect with patients in both Spanish and English make her a beloved member of the San José Clinic community. Photo courtesy of the San José […]
“A Magical Time”: Christmas at San José Clinic
By Celine Pineda Just five years after the San José Clinic was established in 1922, the National Council of Catholic Women (now the Charity Guild of Catholic Women) began hosting a Christmas celebration for patients and community members, many of whom went without during the holidays. Approximately 300 children attended the first gathering, with infants receiving clothing and toiletries and other children visiting Santa Claus, who gave them toys and bags filled with candy, […]
The Women Behind the San José Clinic
By Sarah Chikhani In the early 1990s, Sister Annette McDonagh and Sister Pauline Troncale carpooled to work at San José Clinic in Houston’s Second Ward. Every morning, Sister Annette, a pharmacist in her seventies, would bless the clinic with a splash of holy water and pray that she would not make any mistakes. Recalling the story with a laugh, Sister Pauline, who was CEO of the clinic at […]
Fundraising with Heart
By Grace Conroy Over 300 people attended the Art with Heart event in 2018, which raised $215,000 from the sale of artwork, some of which is shown here. Photo courtesy of the San José Clinic. People have come together to discuss important ideas and shared interests since the ancient Greeks and Romans. While these original assemblies centered […]
Looking to the Next 100 Years
By Alondra Torres The San José Clinic opened its facility at 2615 Fannin in 2010. The state-of-the-art facility accommodated 27,940 patient visits in 2019 and in 2020, during the pandemic, provided 18,662 visits, including drive-through services. Photo courtesy of Wes Jackson, Ph.D. In a U.S. healthcare system trying to service hundreds of millions of people, many find themselves living without access to proper healthcare. Yet, […]
18.2 LGBTQ+ HOU: Bayou City Proud – Letter from Editor
Letter from the Editor: Reflections on Love Debbie Z. Harwell, editor. Does anyone ever really forget their first love? Whether the relationship lasted a lifetime or ended too soon, it seems few people forget. In fact, the internet has an endless number of opinions and statistics on first loves. My first love was a gay […]
100 Years of Stories
A new, collaborative approach to storytelling at the University of Houston has been sparked by a gift from UH friend and patron Carey C. Shuart. As a volunteer and supporter to many areas of UH for over thirty years, she saw the opportunity to bring together UH’s Center for Public History, Houston Public Media, and […]