March 4, 2022 | Stories

Epicenter Receptions

In February, the Community Foundation for San Benito County opened its doors for a series of six receptions showcasing the new Epicenter building, located in the 400 block of downtown Hollister. The Epicenter was built to serve as a central hub for nonprofit activities and community collaboration. The land and construction costs for the project were a gift from Randy and Rebecca Wolf, who wanted to provide a space and resources for nonprofits in San Benito County and foster a positive impact on the community.

The Epicenter offers meeting spaces, office spaces, and multiple workstations for long-term or drop-in use by local nonprofits. Currently, ten nonprofits will be housed in the Epicenter. These include CASA of San Benito County, BenitoLink, Health Project Center, United Way, Emmaus House, Sun Street Centers, Hollister Community Outreach, Martha’s Kitchen, and Economic Development Corporation of San Benito County. CASA’s Executive Director Esther Curtis states that she looks forward to working “in an environment where we (CASA) can gather and support the needs of the community”.

On Saturday, February 12^th the Hollister Downtown Association hosted a public open house at the Epicenter, in attendance were Anthony and Carol Mauro. They were excited to see the new building that is now located where they once operated Mauro Stationers, Inc. until it was destroyed in the 1989 earthquake. Anthony said, “It is a beautiful building and so incredible to see. I love it!” As he walked outside to the patio area he remembered his old workshop that was in that area, “My workshop was the area that saved everyone in the earthquake.” During the earthquake, Carol gathered everyone into the workshop while the building around them collapsed. Ten people, including children, were safe and walked out unharmed. Carol was happy to see the Epicenter completed, “it is such a great way to bring the community together. It is just fantastic!”

The Foundation Board and staff would like to thank everyone who came out to celebrate the Epicenter and they look forward to it being a place for people to connect, plan, inspire, and create a thriving community. The Community Foundation’s CEO, Gary Byrne says, “We are excited to start this new chapter for the Foundation. This building represents a lot of hard work and dedication from Randy and Rebecca Wolf, as well as many other community members, which helped make this dream a reality. We look forward to advancing our mission and continuing our work in a center that is designed and built to stand the test of time.”