Ella Hill Hutch Community Center

Hutch was known as a defender of the working class and celebrated for her ability to win district elections and then to win re-election in a citywide race. Coming in fourth place, Hutch served as the first female on the BART Board and was an office assistant in the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU). Four months after her passing in 1981, former Mayor Dianne Feinstein cut the ribbon for the Ella Hill Hutch Community Center.


The Ella Hill Hutch Community Center stands a testament to her legacy and commitment to community. The center has served as an anchor institution since its opening and over the years has been the space for job training, youth enrichment and recreational activities. The center currently houses the Magic Zone program , which hosts health fairs, tennis and a variety of recreational activities.

In the summer months, the Ella Hill Hutch Community Center serves thousands of children and youth, providing 5,000 meals, distributing 2,000 books and offering countless hours of field trips, recreation, art and literacy classes. We also offer healthy snack, participate in the free lunch program, tennis classes, open gym and are developing a parent council, which will seek to incorporate parent involvement and leadership and to promote advocacy within their community on behalf of their children.


More than 37% of Western Addition residents live in poverty and 80% of our participants qualify for free and reduced lunch. Studies suggest that children in low income families suffer at a significantly higher rate than there counterparts from obesity, due in part to decreased opportunities to play and exercise safely outside; their caregivers are less likely to have access to healthy food options, or able to afford fresh healthy foods. Therefore the Ella Hill Hutch Community Center’s mission is to provide programs that support our residents through mental, physical and financial resources in order to build a healthier community.

The Ella Hill Hutch Community Center has been successful in achieving our mission by facilitating a direct partnership of services by the West Side Community members. Twice a week, they provide counseling and therapy, host physical fitness classes for the youth and community at large. Zumba, tennis, and a variety of exercise programs are available at no or reduced cost. and we make the space available for Narcotics Anonymous, community meetings and events.


For nearly seven years the Ella Hill Hutch Community Center has hosted the annual Western Addition Backpack Giveaway, giving away thousands of backpacks filled with school supplies. The center has also hosted health fairs and workshops providing health resources to hundreds of residents.