Felton Institute honors the bravery and tenacity of African Americans forging new ground in spaces that historically and legally barred them. Our history is one filled with uplifting the experiences and expertise of Black individuals and communities in the workplace and beyond. Effie Robinson, a Black social worker and civil rights activist, worked at Felton Institute (then called the Family Service Agency) as a case worker and acting director in the 1940s and 1950s. At a time when segregation was legal and the social worker profession was a predominately white field, Ms. Robinson was a trailblazer, advocating for civil rights and under-served populations.
A California native, Ms. Robinson broke many barriers. At Felton Institute, she was the only African American on staff, becoming acting director in 1956. Prior to her tenure at Felton, she broke new ground when she became the first African American to attend the University of California School of Social Welfare in 1943 and in 1945 became the first African American to graduate from the school. Throughout her lifetime she was honored with many awards including San Francisco Woman of the Year, Ten Most Distinguished Women in San Francisco, and Woman of the Month in Ladies Home Journal in 1975, among other accolades. For decades, she fought for the rights of African Americans and underprivileged people. The Rev. Cecil Williams, leader of Glide Memorial Methodist Church, called Ms. Robinson a “stalwart” who was “very sensitive to the issues surrounding people who had been denied and deprived privileges of housing.”
In the present day, Felton’s workforce is as diverse as the community it serves. Felton embodies Ms. Robinson’s vision for inclusivity and social justice. Today, we employ a racially and ethnically diverse executive leadership and workforce as well as those with lived experience – from former pregnant teen clients to the formerly incarcerated who provide their expertise and compassion.
Ms. Robinson died in 2003 at the age of 83. In her S.F. Gate obituary, former San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos said of her, “She was genteel, beautifully spoken . . . [a] powerhouse.”
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Source: California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections. Effie Robinson Collection. SPC.2023.037. Online Archive of California. Box 1. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8sj1tgr/entire_text/.
Image Source: California Social Welfare Archives
Felton Institute responds to the needs of our community by providing innovative, evidence-informed social services to transform lives. Our organization offers 50+ programs that address mental health, the unhoused, early care and education, those impacted by the justice system, transitional age youth, as well as aging adults. Our award-winning programs, which have been recognized as national models, combine the latest scientific research with cultural sensitivity and a deep commitment to supporting and reflecting the communities we serve.
Founded in 1889, Felton is the oldest secular non-profit social services provider in the City and County of San Francisco. We have expanded our services across most Bay Area counties and continue to be at the forefront of pioneering new approaches to meet the emerging needs of underserved populations.
We know what it looks like to successfully build community.
We foster impactful change by strengthening the community as a premiere service provider. We also strengthen other service providers by supporting them in their fiscal, human resources, communications, IT and overall agency operations. With Felton’s support, they are able to focus on providing the best services to their clients, doing the work they were meant to do.
Felton empowers the community and ensures successful outcomes to all we engage with.
Felton Institute is a tax-exempt organization registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit under EIN 94-1156530.