The Founding of the BP Oliver Catholic Foundation
(Formerly known as Trust Funds Incorporated)

One day in 1934, Mr. Oliver was having a discussion with his attorney, Vincent O’Donnell. The conversation went something like: 

“Mr. Oliver, it looks to me like you are on your way to heaven with all the good works you are doing for people. Before you go to heaven, I think it would be a good idea for you to found a California non-profit foundation so that these kinds of good works will
continue.”

That conversation was the beginning of the BP Oliver Catholic Foundation, then known as Trust Funds Incorporated. Mr. Oliver named Mr. Vincent O’Donnell as the first President of the new Foundation.

Mr. O’Donnell served as President of the foundation until his passing in 1961. On his death bed, he asked his best friend, Albert “Jack” Steiss to take over as President. Mr. Steiss served admirably for many years, until his passing in 1994 at the age of 89.

Upon the death of Mr. Steiss, the Directors named Deacon James T. “Jim” Healy to replace Mr. Steiss. Mr. Healy had been a director on the Board since 1961 when he had been asked to take the place of Mr. O’Donnell. In another small world reference, Mr. Healy’s mother and Mr. O’Donnell were first cousins. Continuing the tradition, Mr. Healy’s daughter, Margaret Healy Vibandor, serves as a Director on the Board today.

Due to ill health, Mr. Healy resigned as President in 2021, and subsequently passed away in 2022 at the age of 89. The Directors named Mrs. Elizabeth “Liz” Kelley to replace Mr. Healy, and she continues as President today.

The BP Oliver Catholic Foundation continues to serve people in need, especially in the areas of material help, Catholic education, other Catholic works and the sacredness of human life. After all, these were the areas of concern to Mr. Oliver. And, his good works live on in the persons of the current Directors.

Mr. Oliver was a San Francisco native and gave generously to Catholic causes throughout his native Bay Area. A proud graduate of Saint Mary’s College, Mr. Bartley P. Oliver was a very devout, saintly Roman Catholic. He was also a wealthy man in terms of material things. His profession was commercial real estate, with offices on Montgomery Street in San Francisco.

  • In the 1920’s during the Great Depression, Mr. Oliver sponsored the construction of a shelter for homeless men called St. Patrick’s Shelter for homeless men. The shelter was located on Minna Street in downtown San Francisco. He gave the shelter to St. Vincent de Paul to operate.
  • In the early 1930’s, Mr. Oliver built a maternity hospital and gave it to the Daughters of Charity to staff and operate. The purpose of the hospital was to serve single, teenage girls who became pregnant. Where could or should they turn for help? Mr Oliver made sure that there would be help waiting for them at St. Elizabeth Hospital in San Francisco. Mr. Oliver not only paid for the construction of the hospital, but he owned the land upon which it was built. The stately brick building still stands today located at Turk and Masonic Streets, down the hill from the University of San Francisco. The Daughters of Charity still operate the facility today where it serves as a professional social work center for drug addicted mothers and their babies.
  • Mr. Oliver also built St. Vincent’s High School which was a Catholic high school for girls that was operated by the Daughters of Charity. The School was located at Geary and Gough Streets. In the 1970’s, the high school was torn down to make way for the new St. Mary’s Cathedral. St. Vincent’s merged with Sacred Heart High School and is now known as Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, located on Ellis Street between Franklin and Gough Streets.
  • In later years, Mr. Oliver gave his summer estate in Los Altos Hills to the Daughters of Charity. The estate was originally used as an orphanage and now serves as a retreat center and the provincialate for the Daughters.