In the early 1970’s, a group of phenomenal Bay Area health care and community leaders came together to envision a new kind of health care organization. Health care would be humanized by bringing health care providers and patients together in partnership; considering a person’s needs in the context of family; and providing care in the setting most conducive to optimal health and well-being, the home.

From that vision has grown the Pathways that we know today – an organization that highly values compassion, excellence, dignity, integrity, diversity, innovation, volunteerism and collaboration. 

Not far from the little Palo Alto garage that was the birthplace of Hewlett-Packard, the
not-for-profit Midpeninsula Health Service establishes MidPeninsula HomeCare and Hospice (now Pathways), a Medicare certified and State licensed home health agency to provide home health and hospice services in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties .
Hospice program is one of the first in the United States .

Formal affiliation with El Camino Hospital and Sequoia Hospital creates opportunities for expanded service to patients and families in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties .

Continuous Care Services (now known as Private Duty), a private duty nursing and attendant care agency, created to meet the needs of patients and families whose care needs go beyond those covered by Medicare.

San Francisco Giants pitcher, Dave Dravecky, "throws the first pitch" as the keynote speaker at the first One From the Heart Awards Breakfast – now one of the Bay Area’s most inspirational annual events. 

Washington Hospital in Fremont and the Bernardin family create the Hospice Trees of Angels events to benefit Hospice services in their communities.

New program created to give access to hospice and quality end-of-life care to residents of residential care facilities and nursing homes.

Hospice and Continuous Care (now Private Duty) expand to San Fran ci sco County , opening an office across from St. Francis Hospita l.

Vision achieved — Pathways circles the Bay through merger of MidPeninsula HomeCare and Hospice with Pathways/Vesper Hospice and Home Health.

National recognition for innovation in end-of-life care.  Presented with one of nine Circle of Life Awards from the American Hospital Association and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 

In response to the growth in programs and service area, our name changed to Pathways, kicking off a year-long celebration of 25 years of caring.  The mission, people caring and commitment remain the same.

Frances C. Arrillaga Humanitarian Award for End of Life Care and John W. Gardner Visionary Award created to honor the co-founders of the Hospice Community Advisory Council. 

Pathways Hospice Foundation passed a significant milestone, raising more than $10,000,000 for Pathways since the Foundation’s inception.  The Foundation also launched a new Bequest and Legacy Fund Program, and received its largest single gift, a bequest valued at more than $500,000.

First Pathways San Francisco community fundraising event, A Hot Night in Havana , was a resounding success raising over $250,000.

 New initiatives launched include the Pathways KIDS program, to address the growing needs of children with life-threatening illnesses and their families;  an Integrative Therapies Program; and a partnership in global caring with Pretoria Sungardens Hospice in
South Africa .

Pathways receives its first gift of real estate from a family who received hospice services.

640 employees and 400 volunteers partnered with 6,371 donors, 1,450 community physicians, 55 acute care hospitals and over 450 other health care institutions to deliver care to 6,821 patients.

Acquired new Pathways “home” headquarters in Sunnyvale . 

Increased Pathways Endowment Fund to over $500,000 and raised nearly $2,000,000 exceeding annual goals in both dollars and gifts.