FRANCISCAN CENTER INC
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Mission Statement
2.) The mission of the Franciscan Center is to provide emergency assistance and supportive outreach to persons who are economically disadvantaged in an effort to assist them in realizing their self-worth and dignity as people of God. All of our programs are free to those who are income eligible, and the vast majority of our guests are at 150% of the Federal poverty level or less. Our Dining Program is free to anyone who is hungry.
About This Cause
The Franciscan Center has served the Baltimore community since 1968. What began with the Franciscan Sisters of Baltimore handing out peanut butter sandwiches and coffee at the back door of the orphanage they operated on Maryland Avenue has grown to serve every Baltimore zip code, providing food, clothing, basic computer skills training, job readiness programs and a range of emergency financial assistance and supportive outreach that is truly unique. Today the Franciscan Center serves as a "one-stop shop" for families and individuals in crisis from throughout the City, helping them to achieve stability by meeting their basic human needs like food and clothing and empowering them with the tools and resources necessary to build self-sufficient lives. The Center serves as many as 700 men, women and children daily, five days a week throughout the year. We strive to live each day as people of peace, delivering our programs with the utmost dignity, respect and love. With more than 98% of our funding from private sources and more than 50% of our work force on a daily basis comprised of volunteers, the Franciscan Center is truly community supported. Our programs are delivered BY MARYLANDERS, FOR MARYLANDERS. The Franciscan Center is committed to helping improve public health in Baltimore long term by introducing fresh, healthy food to the families and individuals we serve – many of whom live in areas of the City that are designated as “food deserts”. Our Dining Program served 107,901 hot, healthy meals last year and our Food Pantry distributed 5,442 bags of emergency groceries. Since our average pantry bag is enough food for a family of three for three meals a day for three days that equates to an additional 146,934 meals. In addition to our regular pantry bag, we offer our guests the option of a “Healthy Choice” bag that includes the same amount of food but in healthier varieties. We are happy to report that more than 42% of our guests who receive this service are choosing the healthy option. Our Empowerment Services programs include our Clothing and Toiletries Program, our Technical Resource Center and our “Attire 4 Hire” program. The Franciscan Center is the area’s largest supplier of free, seasonally appropriate clothing for men, women and children, distributing more than 40,000 articles of clothing last year as well as toiletry items that are essential to maintaining health and dignity. Our Technical Resource Center helps those who lack basic computer skills to gain those skills, and works with them one-on-one to set up e-mail accounts, build resumes and apply for jobs and benefits. We are consistently helping 5-7 people a month find jobs. The Center’s “Attire 4 Hire" program helps men from throughout Baltimore dress professionally for job interviews and other important life events, outfitting them head-to-toe in free professional clothing that's theirs to keep. The Franciscan Center’s Responsive Services program provides emergency financial assistance with eviction prevention, energy bills (we are a Fuel Fund site) transportation, dental procedures and medical prescriptions. We also help our guests obtain copies of their birth certificates and Maryland I.D. cards, a huge barrier to any kind of services. More than 300 people receive their mail at the Franciscan Center, because they are either homeless or without stable housing. In addition, we offer counseling and referral services to our guests.