Franciscan Center

Dining Program: With a small staff and many volunteers, the organization serves a nutritionally balanced meals on-site for hundreds of impoverished individuals and families with children each day. The Center normally serves over one hundred thousand meals annually which increased to well over 300,000 during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Responsive Services: The Center interviews hundreds of clients each week to determine their needs. The Center provides eviction prevention funds to clients with a valid eviction notice and committed funds from other sources, assistance with obtaining personal identification documents, assistance in paying for presriptions, dental services, eyeglasses, bus passes, and other emergency needs. The Center also employs Social Workers who provide counselling and referrals to other agencies. Staff work with clients to help them pay their bills, coach and encourage financial responsibility, discuss mental health, medical, and substance abuse, and other concerns through case management.

Pantry Program: The Center provides groceries for individuals and families. Clients verified as eligible by the Baltimore City Department of Social Services receive groceries for three days of balanced meals. The Center provides groceries to hundreds of households each month. The pantry is normally open from 10am to 2pm. Donated food items supplement grants to keep the pantry stocked. During the pandemic, groceries were provided outside of the building to needy individuals and families.