St Francis Seraph Ministries

Dining room: individuals who are homeless and others in need are provided breakfast and dinner five days a week while finding refuge in a safe, hospitable, and respectful environment. Staff refer interested guests to housing and other services where appropriate. During the fiscal year, more than 47,900 hot meals were provided , and 4,200 meals were provided to the center for respite care residents. Greater cincinnati behavioral health services provides onsite counseling and placement services to assist our program guests to receive treatment for chemical dependency and mental health. This collaboration has resulted in many benefits for guests, including the acquisition of needed medical services and job placement; over 155 guests were placed in permanent housing since inception.

Sarah center is an empowerment center encouraging participants to develop strengths and talents in order to build positive lives for themselves, their families, and the community. 'stitched' classes teach sewing skills and almost half of graduating students have either been hired for sewing positions or started their own business as a result. Programming also includes quilting and jewelry classes, health and wellness activities, empowerment experiences, entrepreneurial education and the sale of participants' hand-made products as a source of income and self-affirmation.

Foot care for the souls is staffed by trained volunteers. It provides foot care, and socks and shoes to homeless individuals. Individuals living unsheltered can develop serious foot problems from the cold, wet footwear, and difficulty maintaining foot hygiene. This is also a means to connect and engage with individuals one-to-one, to help disrupt their isolation and connect with other services they may need to successfully transition to shelter and a home. 329 individuals were treated during the fiscal year.

Bag lunch ministry: bag lunches are distributed in collaboration with recovery and youth programs and to guests in the dining room. During the fiscal year, over 35,000 bag lunches were distributed to dining room guests and lighthouse youth services. A bag lunch is food for the day for some and, for others in poverty, a portable meal so their limited income can be used more effectively for other basic needs.

Other assistance efforts: the Ministries provides $40,000 in annual scholarships for several students attending St. Francis Seraph school. On a limited basis, the Ministries provides emergency assistance to pay rent, utilities and transportation costs for individuals or families who have no other recourse. The franciscan province of St. john the baptist began funding emergency assistance in 2023.