Donate now to provide healthy meals and services to our neighbors.
Making a sacrificial gift will allow us to provide healthy meals, prevent evictions, and help us obtain personal identifications for our clients.
$32,729 raised
$75,000 goal
We are no longer accepting donations on this campaign, but there are other ways for you to support us today!
Our Spring Lenten Campaign. We Need Your Support.
Every Tuesday night, at 5 o’clock, volunteers like Abdulla and Sierra come to the Franciscan Center to serve those in need. Abdulla enjoys serving hot, fresh meals on the line, sometimes stepping into the kitchen to prepare fresh produce for tomorrow’s meal. Sierra enjoys catering towards the guests in the dining room, filling glasses and engaging in conversation. Both Abdulla and Sierra are currently enrolled in college; despite having a long day of classes, studying, research, and jobs, they serve every week (sometimes more than once).
Our staff and volunteers give their time, energy, and love to those who need it most. People who are enduring homelessness, substance abuse, mental illness, isolation – people whom society often overlooks. At the Franciscan Center, all are treated as equals, with dignity and respect; our guests are worthy of time, devotion, empathy, and love.
This year, Lent begins on February 22nd – these are 40 days of the year, set aside for us to reflect and empathize with those less fortunate and to share a piece of ourselves with them. Last year, we served a total of 7,739 meals during the Lenten season. That was 7,739 plates of hope, warmth, and brightness to the lives of those working their way out of darkness. With your help, we can continue to be a beacon of light and faith to the citizens of Baltimore.
I am grateful for your past support and excited about the future of the Franciscan Center.
Currently, we are working to innovate and expand our Dignity Plates Training Academy. Going forward, we are putting more focus into customizing our program to help students. In addition to restaurants and hospitality, our students are looking to expand their skills into gourmet markets and establishments, such as Wegmans, Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, and MedStar. With the encouragement, support, and confidence from their Academy training, students are able to excel in their careers without wavering and without doubt.
Please consider a gift to our Center today. I believe there is much more we can do together to improve the lives of the homeless and working poor.
Yours in Service,
Jeffrey Griffin, Executive Director
The Franciscan Center Website.
