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THE FRANCIS CENTER WELCOMES YOU
Important Closure Information
We will be TEMPORARILY closed on Thursday, October 10th. Due to construction. We will reopen on Monday, October 14th.
OUR MISSION
Find help from the Francis Center
The Francis Center is a non-profit food and clothing pantry started by Catholic Franciscan priests over 50 years ago. In the spirit of St. Francis, we strive to feed and clothe the most vulnerable in our society.
Today the lay volunteers that work at the Francis Center are from all faiths. We supply food boxes, clothing, toiletries and household goods to the community in East Multnomah County.Whether it be homelessness, health issues, unemployment, underemployment or immigration issues, the Francis Center is there to help disadvantaged residents break the cycle of poverty and hunger.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
https://www.fns.usda.gov/civil-rights/usda-nondiscrimination-statement-other-fns-programs
KEY PEOPLE
RUDY GRIGAR
Director
Rudy joined the Francis Center in 2016 helping in the food room. With help from Don Gainer, Rudy was called to step into the role as director in November 2021. He is committed to continuing the mission of the Francis Center as a place to serve hope to the most vulnerable in SE Portland.
OUR SERVICES
We serve zip codes 97266, 97206, 97215, 97216.
FOOD PANTRY
Food boxes are available to east county residents Monday thru Thursday from 10am -2pm. Typically we provide canned goods, rice, pastas, flour, bread, beans, oatmeal, cereal, milk, yogurt, cheese, various meats (chicken, pork, beef and fish) plus an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables. Our grocery boxes are nutritionally dense and hit all the major food groups.
We politely request that visits are limited to once per month. If you are houseless we will serve you once per week.
CLOTHING
Clothes are available to east county residents Monday thru Thursday from 10am - 1:30pm. Volunteers organize and display clothing for men, women and children so clients can easily browse our selection. Typically we have coats, shirts, dresses, pants, shorts, underwear, socks, shoes, hats and belts. We also have toiletries, blankets and other miscellaneous household items available. We politely request that visits be limited to once per month for clothing.
VOLUNTEER
If you want to donate or volunteer, please give us a call during business hours.
FOOD DONATIONS
We accept regular food donations from the Oregon Food Bank, Franz Bread, Puddletown Bagels, Olive Garden, Portland Nursery, Chick-fil-A, Portland Community Gardens, Clackamas Service Center, Boys Team Charity, VFW/American Legion, Great Harvest Bakery, Portland Food Project, and other generous private parties.
CLOTHING DONATIONS
We accept clothing primarily from private donations. We request clothing be donated in clean and good condition.
Clothing donations are accepted between 11am - 1 pm.
CASH DONATIONS
We accept cash donations primarily in the form of cash or checks. Make checks payable to Francis Center PO Box 66336 Portland, OR 97290. We are moving toward accepting electronic funds via credit cards, PayPal, etc.
VOLUNTEERING
Volunteering is always welcome at the Francis Center. Help in all areas is needed. We currently have 45 volunteers that help serve the community. Contact us by phone or email for an interview.
VISIT THE FRANCIS CENTER
Closed- Monday, September 2nd for Labor Day
Weather related closures:
The Francis Center will close when the weather becomes severe.
Our general rule is to follow the Portland Public School closures.
6535 SE 82nd Ave, Portland, OR 97266
PO Box 66336 Portland, OR 97290
(503) 775-6784
NEWS UPDATES
A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
Closed- Thursday, October 10th due to Construction.
Weather related closures:
The Francis Center will close when the weather becomes severe.
Our general rule is to follow the Portland Public School closures.
April 24, 2024
Spring is in the air at the Francis Center. The Easter season brings hope! It encourages us to continue our
mission of serving our SE Portland neighbors. Since the global pandemic and its ongoing impacts, we have
managed to serve an increasing number of people with the support of our many faithful donors.
In 2023, the Francis Center served 7531 households for a total of 20,000 people. These numbers represent more
that a 30% increase over 2022. Fortunately through generous donations, we have been able to keep up. The
Francis Center continues to provide quality food and clothing to all that come to our door.
If you are able to donate, our greatest needs are men's coats, men's jeans (size 30-34 waist) and men's shoes (size 9-11).
Also shelf stable food items are always in need - snack bars, cereal, peanut butter, canned protein, ramen, etc.
And of course monetary gifts are always welcome. The Francis Center has no paid staff or employees. We rely
on our wonderful volunteers that give of their time and treasure every week to keep us going.
Peace and all good!
Rudy Grigar
Francis Center Director
