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THE FRANCIS CENTER WELCOMES YOU
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. Our focus is on the vulnerable - serving the needy no matter their age, race, religion or sexual orientation.
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 roll 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.
CLOTHING
Clothes are available to east county residents Monday thru Thursday from 10am - 1pm. 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.
*Covid-19 update: Due to the pandemic, clothing is only being offered as requested by our clients. Browsing inside our facility is not allowed. Upon request, we will fill your clothing needs and hand them out to minimize the spread of the coronavirus.
VOLUNTEER
If you want to donate or volunteer, please give us a call during business hours.
FOOD DONATIONS
We accept food donations from the Oregon Food Bank, USDA, Franz Bread, Dave's Killer Bread and private parties.
CLOTHING DONATIONS
We accept clothing primarily from private donations. We request clothing be donated in clean and good condition - sealed in plastic bags so we can quarantine in house.
CASH DONATIONS
We accept cash donations primarily in the form of cash or checks. Make checks payable to Francis Center. 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.
VISIT THE FRANCIS CENTER
Food Hours: Monday-Thursday: 10am-2pm
Clothing Hours: Monday-Thursday 10am-1pm
6535 SE 82nd Ave, Portland, OR 97266
PO Box 66336 Portland, OR 97290
(503) 775-6784
NEWS UPDATES
The Francis Center will be open during regular business hours for the Christmas and New Year's holiday.
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A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
Dear Francis Center Friends,
Seasons Greetings and Merry Christmas! 2021 has been an eventful year at the Francis Center.
A notable change was the retirement of Don Gainer as Director of the Francis Center. Don has been serving at the center for 23 years. When Fr. Pat Evard, OFM retired in 2016, he asked Don to take on the volunteer role of Director. Since then, Don has energized and transformed the Francis Center into what it is today. Don asked me earlier this year if I would step up as Director. I accepted, and the board elected me as our new Director starting in November. I am honored to have been considered, and I will do my best to serve our clients, volunteers and generous donors in an effort to fulfill our mission. Don will continue to serve on our board and volunteer regularly at the center.
In 2021 we eagerly anticipated opening the doors once again to our community. Our dedicated volunteers put in countless hours of hard work, so that our clients could once again be welcomed inside the Center. However, with the onset of the Covid Delta variant, our plans were put on hold. We continue to provide the intake process from our side door, and clients wait for their food and clothing outside under our temporary canopies.
This year we served 7,777 people through November. God’s beloved people are coming from all around Portland, and no one is turned away. Thanks to our supporters' time and treasure, we have had sufficient funds and donations to meet their needs. One highpoint of the year was a $33,000 donation from the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia with funds designated to be used “for the children”. We have created a committee, headed by Don Gainer, to oversee how to use these funds to best help the children in SE Portland.
We improved our facility thanks to the generous gifts from our volunteers and donors. Some of the improvements made in 2021 include:
Painted the inside of the entire building - floor to ceiling
Replaced main floor carpet with new laminate flooring
Installed new shelves and stainless steel tables in the food room
Installed new clothing fixtures and shelves
Remodeled the bathroom
Upgrading electrical system for all buildings beginning 12/13/21
As we move into winter, we ask all our friends to pray for the Francis Center and for our ability to meet the needs of the community. May we continue to serve hope and love to all that come to our door.
From our all-volunteer staff,
God Bless!
Rudy Grigar, Director