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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. 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.
*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.
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
Food Hours: Monday-Thursday: 10am-2pm
Clothing Hours: Monday-Thursday 10am-1:30pm
6535 SE 82nd Ave, Portland, OR 97266
PO Box 66336 Portland, OR 97290
(503) 775-6784
NEWS UPDATES
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A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
February 20, 2023
Dear Francis Center Friends,
Spring is almost here at the Francis Center, and we have several exciting updates to share.
In 2023 the Francis Center will be embarking on a new intake process called Link2Feed. With the help of the Oregon Food Bank, we are setting up a new computer system to help us streamline our work. Link2Feed will help us speed up our intake process and keep accurate records of the people we serve in our community. Many food banks throughout the nation use Link2Feed. Training will begin in March and implementation will be in effect through 2023.
We continue work on our new pavilion. A small awning and side curtains are being added to help keep our guests and volunteers out of the weather. We had a nice surprise when we received a donation from King of Kings Lutheran Church in Milwaukie. They granted us their used commercial refrigerator and freezer. This will definitely help us store our food much more efficiently. We also held a volunteer and donor luncheon on February 3 at Ascension Catholic Church to kick off 2023. We recognized everyone's hard work and generosity. We introduced our newest volunteers, and thanked everyone for their dedication and service. We currently have about 55 volunteers working at the Francis Center.
In January we served approximately 1600 persons with food and clothing.
As a reminder, we have a wide assortment of clothing for adults and children as well as toiletry items, Covid tests and facemasks. When visiting the Francis Center, please feel free to request anything needed, and we will do our best to help. The needs of the community are evident, and with the grace of God we continue to serve those who come to our door.
May the Lord bless you and keep you, may the Lord’s face shine upon you and bring you peace.
Rudy Grigar
Francis Center Director