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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
The Francis Center will be closed Thursday November 24, 2022 for Thanksgiving.
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A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
October 21, 2022
Dear Francis Center friends,
It's been a busy summer. As we enter the fall and winter we are ready to continue serving our community of SE Portland with hope.
Francis Center volunteers recently attended two open houses at Whitman and Woodmere Elementary Schools for back to school night. It was a great way to share our resources and to meet our neighbors. We also installed a Little Free Library outside our intake door. We are stocking it with books, puzzles and occasionally some toys for the kids. These are just a few ways we are reaching out to our neighborhood.
We also completed the construction of our outdoor pavilion that will enable us to more comfortably serve guests during inclement weather. A BBQ was held on Oct 21 to bless our new structure and say thanks to the many volunteers and donors for their help throughout 2022.
We also want to thank the Boys Team Charity group for helping with our cleanup day Saturday Oct 15th. This group of middle and high schoolers hauled away a ton of refuse that the Francis Center has accumulated over the years. They made quick work of our "pile". Much thanks!
Together we can make a difference in the lives of our neighbors in need.
God Bless!
Rudy Grigar
Francis Center Director