Renaissance campaign set to create
“An Environment Worthy Of Our Guests”
It’s been a quarter century and nearly four million meals since the last major renovation of the Franciscan Center.
Time and hard use – nearly 20 percent of those meals were served just in the two years of Covid lockdowns – has taken its toll.
The first phase of construction – including a warm and inviting dining room beautifully refurbished as a gift from Lennar Homes and a new training kitchen for students in the culinary academy – has been completed.
The second and final phase began in July. Expected to last 24 weeks, the renovation will focus largely on areas that directly serve guests and clients.
These include:
The Client Choice Pantry
Providing emergency food support has been a part of the Franciscan Center’s programming since its founding in 1968. Initially, this meant simply providing small containers of peanut butter and loaves of bread as available from donors. Over time, this grew to creating and distributing pantry bags with a variety of healthy items with sufficient calories to support the recipient for several days. To respond to individual caloric and dietary needs, the Center is moving to a “client choice pantry” model to enable guests and clients to pick what they need most. This will be created in a large, multi-purpose space that formerly held the computer access and education center, which will be used on alternate days to provide clothing options.
Computer Access and Education Center
A former storage area will be used to reboot the Center’s technical programming. A new, accessible classroom will be created to enable guests/clients to search for jobs and housing, seek and apply for benefits, and learn how to create resumes, cover letters and other techniques for gaining employment.
Clothing Intake Room
Demand for lightly-used clothing has grown, along with the desire by those of means to donate their disused clothing. Renovation to this room will focus on maximizing storage and facilitating improved inventory management.
Responsive Services Center (RSC)
For many indigent, homeless and working poor, the next biggest challenge after finding something to eat or wear is knowing where to go to get help and the RSC on the second floor of the Center is the destination for many. The staff and volunteers in Responsive Services provide intervention, advocacy, counseling and resource information. Every service clients need—from applying for benefits to securing housing to lining up a job—requires some type of government-issued identification, so this is a critical first step. Also available: case management and counseling, eviction prevention and mail service, dental care, eyeglasses and more. RSC renovations will focus on creating bright attractive spaces that also allow clients to maintain their privacy.
Mace Street Entrance
First impressions matter for everyone and, right now, the Center’s entrances off 23rd and Mace Streets are dreary, unsafe and not as accessible as they should be. Working with the Neighborhood Design Center, staff and volunteers have developed a program to widen sidewalks, calm traffic, provide all visitors with protection from the elements, and create a brighter interior space.
Capital Campaign Naming Rights
1st Floor
Dining Room Chairs (85 Available) – $500 each
Bathrooms (4 available) – $5,000
Dining Room Tables (6 Available) – $10,000 each
Barber Shop – $25,000
Elevator – $25,000
Donation Intake Room – $25,000
Computer Lab – $100,000
– Work Stations (11 Available) – $5,000
Client Choice Pantry – $150,000
– Tables – $5,000
– Shelving – $2,500
Training Kitchen (CLAIMED)
– Tables (4 Available) – $5,000
– Chairs (16 Available) – $500
Main Kitchen – $200,000
2nd Floor
Chairs in Lobby (25 Available) – $500 Each
Offices (5 Available) – $10,000
Conference Room – $25,000
3rd Floor
Offices (6 Available) – $10,000
Open Space – $25,000
Ways To Give
2 – Stock Gifts – Please contact Mark Hansen, mhansen@fcbmore.org
3 – Pledge – Please fill out this pledge form and return to Mark Hansen, mhansen@fcbmore.org
4 – Make an Online Gift using the form below: