Our Mission
St. Francis Friends of the Poor offers permanent supportive housing services to homeless men and women with histories of serious mental illness.
Our Vision
At the heart of the beginning of the Franciscan movement is the story of the leper, the isolated character of the medieval world. When St. Francis embraced the leper, whom he so feared, he found himself embracing another human being, and it changed his life.
Their lives and their needs became his, and he asked his disciples to follow this example. This same spirit is behind the formation of the St. Francis Residences.
Our first commitment is to the absolute worth of every human being, no matter how battered or bruised life has treated them.
We accept the isolated members of our society one by one and seek to maximize their humanity and dignity within the framework of their illness.
We offer help and comfort in times of illness and pain. We honor their birthdays and holidays and provide basic needs assistance with their money and medications. As the years go by, the tenants find stability and trust in their lives. We remind them that their lives are worth living and that they enrich the community with their presence and gifts.
Our second commitment is to the common good. We believe that forming a community among a population that struggles with isolation is our most important task.
The wide variety of activities that are available to our tenants is only part of the effort to build a familial atmosphere. At the heart of this effort is the value placed on each individual and their share in the larger community.
We have tried to lead the way beyond the neglect and indifference that has been inflicted on this population in the past. Over the years, many have followed in our footsteps, developing projects in supportive housing for the varying needs of people experiencing homelessness.
There will be new challenges and new needs in the years to come. It is hoped that the next generation will continue to bring the same spirit of the Franciscan tradition to these fragile but cherished least of our brothers and sisters.
“We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something and do it very well.”
Our tenants are thriving.
Our tenants who once “lived” on the streets and experienced social isolation are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.