Franciscan Charities Inc

Programs: Franciscan kitchens (soup kitchen): is the centerpiece of our outreach with a bustling soup kitchen at st. Ann's church and a food pantry at st. Rocco's church. Each year, we provide over 130,000 meals to those in need with the help of over 1,510 dedicated volunteers. Our efforts to feed the hungry are supported by a strong belief that each person should have a warm, welcoming place to eat and be treated with dignity and kindness. St. Ann's soup kitchen is open 5 days per week and offers hot, home-cooked, nutritious meals prepared by a professional chef. Food preparation and service are aided by our volunteers, many of whom have built relationships with our clients over the years. The soup kitchen has become a hub for franciscan charities and its ministries with over five thousand people passing through its doors each week. St. Rocco's food pantry provides groceries to families in need the last two saturdays of every month. The grocery bags are packed with ingredients to help assist with balanced meal planning. Through franciscan kitchens, we also provide the children's initiative program which offers comprehensive support for children and infants through a literacy program, offering weekly reading instruction and planned learning activities, a summer camp program, providing daily hands-on educational enrichment with varying themes such as science, math and art, and an infant assistance program, collecting and distributing baby formula and diapers to families in need. Finally, our children's legal advocacy service focuses on advocating for the rights of special needs children.

center for divine mercy includes both the healing ministry of divine mercy and the new jersey center of divine mercy. The healing ministry of divine mercy was founded by paul miller, ofs. Established in 2000 under the guidance of rev. Josephat kato kalema, pastor of the parish of the transfiguration in newark, new jersey, paul seeks to minister to the sick, the poor, the helpless, and the marginalized, by bringing the lord's healing and peace to those most in need. His ministry extends throughout the united states as well as the caribbean. Healing services are held in churches, retreats and conference centers and many private homes. Anyone can attend the services regardless of religious affiliation. The new jersey center of divine mercy is located at st. Rocco's church in newark. The center holds celebrations of prayer and healing every second saturday of the month at 2:45pm and special events including an annual celebration for the feast of divine mercy and special feast day celebrations. All events include exposition of the blessed sacrament, the chaplet of divine mercy, benediction, a healing service and an opportunity for confession, private prayer and veneration of our first class saint faustina relic and divine mercy icon. These events attract a variety of parishioners from the tri-state area as well as many international visitors.

client assistance: includes varied services such as the id program which helps individuals to obtain the proper legal identification needed for the workforce and/or public assistance, the legal advocacy program which provides legal assistance for clients in resolving a variety of legal matters such as overdue bills, housing, child support, and criminal issues, the clothing program which distributes needed clothing, furniture, and housewares, the coat drive which supplies hundreds of warm coats and winter accessories annually, the toy drive which ensures hundreds of children have a gift during the holiday season, and medical screenings for general health, eye exams, hiv testing, and referrals for addiction counseling.