For more than 60 years, St. Francis Neighborhood Center has remained deeply rooted in West Baltimore’s Reservoir Hill community. Through times of challenge and times of growth, our commitment has stayed the same: to be a place where neighbors gather, students learn, families find support, and community thrives. Continued investment is what ensures our programs remain strong and accessible for generations to come.
This year, over 100 students in grades K–12 walked through our doors—a 30% increase from last year, as funding cuts forced many neighboring programs to close and families turned to St. Francis for stability, enrichment, and care. Our waitlist is the longest it has ever been. And while we’re proud to have stepped up to meet this moment, we’ve faced our own challenges. With both public and private funding under strain, our team has had to do more with less—leaning on creativity, flexibility, and deep commitment to keep our programs strong.
Your generosity—whether through time, resources, financial gifts, or just keeping up with what we are up to—is what keeps St. Francis standing strong. It’s what allows us to continue showing up for our West Baltimore community through government shutdowns, federal funding cuts, and the everyday challenges families face. For more than 60 years, we’ve remained a steady anchor in 21217, a place neighbors can count on in moments of need and in moments of celebration.
As 2025 draws to a close, I want to extend my deepest gratitude for the belief you’ve shown in our young people at the St. Francis Neighborhood Center. Because of your support, students in the Power Project are finding their voices, building their confidence, and stepping into possibilities they once imagined only from afar.
This year, our classrooms are full. Every seat in the Power Project is occupied, and we now maintain a growing waitlist of students and parents seeking the opportunity to join our programs. The demand is a stark reality. The hope is tangible. And with your help, we are meeting it and keeping hope alive.
Each year, our Giving Tree Campaign connects generous individuals like you with families from our Power Project and Igniter Internship programs to help fulfill their holiday wish lists. This support is critical in easing the burden of the rising holiday costs, ensuring our program families can experience the joy of the season.
Twenty years ago, ResFest began as a simple resource fair rooted in the need for access and equity. Today, it has grown into a powerful celebration of West Baltimore’s pride and potential. In uncertain times like these, gathering as neighbors, partners, and friends is more important than ever.
If you’ve been waiting for a moment to show up, this is it. We’re calling on resource vendors, artisan vendors, and volunteers to stand with us in creating an event that uplifts, supports, and celebrates our neighborhoods. Let’s make this year’s ResFest a testament to what we can achieve when we build together.
Summer has officially arrived—and while the school year has come to a close, the energy at SFNC is anything but slowing down. That's because it’s now time to turn our attention to what comes next.
On Saturday, August 2nd, ResFest returns for its 20th year—and so does our Free Backpack & School Supply Giveaway! Last year, we distributed 130 fully stocked backpacks to local students. This year, with your help, we’re setting our sights even higher.
Keep reading for 3 easy ways you can help Baltimore City students start the school year ready to succeed!
“Is my tutor here today?!”
“Can I have homework help today?!”
These are just a few of the enthusiastic questions our Volunteer Coordinator, Devan, heard on an almost daily basis from students in our Power Project Afterschool Program. When kids ask for more academic work, you know something special is happening.
That “something special” is our extraordinary team of volunteer tutors—dedicated individuals who give their time week after week to help K–8 students from across Baltimore City tackle tough homework, build critical literacy skills, and receive the one-on-one attention every student deserves. We are endlessly grateful for their time, energy, and compassion.
With our Homecoming Celebration coming up on the 26th, we've been hard at work on a few improvement projects in and around the Center! Our focus last week? Gardening! Thanks to a generous donation from our amazing friends at Lowe’s of White Marsh, our Power Project students are kicking off gardening season in a big way. After a special field trip to the store (where we received a warm welcome and got to pick out seeds), students rolled up their sleeves and got to work alongside Lowe’s team members, building flower beds, prepping soil, and planting everything from cilantro to sunflowers to the most highly-requested—corn!
Find out what we're doing to expand food access and how YOU can help. In West Baltimore, residents face systemic barriers to housing, employment, healthcare, and—perhaps most critically—access to fresh, nutritious food. Reservoir Hill has no grocery stores and approximately 33% of households earn less than $25,000/year. We're working to bridge that gap through our food justice initiatives, distributing 99,571 pounds of fresh groceries in 2024 alone.
