1615 Republic Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Cooking for the Family
The mission of St. Francis Seraph Ministries (SFSM) is to nourish and nurture anyone in need. Located in over-the-Rhine St. Francis Seraph Ministries continues outreach services to those in need established by the Franciscan Friars of the Province of St. John the Baptist over 175 years ago. Programs include:
• The Mother Teresa of Calcutta Dining Room serves breakfast and dinner to anyone in need Monday-Friday. Annually over 125,000 meals are prepared and served with the help of more than 2,000 SFSM volunteers.
• The Bag Lunch Program are mobile meals assembled weekly by SFSM volunteers and are distributed throughout the community to any non-profit agency in need of food for their programs.
• The Sarah Center is a job training/empowerment center teaching work/life skills so clients are prepared to earn a living wage job.
• Cooking for the Family, for which this grant was initially earmarked, is an award winning program teaching parents and children how to plan, shop and cook nutritious, affordable meals for under $10. Over 500 families have participated in this program.
When the pandemic caused the SFSM Dining Room to close in March 2020, staff and volunteers immediately pivoted and offered TO GO meals at breakfast and lunch. Through the generosity of our supporters, volunteers and staff St. Francis Seraph Ministries was the only local feeding program which never closed nor stopped serving those in need throughout the pandemic. The Dater grant was redirected to help underwrite the monthly non-budgeted costs for food and supplies to keep the TO GO meal plan sustainable. Since the pandemic began SFSM served 73,007 meals from the Dining Room and provided 23,565 bag lunches to those in need. The funding from the Dater Foundation during the COVID pandemic filled a critical need supporting those who are food insecure and struggle with their basic needs. (5/10/2021)
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