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St. Francis Breadline from Octavio on Vimeo.

You don't have to look far to find people in need these days. With the skyrocketing costs of housing, food and heat, it's almost impossible for some folks to keep their heads above water. At some point they have to choose between being hungry and being cold, between feeding themselves and feeding their children.

Unfortunately, this poverty is not a sign of our times. It has always been with us, and that is why the Saint Francis Breadline has been in operation since 1929. Although it was established by Franciscan Brother Gabriel Mehler as a way to help hungry and homeless people during the Great Depression, it soon became evident that even when the country's economic fortunes take a turn for the better, some people's lives take a turn for the worse.

OUR COMMITMENT REMAINS CONSTANT.

The Breadline reassures poor men and women that no matter how bad life gets, we will be there to help them start their day with a meal and a kind word -. every day for as long as it takes them to get back on their feet. Every morning at 7 a.m. we head out onto the sidewalk in front of Saint Francis of Assisi Church to greet about 200 people who line up for a cup of coffee and a couple of sandwiches. Within just a few minutes they disappear into the crowds of commuters rushing by. We don't know where they go, but we know they will be back, and we will be there waiting for them.

The Breadline is living proof that the message preached by St. Francis of Assisi more than 700 years ago is still relevant. He taught us to feed the hungry, to catch those in danger of falling through the cracks of a society that look down on them -those who can't escape the poverty that traps them in lives of constant hardship.

The Breadline is needed today more than ever, and that is where you can help. For just $15, you can feed a hungry person for an entire week. For $75, you can feed five people for a week. That's a pretty significant accomplishment, and it's something we don't take for granted. We will use whatever you can give us to ease the suffering of those who seek our help.

"We thank God for friends like you who have taken the message of Saint Francis to heart May God bless you for your kindness. It is people like you who make it possible for people like us to operate the Breadline year after year. You have our deepest gratitude."

-Fr. Jerome J. Massimino, OFM Pastor and Guardian

            

 

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