For the past 20 years, Turkey Tuesday, the distribution of turkeys and the "fixin's" to clients on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, brings nearly 2,000 people to the Franciscan Center. People form a line before 5am in the November cold for the distribution to start at 9am. For every $14, the org can work with community partners to provide a turkey, provide a holiday memory, for a family.

2020 video created for the Franciscan Center's 18th annual Dinner & Auction in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Video by Ethan Dize

The Franciscan Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana is celebrating its 30th anniversary of "meeting people where they are at", and we have asked some key community members and volunteers to say thank you to our supporters. The Franciscan Center, Inc., was founded in 1989 by Sally Ley and the late Jean Kelly as a homeless shelter an sack lunch program. The worldwide Secular Franciscan Order however, was founded over 800 years ago by St. Francis of Assissi, and was the inspiration for the St. Charles Fraternity in Fort Wayne to create the Franciscan Center. Over the years, the Franciscan Center has changed to serve the needs of the community. At the Franciscan center, while all programs are overseen by a small staff the true heart and soul of the organization is our comprehensive network of dedicated volunteers. Over 4,300 individuals contribute more than 9000 hours to the center each year and are instrumental to the success of our programs. Volunteers range in age from five to eighty-five, but all have one thing in common: they lend their neighbors a helping hand whenever possible, and help to create blessings in the lives of others. Video by: Ethan Dize, ethandize@gmail.com

The Franciscan Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana is celebrating its 30th anniversary of "meeting people where they are at", and we created a short history of how the organization has, in the words of Mother Teresa, “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.” The Franciscan Center, Inc., was founded in 1989 by Sally Ley and the late Jean Kelly as a homeless shelter an sack lunch program. The worldwide Secular Franciscan Order however, was founded over 800 years ago by St. Francis of Assissi, and was the inspiration for the St. Charles Fraternity in Fort Wayne to create the Franciscan Center. Over the years, the Franciscan Center has changed to serve the needs of the community. At the Franciscan center, while all programs are overseen by a small staff the true heart and soul of the organization is our comprehensive network of dedicated volunteers. Over 4,300 individuals contribute more than 9000 hours to the center each year and are instrumental to the success of our programs. Volunteers range in age from five to eighty-five, but all have one thing in common: they lend their neighbors a helping hand whenever possible, and help to create blessings in the lives of others. Video by: Ethan Dize, ethandize@gmail.com

The Franciscan Center Documentary Introduction

Clients of the Franciscan Center