St. Francis Center (SFC) has provided hunger relief for homeless and extremely low-income families and individuals in metropolitan Los Angeles for 51 years. As a resident of St. Joseph Church, Father Hugh Noonan, Order of Friars Minor (OFM), saw the growing number of poor families and homeless individuals who knocked on the doors for food and help. Before St. Francis Center was founded, the parish had a small food pantry as part of our social ministry; but Fr. Hugh wanted to do more. In 1972, with the help of the lay Franciscans, he founded SFC and began serving coffee and doughnuts and distributing clothing to the poor and homeless. In 1993, the Center became incorporated as a 501(c)(3). The board of directors purchased the building in which we still operate, just several blocks away from the original location at St. Joseph Church, with the financial support of foundations and individuals.

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The St Francis Center recognizes and believes in the following:

• In the dignity of all persons;

• That adequate resources exist for basic necessities;

• That as members of the human race, we are called to support each other in any way we can;

• That the Catholic Faith, the teaching and example of Saint Francis of Assisi in particular, provide an especially powerful model for working with and among the poor.