Member Spotlight: St Francis Neighborhood Center
Torbin Green, the Executive Director of SFNC has continued the advocacy and improvement of the Reservoir Hill & Penn North communities by successfully creating opportunities for the youth in 21217, hosting senior socials, and hosting ESL classes and wrap-around services for over 30 Afghan refugee families that relocated in Reservoir Hill. His advocacy of German Park has transformed the feel, safety and way of life in Reservoir Hill. This is in addition to managing a $4M Capital Campaign to expand and renovate the original building on the corner of Linden & Whitelock Street. His 12 years of serving the Reservoir Hill Community have significantly impacted the lives of the residents he serves.
Mission
St. Francis Neighborhood Center (SFNC) is the oldest neighborhood center providing enrichment in all of Baltimore City! Their mission is committed to ending generational poverty through education, inspiring self-esteem, self-improvement, and strengthening connections to the community.
By utilizing education, art, mentoring, and tutoring SFNC works to provide people with the tools they need to advance their lives financially and socially while fostering positive interpersonal and community connections. This in turn gives people a sense of self-empowerment, which is the principal driving force in creating extraordinary change within individuals and the community. The Center’s programs build self-esteem as well as academic, emotional, interpersonal, social, and community development that works to address complex challenges and break the cycles of urban poverty.
History
St. Francis Neighborhood Center is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3), community-based organization in the Reservoir Hill area of Baltimore. Founded in 1963 as an outreach center for two local churches, it was incorporated as a neighborhood nonprofit corporation in 1972, independent of any church affiliation. Due to its unwavering dedication, the Center has become an iconic presence within the Reservoir Hill community.
The Center is uniquely positioned to serve the Reservoir Hill region due to its long history of over 60 years and respect from all of the community. In 1995, they moved to their current location after the City of Baltimore tore down the original structure on Whitelock, as well as others, to deter crime in a retail center on the street. When SFNC moved, the Center had been turned into a church in 1975. Father Tom continued with ecumenical services, as part of the community services the Center offered, until his death.
The Center is active with over 20 neighborhood coalitions, partnerships, and countless community organizations. The Center has been the only community organization of its kind in Reservoir Hill, delivering wrap-around services, programs, and events for the neighborhood’s large and diverse community. They strive to give people hope for a better tomorrow by providing them with the tools they need for a better today. St. Francis is driven by community needs, evolving over their 60+ year history, and has always held youth, family, and community programs and events.
Programs and Services
Community Programs
St. Francis Neighborhood Center offers a variety of community programs including, weekly food distributions, community computer lab hours, weekly socials for members ages 55+, adult education on topics like personal finance and job readiness workshops, and community clean up days where residents work together to create a healthy and sustainable environment within the community.
Power Project After School Program
The Power Project provides high-quality after school programming for youth and families in the community. Participating students meet after school for daily assistance with homework, academic extension activities, and a variety of enrichment classes (art, coding, dance, yoga, etc.). As a community-centered program, youth work to build meaningful relationships with not only their peers but also their teachers and program staff, through daily SEL-focused practices. Through these practices, youth strengthen learning around conflict resolution, goal-setting, and mindfulness.
Summer of Service Excursion Youth Camp (SOSE)
In SOSE Kindergarten-8th grade students can participate in weekly field trips, enrichment classes, and civic learning. SFNC partners with organizations like Art with a Heart and Baltimore PeacePlayers to ensure students engage with a variety of subjects and experiences throughout this time. During SOSE all students also have the opportunity to design and implement a service-learning project to contribute to the positive growth of their community. This holistic program is meant to give students a meaningful and engaging experience during their time away from school. Youth Workers fill out the SOSE program with service learning projects and career and job readiness instruction.
Igniter Internship Program
To ignite our youth to reach their greatest potential, SFNC is committed to providing an internship opportunity to high school and young adults within the community. Their Igniter Internship program is embedded in providing interns the opportunity to gain professional and entrepreneurial skills, foster relationships, and begin the actionable steps toward planning for life beyond academics.
Black Beyond Data @ SFNC
The Black Beyond Data Reading Group is focused on exploring ideas around community-based data analytics (CBDA), a collaborative approach to data that involves community members in the collection, management, and analysis of data in their communities. The goal of CBDA is to increase knowledge and understanding of social issues that impact a given community and to integrate the knowledge gained with interventions for policy or social change benefiting community members.
Upcoming: The Kaleidoscope Gala: stfranciscenter.org/emeraldgala
