St Francis Neighborhood Center

St. Francis Neighborhood Center is committed to breaking the cycles of poverty through education, inspiring self-esteem, self-improvement, and strengthening connections to the community.

SFNC’s presence has served as a resource and catalyst for improving the lives of those in Reservoir Hill, and making Baltimore a better place. Our programs create an approach that builds self-esteem, personal strength, academic, emotional, interpersonal, social, and community development that work to address complex challenges in an effort to break through the cycles of urban poverty. In an average month, we serve over 300 adults, youth, and families. In 2008, SFNC served approximately 3,488 individuals.

By utilizing mediums such as education, art, well-being, and spirituality, we work to provide people with the tools they need to advance their lives financially, spiritually, and socially, while fostering positive interpersonal and community connections. This in turn gives people a sense of self-empowerment, which is the principle driving force in creating extraordinary change within individuals and the community.

The neighborhood of Reservoir Hill experiences the stark reality of an 89% poverty rate on a daily basis. St. Francis Neighborhood Center has been serving this community since 1963 and represents a cornerstone of neighborhood unity and solidarity.

St. Francis Neighborhood Center launched a new program on April 15th called The Power Project. This youth development program is comprised of three components: education (academic achievement), the arts (visual arts, music and dance), and mentoring. The program runs in the evenings (3:30-6:30 pm) Monday-Thursday and provides disadvantaged youth, ages 5-18, with the opportunity to receive one-on-one homework and study assistance, attend educational seminars/workshops, participate in our dance, art, and music groups, and establish valuable relationships with caring and responsive individuals who will serve as positive role models within their lives.
Position Descriptions:
-Education Specialist: responsible for administering our academic assessments, responsible for creating tutoring schedule, responsible for targeting academic weaknesses
-Activity Leader: responsible for leading activities for youth ages 5-9 or 10-14 on subjects such as self esteem, stress management, wellness, and empowerment
-Language Leader: looking for a nontraditional fun-loving instructor of Spanish, French, Japanese, German, or Portuguese to serve with our afterschool program to provide enriching and fun language instruction to our youth
-Tutors: provide one on one tutoring in the subject areas of math, science, english/language arts/reading, and social studies
-Mentors: (one year commitment) assigned to one child and required to spend at least 4 hours per month OR schedule 2 meetings per month with their mentee
-Education Leaders: helps plan the Learning for Life Curriculum schedule with the Program Manager, helps administer academic assessments
-Education Aids: assists the education leader with the responsibilities of planning/facilitating Learning for Life Curriculum to the appropriate age groups
-Chief Dance Leader: uses creativity to implement a diverse dance curriculum that exposes young people to different music/dances
-Chief Art Leader: creates and facilitates inspiring and empowering art activities to expose youth to different ways of artistic expression
-Art/Dance Aids: assists the Art and Dance Leaders
-Special Event Leaders: helps with one time service special events, assists with set-up/break-down of events, provides logistical support
-Nutrition Assistant
-Club Advisors

All volunteers must be over the age of 18 and must attend a one-time orientation session. Mentors will be required to undergo a background check, interview, and reference check. Length of commitment is flexible.