By Eli Pacheco 

There is a place in the heart of one of Philadelphia’s most troubled neighborhoods where people in need can gather for food, help and companionship. Inside, Franciscans and volunteers welcome them as beloved guests in the spirit of St. Francis. 

St. Francis Inn, which has not missed serving a meal since opening in 1979, will welcome as many as 450 guests to its sit-down, restaurant-style meals nightly — complete with maître de and waitstaff — for the holidays. 

“It is a leisurely, respectful meal,” said Br. Michael Duffy, OFM, who serves there as part of a team of friars, staff, Franciscan Volunteer Ministers and volunteers. St. Francis Inn receives no government funding, relying on the charity of like-minded people.

The Inn invites guests to sit at tables of four and have their food brought to them. This is a chance to experience Franciscan hospitality, service, and fellowship with their hosts and other guests. 

National Public Radio recently featured St. Francis Inn in a story about volunteering for the holidays and beyond.

A bearded man wearing a ball cap and apron serves food on plates to men sitting at a table. The man in the foreground is wearing a black knit cap and a brown coat.

The Inn invites guests to sit at tables of four and have their food brought to them. (Photo courtesy of St. Francis Inn)

Hope for the holidays 

Thanksgiving and Christmas are an extraordinary time at the Inn, where guests congregate in a decked-out holiday dining room for favorites such as fried chicken, pot pie and ham with all the fixings.  

The week before Thanksgiving, the Inn distributed 200 meal boxes provided by the Philadelphia Flyers to guests. The boxes contained everything needed to prepare a Thanksgiving feast. 

On Thanksgiving Day, the Inn served 126 people — a slow day by St. Francis Inn standards. Br. Michael says that traditionally, locals who visit regularly throughout the year often spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with their families.  

During the Christmas season, the Inn will distribute clothing and Christmas gifts donated by schools, parishes and local businesses.  

Gently used coats will be provided by Mychal’s Message, a nonprofit dedicated in memory of Br. Mychal Judge, OFM, the New York City Fire Department chaplain who died on 9/11 in the line of duty. 

“Grade-school kids cannot donate food or money, so they make placemats for us,” Br. Michael said. “They add heartfelt messages, such as ‘God bless you’ and ‘I hope you are warm this Christmas.’”

Three smiling people stand around a table with bags of bread and pastries. One man and one woman have bags in their hands, and the other man is wearing gloves and an apron.

On Thanksgiving eve, Stock's Bakery donated many pies to the Inn. There was enough to give out on Thanksgiving and the day after. (Photo courtesy of St. Francis Inn)

Building connections in the City of Brotherly Love 

The City of Brotherly Love — and the Kensington neighborhood on the north side particularly — needs the help. Homelessness is on the rise in Philadelphia, and its 22% poverty rate is twice as high as the national average, according to census.gov data. 

In addition to the daily evening meal, they provide bagged breakfast three times a week for about 250 people, as well as clothing at Marie’s Closet onsite, and job-finding assistance.  

During the giving season, friars and friends serving at the Inn carry on as usual, with tinsel, tunes and a touch of holiday spirit. The Inn’s yard provides a moment of respite, where guests relax and discuss news, sports and anything on their minds. 

It gives friars and volunteers a chance to get to know the people they serve — and for the guests to build trust with them. 

Four smiling people wearing aprons sit at a table. There are masks, a wallet, and two drink pitchers on the table, and three photos on the wall behind them.

The sit-down, meal-served tradition at St. Francis Inn gives friars and volunteers a chance to get to know their guests - and for their guests to get to know them. (Photo courtesy of St. Francis Inn)

Br. James La Grutta, OFM, has served at the Inn since making solemn vows in 2022. As a New York Giants fan living in Philadelphia, guests often encourage him to become an Eagles fan. (“It’s not happening,” Br. James said).

These personal interactions and relationships make the Inn unique.  

“We're with the people where things happen and get to know people's names, and people are learning my name,” Br. James said. “That's important. It is much of what St. Francis would do.” 

For the regulars and newcomers who eat at the Inn’s humble dining room, there is a sense of peace and hospitality, even amid the world’s chaos.  

Br. John Gill, OFM, spent a summer in formation at the Inn in the 1990s. He feels a connection to those who come from challenging circumstances for a meal among people who care for them. 

“Whatever job you might have at the Inn, even if you're working in the kitchen, you are aware of the people because they’re right in front of you,” Br. John said. “I never feel like I'm at a distance with them because they're right there with you, and I’m always amazed at that.”

Four men stand in a room beside a plant and in front of a crucifix. There is a statue of Jesus Christ behind them.

Including Thanksgiving, St. Francis Inn served meals to 6,443 people in November. (Photo courtesy of St. Francis Inn)

'A magical place for dinner’

Br. Michael tells of a man who approached the Inn’s door with fistfuls of money to donate. 

A sister accepted the gift. As the man turned to leave, he asked if she wondered why he donated. He said his single mother worked hard to give him and his brother a good life, but she said there was no money for Christmas one holiday season. 

“She said she would take us to a magical place for dinner,” the man said. He remembers Christmas carols and plentiful food in a sparkling restaurant loaded with love. As an adult, he passed Kensington Avenue in Philadelphia and realized what that magical place was.  

“Now crying, the man said, ‘I am donating this money because I want other kids to experience this,’” Br. Michael said.  

It is a happy story amid the difficult work friars still undertake.      

“It's not all romanticized,” Br. John said. “It's challenging, but there’s a sense that we’re doing the best we can. It amazes people because we have done it for so long. We can take for granted that we can serve so many people in an hour and a half.” 

Want to help?

St. Francis Inn has a donation wish list for Marie’s Closet, its clothing distribution center, as well as supplies and financial contributions. You can also volunteer to help at the inn. Visit the St. Francis Inn website to learn more.