Service is Important

First and Franklin promotes peacemaking and social justice in the City of Baltimore, nationally, and throughout the world. We do this through education, advocacy and hands-on projects. Generous financial and volunteer support enables us to witness in these ways:

Self-sufficiency development

Baltimore Interfaith Hospitality Network (BIHN) provides temporary housing and social services for homeless families.

Habitat for Humanity, Sandtown builds community and enables home ownership in the City of Baltimore via sweat equity.

Patrick Allison House is a successful transitional home for men recovering from addiction, located on the First and Franklin campus.

The Jane Egenton Home for Girls houses 12 young women between the ages of 12 and 18 which seeks to give them a new start in life.

The Boys’ Home Society is our neighbor and during the summer we offer a summer arts program for the boys which live there. We also periodically buy them needed clothing and sponsor their annual Christmas party.

Toy Ministry - Every other month we receive a shipment of new toys which cannot be sold but which we can distribute to causes which could benefit from them.

Hunger and disaster relief

The Presbyterian Church (USA) emergency help is sent to victims of natural disasters at home and abroad.
A weekly collection of canned goods supports a local food pantry.

Education

Our partnership with local Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Elementary School has helped rebuild the library, buy musical instruments, and provide books for at-home reading.
The Quixote Center’s “Clean Your Desk Campaign” provides new and gently used school supplies to rural Nicaraguan children.

Advocacy

First and Franklin is a member of Bread for the World, a collective Christian voice, urging our nation’s policy makers to change policies, programs and conditions to end hunger at home and abroad.

First and Franklin supports the mission of That All May Freely Serve: Baltimore to gain full equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people within the Presbyterian Church (USA) and society; the committee also advocates on current issues such as the death penalty and legalized gambling.

First and Franklin’s annual Alternative Christmas Market generates support for additional peacemaking and social justice organizations via a festive, educational, non-commercial event.

The church also offers its space and support to Narcotics Anonymous, Al-anon, the Downtown Baltimore Child Care Center, and the Baltimore School for the Arts.

Peace and Justice

Each gold ribbon represents two Americans Killed in the Iraqi war. The green ribbons represent the tens of thousands of Iraqi lives lost during the war. Each blue ribbon represents a prayer for peace.