A Unique Festival
Wine at the Shrine is a unique event benefitting two wonderful organizations working in collaboration to assist the most vulnerable in our community and to care for the earth. This partnership allows us to provide thousands of pounds of fresh, local produce to those who are most in need, and often lack access to these foods. We believe that social, economic, and environmental health are deeply intertwined, which is why we are working together to provide economically disadvantaged individuals and families in Baltimore with healthy food grown in healthy soil.
Franciscan Center of Baltimore
The mission of the Franciscan Center is to provide emergency assistance and supportive outreach to persons who are economically disadvantaged in an effort to assist them in realizing their self-worth and dignity as people of God. We provide a wide range of services, including counseling and pastoral care, assistance with obtaining documents, eviction prevention, clothing donations, prescription assistance, mail service, and even a children’s library. The core of our emergency services is our soup kitchen which feeds hundreds of people every day. In 2020 alone, we served almost 350,000 meals to those in need – nearly 1000 meals per day. Our newest project is launching a community culinary school led by Chef Stev Allbright. Dignity Plates Training Academy will provide free culinary education to current or former clients of the Franciscan Center and will also be assigned a social worker to help the student find employment.
We provide emergency assistance and responsive services to help meet a variety of critical needs of Baltimore City residents with the ultimate goal of promoting self-sufficiency and independence.
To learn more about the Franciscan Center of Baltimore or to sign up to be a volunteer, please visit their website.
Little Portion Farm
Little Portion Farm is a ministry of the Franciscan Friars Conventual focused on providing fresh food to those in need while using sustainable farming methods to restore the health of our land. Since 2019, we have harvested and donated over 75,000 pounds of fresh produce to the Franciscan Center of Baltimore. Our 3-acre farm functions as an “agro-ecosystem,” with a diversity of plants and habitats to support the life of this “little portion” of creation. In addition to common annual vegetable crops, sections of the farm are dedicated to perennial crops like asparagus, rhubarb, and berries, as well as native flowering plants in an effort to provide habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects to reduce pest insects. Our goal is not only to diversify the farm ecosystem, but also to be able to provide a wide range of healthy fruits and vegetables to those in need.
The farm is also meant to serve as a place of gathering, service, reflection, and education for the local community, cultivating a deeper appreciation of the beauty of the natural world and its interconnectedness, and realizing the Catholic call to serve the most vulnerable and protect creation. We welcome groups or individuals to come serve, learn, and reflect on our farm!
To learn more about Little Portion Farm or to sign up to be a volunteer, please visit their website.
We hope you can join us on the day of the event to support these two amazing organizations!