On September 3, Saint Francis Ministries will celebrate the 80th anniversary of our founding by the Reverend Robert Mize Jr. That’s eight decades dedicated to serving young people and families. It’s 80 years of bringing renewal, second chances, and yes, healing and hope to those who need it most.
Father Bob, an Episcopal priest, founded Saint Francis Boys’ Home in Ellsworth, Kansas, in 1945. He had seen too many troubled boys disappear forever into the juvenile justice system, and he wanted to help them reclaim their lives and their futures. He offered hope. Over the years, the scope of our ministry has grown, encompassing adoption, behavioral health, Family Centered Treatment®, Fatherhood FIRE, foster care, independent living, in-home prevention, and residential programs.
Today, SFM provides services in Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. From its humble beginnings with just 12 boys, Saint Francis Ministries has expanded immensely, and today, we serve thousands of children and youth.
Such a legacy deserves celebration, and that’s what we intend to do – for a full year. During that year, we hope to highlight the important role each employee of Saint Francis plays in the life of their community.
Yes, Saint Francis employees serve children, families, and their communities as part of their job, but many also contribute their own time, money, energy, and resources to the same.
We need to celebrate that.
“80 Years, 800 Hours” is how we plan to do it.
Over the year, we intend to give back to our communities and neighbors by participating in 800 hours of service. We’ll keep track of those hours, and at the end of our celebration, we’ll see how many we’ve contributed. Hopefully, that number will be 800 or more.
We do not doubt that Saint Francis employees will step up and make this effort a success. None of us would be here if we didn’t care about people, if we didn’t possess a deep desire to serve others and to make the world a kinder place. We can’t think of a better way to honor Fr. Bob’s legacy.
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