Instinctual Kindess
St. Francis House is always buzzing with people. Volunteers stock the warehouse. Clients shop the food pantry. Combined, more than 150 people come into St. Francis House each day. No matter how they’re connected to the food pantry, their lives are changed. In the summer of 2018, a woman named Joy joined the volunteer crew…
Honoring Patrick “Jack” Cooper
On June 18, 2017, Patrick “Jack” Cooper became a name people across Alaska knew. The 16-year-old boy had been hiking down Bird Ridge, after completing a mountain race. But he got separated from other people and ended up off the trail. Two hours later, searchers discovered an aggressive black bear had killed him. His family,…
Clare House Play Garden
Catholic Social Services builds safe space for moms and kids at Clare House At Clare House, women with children and expectant mothers experiencing homelessness have mounting worries on their shoulders. They must work to move beyond their current situation and take care of their children’s needs at the same time.
Supporting Our Veterans
Zoe Lost Her Husband but not Her Will to Carry On Zoe and her husband were deployed to Ft. Wainwright near Fairbanks in the 90s. They moved around a bit before settling back in Alaska with their son and two daughters, now adult age.
Back On His Feet
Next Step Back To The Workforce John visited the doctor after a trip on the stairs injured his hip and back over a year ago. The first x-ray didn’t show much, but over time he discovered a list of conditions culminating in a diagnosis of degenerative spine disease and spinal fusion surgery.
Jessie’s Story of Hope
BFS Guest Finds a Place to Call Home Jessie was at Brother Francis Shelter for a short time before case managers helped him find a home in our community. He originally came to Alaska to accompany his daughter and grandkids while her husband was stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.