Francis House is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in January 1970 as a social outreach of the Episcopal Church to the State of Arkansas. It originated, in part, as a continuation of the ministry of St. Phillipโs Church, an Episcopal mission in Little Rock that was comprised of black worshippers over its 86-year existence. Its building and property were sold as part of the urban renewal project which became Interstate-630. The early program was one of outreach to the neighborhood which included informal personal counseling, small group study, social fellowship, and recreation. Its goal was to serve as a โbridgeโ between the black and white communities caused by the tension of school and neighborhood segregation. It quickly became apparent the work of St. Francis House would become overwhelmingly that of striving to meet the pressing material needs of people in need, therefore, it dedicated itself to responding quickly to the needs of those who seek help, especially giving aid to those who are not eligible for assistance from other agencies. The current emphasis of the Community Outreach department is to provide immediate material assistance (food, medicine, shelter, clothing, utility and rent payments, transportation, and other such basic needs) to clients in crisis situations. Francis House was granted a contract with the US Department of Veterans Affairs to house homeless veterans. The program provides a setting for homeless veterans, including the services of counseling, transitional housing, meals, laundry, employment services, and activities. Veterans services have expanded to include Supportive Services for Veterans and Families (SSVF) for the state of Arkansas and employment assistance. In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
