Francis Center meat & basket raffles to benefit community programs

Francis Center, a ministry of the Sisters of St. Francis at Stella Niagara, will hold a mega meat raffle at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13. Doors open at 5 p.m. at Town of Niagara Active Hose, 6010 Lockport Road, Niagara Falls. Tickets are $15 per person, or $100 for a table of eight.

More than $3,000 worth of beef, pork, chicken and fish will be up for grabs. In addition, patrons can enjoy pizza, pop, wine and beer; and enter to win cash draws, and an assortment of prizes in a basket raffle.

Proceeds will benefit the two Francis Center divisions: the children’s program, which offers academic and social-emotional after-school support to kindergarten- and grade 1-age children from low-income Niagara Falls neighborhoods; and the women’s respite program, which serves low-income women by providing mothers and grandmothers with rest and renewal in a safe and welcoming environment to promote health in body, mind and spirit.

The nonprofit Francis Center has offered support services for more than three decades.

Children’s program director Mary Beth Smith said, “Our aim is to help the children develop a strong foundation of skills needed to be successful in school. These include not only early reading and math skills, but crucial social skills such as perseverance, managing frustration and kindness. We do this in a loving environment, free of charge to the families.”

Women’s respite program director Sister Diane Gianadda, OSF, said, “For over 30 years, women In need of relief from the challenges of raising children or grandchildren with special needs or dealing with illness have found the Women's Respite weekends a source of renewal and support.”

For more information, or for tickets, call 716-284-2050, or visit www.franciscenter.com and www.womensrespite.org.