Our Organization and services

St. John's Family Center (SJFC) was founded in 1996 by the Rev. Ann Jensen, then Associate Rector of St. John's Parish as an unincorporated outreach program of St. John's Episcopal Church (SJEC).  In 2011, it was incorporated in the State of Connecticut as a 501(c)(3) corporation, which means that all of our programs are offered at no cost to our clients.

The by-laws of SJFC state its purpose as “for religious, charitable, literary, or educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”),” including [specifically] the following: “to develop and nurture programs addressing the needs of families and individuals in the Greater Bridgeport area.” 

What started with the assistance of the Child Guidance Center and representatives from other non-profit social service agencies has now grown to make The Family Center a focal point for children and their families.  Parishioners and volunteers collaborate with a variety of services and programs to serve the community. 

In 2010, the St. John's Family Center moved into enlarged quarters in the renovated and historic Sanford House at St John's, where it continues expanding its mission to serve "at risk" families of Greater Bridgeport, offering Parenting classes, mother/toddler playgroups, ESOL classes, summer programs, support groups, emergency food and clothing and GAP (Generate Academic's Progress), a new afterschool program for 82 Fourth & Fifth graders from two local elementary schools.  All programs of the Family Center are free of charge.

The second oldest of the formal outreach ministries of St. John's, the Tuesday night Community Supper  began in 1983 as one of the first four Community Suppers in the City, organized by the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport.  Over the last 36 years, St. John's has fed the hungry every Tuesday night, providing over 5,000 meals last year.  Assisted by various other congregations and synagogues, this activity depends upon an enormous number of volunteers and volunteer hours.

We open up our doors from 5 - 6pm every Tuesday, when a dedicated group of volunteers prepare and  serve up a hot, nutritious meal. We also provide meals to go. 

Everyone is welcome. We offer a warm and accepting environment.  We provide a nutritious meal for those financially in need, those who often eat alone, and those who would enjoy a good meal and good company.  The people attending our suppers consist of single people, families with children, single-parent families, and seniors.  Everyone in any stage of life is welcome to join us every Tuesday. We usually serve between 50 to 75 guests each week.

We have many opportunities for you to help us provide food to the hungry, homeless and those facing daily food insecurity and scarcity right here in the heart of Bridgeport. Please let us know if you would like to donate or help us out in any way you can. 

The food pantry, staffed by our volunteers,  is open from 9am - 12pm on Saturday mornings, excluding the first Saturday of the month.

We have a large pantry stocked with fresh produce  (meat/dairy), also bread and basic dried goods. We always ensure a well-stocked diaper bank and occasionally carry small household products and toiletries, all of which are generously donated to us by the public and local businesses.

The clothing closet is open during pantry hours and also throughout the week during office hours (Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12 - 4pm). We are always very happy to receive new or gently used clothing and shoes. We appreciate any help to connect us not only with donors, but also people in need.

Led by Odetta Prince, we offer students aged 6 to 16 enrichment skills in reading, math, science and technology.  We have many new English language learners (ELL's) who are being offered help with conversation, academic speech and language acquisition.  Our program takes place weekly on Saturdays from 9am - 12pm.  We are always in need of mentors and teachers to help.  If you are looking for a gratifying way to give back and can spare a few hours a week, please reach out to us.

In addition to the above services, we also feature Seasonal offerings for Back-to-School, Thanksgiving, Halloween and Christmas, and we also provide scholarships and transportation to sleep-away camp for elementary and middle-school aged children.  Please call or email us to inquire about dates and eligibility.