OUR MISSION

“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you’re doing the impossible.” - St. Francis of Assisi

Franciscan Works is a Chicago-based Catholic non-profit that is led and run by Catholic laity. We serve the poor and vulnerable in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. Since 2003, Franciscan Works has provided financial and operational support to Liberia Mission, a community of love, learning, and prayer for the poorest of the poor in Liberia, West Africa. Liberia Mission provides a quality Catholic education for over 500 students and loving home on the Mission for 32 orphaned and abandoned children.

Working together, Franciscan Works and Liberia Mission empower young Liberians to break the cycle of poverty and become faithful adults of character and integrity who can support themselves, their families, and their community. This challenge is very real in Liberia, a country that experiences intergenerational poverty, poor healthcare, and lack of infrastructure from two civil wars and a deadly Ebola outbreak.

We cultivate the individual potential of children living in poverty so they can live as God intended, making full use of their talents and abilities for the common benefit, in communion with God, nature, and all humankind.

LIBERIA MISSION’S CAMPUS

Liberia Mission was founded on November 3rd, 2003, just as the dust was settling from the Second Civil War. The Mission consists of a secure 10-acre campus and an adjoining 15-acre farm property. The main campus houses St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School, St. Michael the Archangel Chapel, a student-run piggery, separate residence buildings for boys and girls, and accommodations for program managers and volunteers.

The school is staffed by Liberian administrators and teachers, and accredited by the Liberian Education Council and the Ministry of Education. Liberian houseparents, cooks, and security guards staff the residential program.

 FAQs

  • Franciscan Works is led and run by Catholic laity who serve the poor and vulnerable in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. Our organization is listed in the Official Catholic Directory, published by P.J. Kenedy & Sons, under the Archdiocese of Chicago. We work in cooperation with both the Archdiocese of Chicago (Illinois, USA) and the Archdiocese of Monrovia (Liberia, West Africa). Since its establishment, the Franciscan Works Board of Directors has routinely included a Franciscan priest, from various orders over the years, to guide our Catholic ethos and missionary work.

    Note: The Official Catholic Directory is the “official source for verifying the tax-exempt status of Catholic institutions under the IRS / United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Group Ruling;” see https://www.officialcatholicdirectory.com/OCD/home.

  • Franciscan Works employs staff in the U.S. and in Liberia who are accountable for the day-to-day operation of the program and prudent use of resources. A Board of Directors guides policy and makes all major spending decisions.

  • There are regular and ongoing telephone and email communications between staff in the U.S. and staff in Liberia. The Director of Liberia Mission participates in Board meetings via teleconference. On-site visits by Board Members and staff occur at various times of year.

  • Franciscan Works utilizes a variety of written documentation and an independent financial audit to assure accountability for the operation of the program. Written documentation from Liberia includes an annual operating plan and budget submitted by the Director of Liberia Mission that is reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors, and quarterly spending and participant reports. The quarterly spending reports assure that expenses are on budget.

    The participant reports summarize numbers of children being served along with details on any child leaving the program for cause. There is an annual report on outcomes summarizing school results. Monthly financial reports generated in the U.S. on revenues and expenses are compiled and shared with the Board. The Board engages a public accounting firm to prepare an independent financial audit annually.

    There are policies regarding conflict of interest and protection of whistle blowers that are enforced.

  • Franciscan Works and Liberia Mission operate under a carefully constructed and well-developed child protection plan. The welfare and protection of our students is our top priority.

    Our Policy for the Protection of Beneficiaries (PPB) includes:

    • Child protection training for all staff, Board Members, teachers, students, and volunteers in the U.S. and in Liberia. We also require anyone who visits Liberia Mission to undergo diocesan child protection training prior to their trip.

    • Background checks for anyone involved with our Mission, such as our employees and volunteers, both in the U.S. and in Liberia.

    • Keeping personal information confidential that could be used to identify children on Liberia Mission. Students last names are not used online, in printed materials, or in sponsorship correspondence.