Supporters from the Sacramento area and beyond came to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Francis House on Friday night. Francis House also launched their campaign to raise $250,000 to expand their building.

“We are one-fifth of the way there with the $50,000 seed grant from Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, owners of Cache Creek Casino Resort,” said Mike Zeglarski, a member of the Francis House board of directors.

The expansion will enable Francis House to provide more services, with extra space for counseling and classrooms. Francis House hopes to ass classes such as substance-abuse counseling.

Francis House is a faith-based community that provides life-changing opportunities through resource counseling, education, support groups, spiritual resources and referrals. Some of the programs include fast-track employment services, a career center, self-help housing, a rescue shelter program and veterans outreach program.

“We want to knock out those barriers so people can get their lives back,”program director Forrest Reed said.

Reed said Francis House is the only program that offers help with transportation and identification. Francis House provides bus tokens, gas vouchers, birth certificates, California IDs and drivers licenses necessary to obtain jobs.

Francis House was founded in 1970 by Father Anthony Tozzio and Sister Kathy Wood. Wood and Tozzio provided sandwiches, clothing and personal attention in a house around the corner from St. Francis Assisi Catholic Parish church. The “house” burned down in 1989 and Father Barry Brunsman rebuilt in a new location downtown.

Food was provided by Mulvaney’s, Tuli Bistro, Evan’s Kitchen and Bella Bru; wines were provided by Abundance Vinyards, Mount Aukum Winery, Pilot Peak Winery and Solune Winery; and the featured entertainer was Mumbo Gumbo.

Donations to Francis house can be made at francishouse.info or by calleing Greg Bunker at 916-443-2646