Following Christ’s directive to “feed the hungry” and “clothe the naked,” Ecumenical Social Ministries (ESM) has provided emergency services to families and individuals in need since its 1982 founding by First Pres and seven other downtown churches.
Services include assistance with prescription medications, food, clothing, job placement, housing services, and more. ESM serves approximately 10,000 families annually and depends heavily on more than 130 volunteers—many from First Pres. Here, an ESM staff member retrieves a donated container of vanilla ice cream from the ESM walk-in freezer.
Sean Sheridan Photograph