St. Francis traced the beginning of his conversion to when God led him to live among lepers to serve them. Ever since that time, direct service to the materially poor and marginalized people of society has been a prized Franciscan ministry.

Many Holy Name Province parishes include service to the poor as an integral part of their ministries. One example is the more than 80-year-old St. Francis Breadline in New York City. In addition to the ministries listed below, other services, such as food pantries and thrift stores, can be found by visiting parish websites.