About Us

Mission and Goals
“He who comes to me will never go hungry, and who believes in me will never be thirsty
John 6:35”

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

 

MISSION STATEMENT

The Bea Gaddy Family Centers is a community based nonprofit organization that assists and provides food and other items to our neighbors throughout the Greater Baltimore Metropolitan Area and throughout Maryland; we use your donations to help the lives of many.
Our focus is and always will be to maintain the legacy of the late Dr. Bea Gaddy, our founding volunteer. The volunteers at the Bea Gaddy Family Centers are dedicated women and men who sincerely have a passion for helping others. They reflect the spirit of love and desire to work together for good of our city and state.

GOALS

1. Promote and maintain the vision Bea Gaddy
2. Assist our most vulnerable citizens- children and senior citizens
3. Strive to stand-in-the gap for those in need
4. Strengthen relationships the relationships of those that need help with those that can give help
5. Maintain the dignity of those that come to our doors

“The people coming to our doors for help, may not have food, clothing or money but, they do have their dignity. How dare we be the ones that take that away from them.”
Bea Gaddy

History

The late Dr. Bea Gaddy founded the Patterson Park Emergency Food Center in 1981 out of a need to feed her family. She went to local churches collecting food in a shopping cart and passed the food out to the neighbors in her community. The word soon spread that “Miss Bea” would help you to get food if you needed. Soon long lines began to form outside of her door on a daily basis. Presently our food pantry provides thousands of people with food yearly. Dr. Gaddy soon found herself having to help her neighbors with clothing thus the beginning of Bea Gaddy Fashions we accept donations of new and gently used clean clothes to provide to anyone entering our doors. Our clients are free to browse through our racks and select that “just right outfit”. We maintain baby food, clothes, diapers and furniture for that in need. As donations of baby items come in we contact those on our waiting list usually within 8 hours of arriving all donations have been given out.  In 1981, Dr. Gaddy used the winnings of her Maryland State Lottery Ticket of $250.00 to serve 49 of her neighbors a wonderful Thanksgiving Day Dinner. Since 1981, The Bea Gaddy’s Thanks for Giving Campaign has truly become a part of Baltimore’s favorite pastime. We receive phone calls months in advance from volunteers wishing to assist in this effort. We feed roughly 3,000 meals on site, and send out another 50,000 meals to those that cannot come out to the meal. We receive donation from both private citizens as well as major corporations wishing to partner with us to help those that need our help.