Opened as an Emergency Food Cupboard, the Center designed the model Super Cupboard program in 1987. This program seeks to break the cycle of poverty and dependence for low-income mothers by providing weekly sessions that include nutrition education and life skills workshops. The Super Cupboard model has been copied extensively throughout Pennsylvania.

Over the years, Bernardine Center staff have offered programming to address families’ short-term needs (such as, emergency and supplemental food resources), while also designing and implementing educational opportunities to enhance long-term developmental skills (such as Parenting and Anger Management Classes).

The Center has been a member of The Greater Philadelphia Food Bank since its inception, and is a founding member of the Interfaith Coalition of Food Centers of Delaware County.  The Bernardine Center provides a helping hand to low-income Chester area residents by distributing emergency and supplemental food and supplies.  The Bernardine Center also offers educational, spiritual and advocacy programs to help clients build better lives for themselves, their families and communities.

All ministries of the Bernardine Center are rooted in Franciscan hospitality and the social teachings of our Catholic Christian traditions.