HISTORY

With a long history of outreach ministry since its founding in 1888, First Lutheran's most recent outreach ministry began in the 1970s, when a group of church members began serving bread every Friday to the homeless and urban poor.

Today, the church provides much more than meals. Since 1997, the program has expanded to include free medical, dental and acupuncture clinics at the church building, as well as free mental health counseling services and a community law project.

In 1998, the church's outreach efforts were organized under one tax-exempt, not-for-profit charity, the Third Avenue Charitable Organization (TACO). TACO's partners include the University of California, San Diego pre-dental program and School of Medicine, the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, and California Western School of Law.