St. Victor Church | St. Vincent de Paul Society

What we're doing

Each day, seven days a weekthe homeless and the poor line up at the rectory door at about 8 a.m. We provide them with a voucher for lunch and address any other needs we may discover; bus fare home to another state, a warm jacket, even redeemed one's beloved dog from the animal shelter.

The number of poor people we see is increasing. Some days we have fed more than 40 people.

The vouchers are good at a local fast food restaurant. Here, too, we have had problems. Some merchants refuse to feed the hungry, even when we pay full price for the food. Neverthless, when one rebuffs us, we find another. We have a commitment to those who depend upon us to keep the program going as long as we can.

This work is undertaken solely through the generosity of our parishioners, and it is no small amount; it costs thousands of dollars a month.







					In this section: What we Believe The Sacraments The Works of Mercy Ministries at St. Victor Heritage in Focus

About the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Victor Church:

The fundamental effort of any St. Vincent de Paul Society is to provide assistance to the poor usually in the area of the parish involved. Saint Victor is somewhat unique in its endeavors to aid the poor and needy because our outreach includes many requesting persons who do not reside in the parish area. All applicants who solicit aid are considered on an equal basis.

The Society's voucher program provides a full DAILY meal made available at a local modest restaurant available to the needy. Vouchers are distributed from the front patio to approximately fifty recipients each day. The distribution is completed between 8:30 and 9:30 AM or until the maximum number of allotted vouchers for the day has been completed. The voucher program is administered and coordinated daily primarily by several parish volunteers who donate their time and energy to assist those in need of a free meal. Clients also receive occasional help with rain gear, toiletry articles, socks and shoes.

The cost of the food voucher program is significant, approximately $5000 per month and it is funded primarily by donations both large and small intended "for the poor" from members of the St. Victor's parish.

Requests for other types of financial assistance and intervention are often received by the president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. All requests are considered and a prompt response is given to the persons making the request. The majority of this assistance includes aid with utility, medical and rental concerns.

Our outreach programs have experienced some criticism from the local community because of behavior and hygiene problems exhibited by some of the homeless who utilize our services. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul members do their collective best to minimize these concerns and to correct any situations that may present the neighborhood community with justifiable concerns. "There but for the Grace of God go I" provides the society and parish members with an unflagging and compelling drive to wisely help those who have profound difficulty managing their day to day lives.