Simplicity · Humility · Gentleness · Selflessness · Zeal | | | |
Our Service Knows No Boundaries
I would bet that all Vincentians on phone duty have received at least one call from a neighbor in need whose request has broken their heart and caused them a loss of one or more nights of sleep — all because of the case being of such a large amount of money needed, often in a short time, with no ability of the local Conference or even the Council to fund. You probably also wondered what the fate of that neighbor was.
I am happy to report that your Board of Directors has recently approved the implementation of the One Society Fund (OSF). I have had the pleasure of working with three other Regional Vice Presidents (RVPs) — Mark Gordon from the Northeast Region, Michael Pazzaglini of the South Central Region and Susan Wiland from the North Central Region — to create the OSF.
The OSF is designed to provide significant funding of $25,000 or more to support our neighbors with extraordinary and/or emergency needs beyond the local SVdP resources and capacity. The funding pool comes from voluntary contributions from Councils, Conferences and individuals nationwide. The OSF provides systemic relief or a time-bound programmatic response. For example, this could aid an uninsured parent or family member needing a major medical procedure or treatment, address a neighborhood disaster (flood or fire), or resolve an unmet neighborhood capability like transportation. Read more...
| | THIS WEEK'S FEATURE: DISASTER SERVICES CORPORATION | | |
The House in a Box Program: Restoring Dignity Through Local Collaboration
By Kevin Peach, CEO of Disaster Services Corporation — SVdP USA and Brooke Millson, National House in a Box Program Manager, Disaster Services Corporation — SVdP USA
When a natural disaster strikes, the immediate response understandably focuses on safety, shelter and basic survival. However, turning an empty, rebuilt house into a functioning home is often an overwhelming financial hurdle for families facing the complete loss of their possessions.
Managed by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Disaster Services Corporation, this initiative has been helping communities rebuild since the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. House in a Box was designed with a core Vincentian principle in mind: restoring dignity. While donated, secondhand furniture is a wonderful blessing, families thrust into situational poverty by a disaster also deserve the emotional uplift of a fresh start. Read more...
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Recap: SVdP's Visit to the Diocese of Salt Lake City and the Hyatt Regency
By Ed Choklek,
Reno (NV) District Council President
On Thursday, May 21, SVdP USA National President John Berry, CEO Michael Alcaldo, Senior National Director of Marketing and Communications Paula Gwynn Grant, National Vice President of Youth, Young Adults & Emerging Leaders Linda Roghair, Reno District Council President Ed Choklek, Southwest Idaho District Council Treasurer and Diocesan Formator Cathy Hagadone and Inline Meetings Vice President of Global Sales Christi Watts met up at the Salt Lake City Diocesan Office to visit with Bishop Oscar Solis.
Bishop Solis had to be at an emergency meeting at a parish, so we were welcomed by the Vicar General, the Very Reverend John Evans. He was initially a little quiet meeting with seven guests, but within 15 minutes, he opened up because he was among Vincentians. John Berry led the discussion, but all of us asked the Vicar General at least one question. Read more...
| | HIGHLIGHTING FRIENDS OF THE POOR GRANT RECIPIENTS | | |
Each week throughout the month of June, we’ll be spotlighting some of our most recent Friends of the Poor Grant recipients.
A great majority of our applicants request funds to support rent and utility assistance — which is great and what the grant was designed for. But occasionally, we get a few outside-the-box requests, and we thought we would share some of them here to not just celebrate creativity but to encourage and inspire other ways of meeting our neighbors in need where they need it most.
Our grant committee would love to be able to fulfil every request we get for funds. To date, our requests from Rounds 1 and 2 total $2,635,565, and we were only able to fulfil $286,500 of these requests — that’s only 11%.
If you would like to donate to the Friends of the Poor appeal to help us fulfil more of these important requests, click on the "DONATE TODAY" button below. Please know 100% of the funds received go toward the hard work our fellow Vincentians are doing every day throughout the United States. THANK YOU for your generous donation of your time, talent and treasure — we are grateful!
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To learn more about how the Friends of the Poor Grant Program can help your Conference, please visit: https://members.ssvpusa.org/fundraising-development/fop-grants/.
All Saints Conference –
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
This week’s featured Friends of the Poor grant spotlight is the All Saints Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, out of the North Central Region.
For nearly two years, the Conference has worked with limited resources to provide critical support to neighbors in need, focusing primarily on essentials such as beds, stoves and refrigerators – items that many families in Milwaukee lack because landlords are not required to provide appliances in their rental properties. With most requests centered around helping children and adults sleep in beds rather than on the floor and ensuring families have the means to prepare and store nutritious meals, the Conference stretches every dollar as far as possible.
Through modest vouchers and shared contributions from families, they strive to restore dignity and stability, but additional support through a Friends of the Poor grant allows them to assist more households with these basic necessities and respond to emergency situations such as rent assistance to help families avoid eviction during times of crisis.
The All Saints Conference was awarded $5,000 to continue supporting neighbors in need throughout their community.
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