Email from Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA

Simplicity · Humility · Gentleness · Selflessness · Zeal

JUNE 11, 2026

A Great Recipe

Growing up in south Louisiana was a blessing in so many ways – great people sharing great times and food together.

The great food often came from my 5-foot grandmother who spoke Cajun French and cooked like an angel.

Whether it was her crawfish etouffee or another Cajun dish, it was always just unimaginably good.

If I had to choose my favorite Louisiana dish, though, it would be homemade gumbo. Behind every great gumbo or other dish is a great recipe.

I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to see Vincentians putting together recipes for incredible success in making our mission come to life in their communities. Read more...

THIS WEEK'S FEATURE: ADVANCEMENT

A Culture of Philanthropy

By David Lins, Director of Philanthropy

“Philanthropy is all about begging people for money, right? I could never do that!”

My response was not what they expected from a National Director of Philanthropy: “Neither could I.”

Philanthropy isn’t about begging. It’s actually about an organization inviting people who believe in its mission to contribute what God has entrusted to them, be it their generous volunteerism, unique skills and/or financial capacity. And when an organization challenges every like-minded individual or business to regularly examine what they have to contribute to the effort, it results in a seismic shift known as a “Culture of Philanthropy.” Read more...

SVdP RICHMOND RAISES $215K AT NIGHT OF HOPE GALA
TO STRENGTHEN HOMELESSNESS-PREVENTION EFFORTS

By Kevin Peach, Disaster Services Corporation CEO

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Richmond, Virginia, celebrated an evening of faith, generosity and hope this past Friday as supporters gathered at the iconic Jefferson Hotel for the District Council’s annual Night of Hope Gala. The event brought together 231 guests, community leaders, Vincentians and supporters committed to helping neighbors in need and preventing homelessness throughout the Richmond area.

The evening’s highlight was the recognition of His Excellency, Bishop Barry C. Knestout of the Diocese of Richmond, whose steadfast leadership and commitment to serving others have made a profound impact across the region. Guests paid tribute to Bishop Knestout’s dedication to the Church and his unwavering support of charitable outreach and social ministry. 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!

DONATE TODAY!

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/.

Saints Peter and Paul Conference – Lehighton, Pennsylvania

This week’s featured Friends of the Poor Grant spotlight is the Saints Peter and Paul Conference in Lehighton, Pennsylvania, out of the Mid-Atlantic Region.

The Conference requested a Friends of the Poor grant to support its special project, the SVdP Lehighton Cold Weather Station, which directly aligns with its mission to serve the most vulnerable members of the community.

The shelter operates during extreme winter conditions, opening when temperatures drop to 5 degrees or below from Dec. 1 through April 30. Having just completed its third winter season since launching in January 2024, the Cold Weather Station provides direct, life-sustaining shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness during dangerously cold weather.

This initiative operates in collaboration with other civic, community and faith-based organizations to ensure proper staffing and care. Entirely funded through donations and grants – without a consistent funding source – the shelter is sustained separately from regular Conference assistance so that casework support such as rent and utility aid can continue uninterrupted for neighbors in need.

The Saints Peter and Paul Conference was awarded $5,000 to support this initiative.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Thursday, June 11 at 7 p.m. CDT

SVdP Youth and Young Adult Hangout!

Tuesday, June 16 at 7 p.m. CDT

Vincentian Friendship and Community Shared Interest Groups (SIG) Meeting

Thursday, June 18 at 2 p.m. CDT

Voice for the Poor June Third Thursday Webinar

Monday, June 22 and Tuesday, June 23

Poverty Immersion Institute - Pittsburgh

Tuesday, June 23 at 7 p.m. CDT

Vincentian Friendship and Community Multicultural & Diversity Committee Meeting