As I continue giving you some updates about the “year-in-review” at Christ the King with my summer bulletin columns, I’d like to focus on our St. Vincent de Paul Conference. I’m so proud of this ministry — as I’m sure you’ve heard me say many times, I’m continually amazed at how much they have accomplished over the (less than) two years they’ve been in existence.
Here’s a summary of their activity over this last year (July through June):
· 1011 total clients served
· 22,355 pounds of food delivered to neighbors in need
· Bill payment assistance provided to 52 families; the bulk of these funds were used to cover rent and utilities. We also purchased items such as diapers, baby food, clothing, dishes, pots & pans, small appliances and even a lawnmower! Several times, we turned the power back on for a family who had been disconnected.
· Helped 5 clients find stable housing
· Engaged the help of 85 parish volunteers to provide these services
· Revived the Thanksgiving Food Basket Program, serving 50 families. This year we expect to serve 100 families.
· A parishioner from our conference has met with several families to help them work out a household budget.
· We are also exploring a partnership to adopt a refugee family.
· Because of your generosity in using your St. Vincent de Paul envelopes, we were able to make donations to some of our local partner agencies. We provided financial support to Cultivate, who provides us with boxed frozen meals. We also provided financial support to three organizations to which we refer neighbors for additional help: the SVdP District office, Our Lady of the Road and REAL Services (to support their utility assistance program).
It’s also worth noting that the bulk of our service takes place right here in our own parish boundaries (although we are sometimes asked to help out in areas of town). I know that, to all of our parishioners who are active in our SVdP Conference, their service to our neighbors in need is a concrete expression of their baptismal call. The training for new home visitors always emphasizes establishing a relationship with clients if at all possible, taking the time to listen to them and honor their human dignity. As such, our Vincentians do a lot of work that can’t be measured in bullet points, whether it’s sitting down with clients to help them navigate the paperwork needed to access community resources, or simply talking to them long enough to identify other ways that we can help which they didn’t even think to ask. Additionally, the shopping and pantry volunteers keep our food pantry ready to go. In addition to non-perishables brought to the parish, our shoppers visit local stores to purchase items such as milk, eggs, cheese, meat, bread and fresh fruit. This ministry is truly a team effort!
Our leadership team has also invested in the spiritual formation of our volunteers, through means such as guest speakers at conference meetings and an upcoming fall retreat. Ultimately, this ministry has taught us a lot about the needs that exist right here in our own neighborhood, and it’s helped our parish do a much better job of connecting with these brothers and sisters in Christ.
I am very grateful for all the time and resources that all of you have contributed to our SVDP Conference. I hope that this brief summary helps you to understand just what a difference you’re making by donating money, food and time to this worthy ministry, which brings the love of Christ to some of our neighbors who need it the most.
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