Happy Thanksgiving
As we begin our preparations for Thanksgiving with excitement of gathering with family we envision the turkey, the stuffing, the cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. There will be laughter, good cheer, and happiness abound.
For some it has been almost a year since family or friends have gathered to share a meal. For others it has been the anticipation of time spent together preparing a meal that is celebrated once a year signifying the bond of what hold us together in an uncertain world. All ingredients and dishes are prepared with love within our hearts.
There are songs written describing the miles traveled to enjoy pumpkin pie with relatives. Modern day news tracks the airport crowds and miles to be traveled of those folks that are adamant to be there to celebrate family time and gathering at the table.
But what exactly is Thanksgiving? As history has taught us, it is a dinner shared between the Pilgrims and Native American Indians in the Autumn (Harvest) time of the year. It is a breaking of bread between strangers to form a unity of mankind.
When we put it in that perspective, we can realize that Thanksgiving is a meal and time of love and sharing between people; similar to the sharing of breaking bread, forming a union of love and respect.
For many Thanksgiving holds childhood memories of laughter, relatives, and anticipation of the kick off of the Christmas season. The aroma of Turkey filling the house, the excitement of when our guests will arrive, the anticipation of the unveiling of Christmas the day after.
If we quietly listen to God, Thanksgiving is a place in out hearts that allows us to be grateful “thankful” for what God has given us. Our family, our friends, our memories of years past. Our bitter-sweet memories of those that passed leaving us with memories and words of encouragement.
The tradition of Thanksgiving is not just about the dinner, it is the time we spend together with those we love, the stories of those that journeyed forth before us, and the future of our families and friends.
We share the laughter, the tears, the recipes passed down from many generations.
Mostly, we share the hope. The hope of a world filled with love, with giving, with health, with dreams of a future bright.
We share the “Giving” from our hearts; the songs that need to be heard by those who need the love the most. The words that will inspire many to embrace the Holiday Season.
I wish you all a very bountiful Thanksgiving. I ask that you remember our Friends in Need, and pray to God for a peace-filled Holiday Season.
God Bless You All!
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Harry Ohde
Volunteer President/CEO
SVdP Chicago, ADC
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"Ask Mike" - Our Q&A series addresses common questions Chicagoland Vincentians may have as they go about their work for the Society. Have a question? Email us at teresa@svdpchicago.org
Q: Can a Conference place a thank you in the parish bulletin to thank those collectively who donate to the parish Conference?
A: A Conference may place a thank you notice in the parish bulletin; however, this does not replace the IRS obligation to send a thank you letter to every donor who donates $250 or more in a single donation.
Q: One of our Conference members is making what I consider racist comments about a Native American woman, one being “she should go back to her reservation.” I find this very upsetting, first as a Christian and second as a Vincentian. Do you have any suggestions on how I can respond?
A: The Conference President should meet with this person outside the meeting accompanied by their Spiritual Advisor. They should let this member know that he/she is displaying a non-Vincentian attitude and should correct this or find a different ministry.
by Mike Syslo
ADC Vice President
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#GIVINGTUESDAY next Tuesday, November 29
This Thanksgiving holiday the SVdP Chicago #GivingTuesday Committee thanks you for your continued support whether it be volunteering, your prayers, monetary donations, etc. We ask you today for your prayers for a successful #GivingTuesday campaign. We have been working hard so that we can reach our $35,000 goal and we know that with your prayers and positive thoughts we will be successful.
We especially want to thank our Vincentians who volunteer daily whether it be through home visits, food pantry, donation drives, various drives over the holidays, etc., for all your hard work and dedication to our friends in need throughout Cook and Lake Counties in Illinois. Your labor of love is beyond appreciated.
Lastly, we ask on this day of thanks, if you could help us reach our 2022 goal by sharing this message with your friends and family and let them know why you support St. Vincent de Paul Chicago and its mission to help those in need build a better tomorrow. We can do this together!
Anyone can make an on-line donation by clicking on the link below:
** or **
You can scan the QR Code below using your cell phone's camera
to go directly to the SVdP-Chicago donation page:
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** or **
A check donation can also be sent and made payable and sent to:
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Chicago
PO Box 233
Blue Island, IL 60406
Attn: Harry Ohde
In the "note" section of your check, please add "GivingTuesday"
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Chicago #GivingTuesday Committee.
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Happy Thanksgiving All,
I received the following message from Bill Burke at BEDS PLUS. Their emergency shelters are opening up this coming Monday, November 28, and they are in immediate need of volunteers for their overnight shifts. Please take a minute to read his message below and reach out to Bill at his cell number listed below if you are able to share of your time and talent. Thank you.
God Bless,
Harry Ohde
Volunteer President/CEO
Society of St. Vincent de Paul Chicago-ADC
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BEDS is opening the emergency shelters from November 28 through March 5. We will be open the coldest 3 months of the year to provide relief (hot dinner, warm place to sleep, breakfast) for the homeless. You can learn more by clicking this link:
We presently need volunteers on the overnight shifts, 11 p.m. - 3 a.m. and 3 a.m. - 7:30 a.m. We also need volunteers more urgently at St Louise de Marillac in La Grange Park, St Barbara in Brookfield (now combined as Holy Guardian Angels Parish) and Redeemer Lutheran Church in Oak Forest. So whatever you can do, we'd appreciate.
If anyone needs more information, I can be reached on my cell at 708-446-4650.
In St Vincent and Blessed Frédéric,
Bill Burke
Employment Specialist
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Ogden Avenue Supportive Housing
9601 E. Ogden Avenue
La Grange, IL 60525
Office: 708-354-0858
Cell: 708-446-4650
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July 4 Highland Park Disaster Recovery
As our community and nation grieved in the aftermath of the July 4 parade shooting, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul received an urgent call from the FBI and Red Cross. Could we help staff a Disaster Recovery Center at the Highland Park High School? Area residents and employees struggling with physical wounds, emotional scars, and lost income due to temporarily closed businesses needed support.
Members of the St. Francis Xavier/St. Joseph Conference met with 25 injured community members and listened to their experiences, offered emotional support, and provided financial assistance. Simultaneous translators helped us communicate with victims who spoke only Spanish.
Our visitors included a young man with a bullet lodged in his back awaiting future surgery, a grandmother who broke her leg while shielding her grandchildren at the parade, and the mother of a boy who narrowly escaped being shot on a parade float and struggles with PTSD. After our meetings, we followed up by email or phone to assure residents of our concern for them, check on their progress, and determine how best we could assist financially.
Please help. Father Wayne has graciously designated this year’s parish Thanksgiving collection for the benefit of our Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Francis Xavier/St. Joseph Conference. You can support our work needed more than ever by contributing HERE.
Assisting individuals and families in financial or personal crisis is the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s number one mission. Our goal is to assist clients so that they may get "back on their own feet".
Your support, through the Thanksgiving collection, enables us to provide a lifeline to families and individuals. Your generous contribution means so much to us and the people we serve.
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7th Annual Skokie/Evanston 3-Day Bundle Event Weekend |
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We had another successful SVDP Skokie & Evanston Bundle Event donation drive last weekend. The weather was perfect for all three days, and we managed to fill two trailers with lots of good items, which will help the SVDP Thrift Stores and in turn help needy families.
The team was joined by five teenagers and their parents, and the teens added a lot of fun to the event, and they got a lot done too. The teens also earned service hours as a part of their Confirmation preparation program.
· Josie Sprang and her mom, Linnea
· Alex Mancini and his mom, Nicki
· Helena Hancko and her mom, Mimi
· Charles Lubinsky and his mom, Lucy
· Brian Pearce and his mom, Sandy
Ed Sips helped on both Saturday and Sunday, and once again got our trailers well organized with clothing and household items. Kathy Pozzi, Tina Ziegler, Bob Eme, Jim Ford and Jeff Pezza (with his dog Stanley) gave many hours and really helped us get a lot of items from cars into the SVDP trailers.
Thanks to Kristina Reyes, Lisa Tomassetti, Caroline Kennedy and Shawn Lucas for informing ASJA families about the Bundle Event, and for publicizing this service opportunity for teens. Thanks to Hector Gonzalez at ASJA for help with access the school for bathrooms, water fountains and folding chairs.
Thanks to Fr. Anderson and Julie Salako at SJA/St. Athanasius, and to Fr. Kricek, Fr. Adaja and Norene Scanlan at St. Peter/St. Lambert, for providing advance publicity in the parish bulletins and for an opportunity to promote the Bundle Event at Masses. Many thanks to all the Skokie and Evanston parishioners and neighbors who donated to the Bundle Event.
Great job to Frank Ziegler, District II, President, and volunteers for a successful weekend!
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SVdP-ADC & District X Clothing Drive for South American Migrants: St. Julie Billiart - November 19 & 20, 2022 |
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The weekend of November 19 & 20 at St. Julie Billiart in Tinley Park was a busy one for Tom Moritz, SVdP-Chicago District X President. In a matter of a few short weeks, Tom was able to get volunteers to help and the District X Conferences to pitch in, spread the word, and collect donations to provide winter clothing for the South American Migrants who recently arrived in the Chicagoland area and suburbs.
Harry Ohde, SVdP Volunteer President/CEO five weeks ago met with Tom Moritz, District X President, about this project that the City of Chicago had asked SVdP to be a part of. Harry felt having an 18-ft truck at St. Julie would be ideal as it was close to the Orland Park store to bring in all the donations. After Tom got the "ok" from St. Julie, the date was set and the word got out.
The St. Francis of Assisi Knights of Columbus delivered four boxes of brand new winter coats. The St. Michael's Hooks & Needles Ministry dropped off handmade hats. New socks were even dropped off!
"People were appreciative something like this was done. We got so much!", said Tom Moritz. He was very pleased all District X Conferences got the word out and stepped up. Between the Conferences and Parishes this was a successful event!
Tom had volunteers from St. Julie, SVdP Conferences and even his own grandson stepped in to lend some supervision! Volunteers come in all ages, you know.
Thank you to Tom, the volunteers who donated their time and to everyone who made a donation to help make this a successful event!
Great Job!
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Harry Ohde
Volunteer President/CEO
Society of St. Vincent de Paul Chicago-ADC
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Annual Scare, Care, Share Winter Coat Drive |
Many thanks to all the supporters that donated at The Valenti House, Haunt with a Heart, The Dionesotes House, Chicago Ridge School District 127.5 and our Orland Park and Libertyville Stores. Our Scare, Care, and Share Winter Coat drive was a success and we were able to help over 200 friends in need stay warm this winter!
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Give the Gift of Thrift this Holiday Season!
Did you know that both our Libertyville and Orland Park Thrift Stores sell gift cards? This is a great gift to give that college kid who might be looking for a piece of furniture for his dorm room, or maybe looking for some clothes for a school "Spirit Day". There are so many things you could find in a Thrift Store! Some people over the years have gone "thrifting" only to find that their $5 purchase was worth thousands! It could be books, artwork, crystal, dishes, jewelry and so much more!
Below is a link from Money News about some of the things of value that you could find at your local thrift store and cash in on ...
Stop on by to one of our stores and get a Gift Card today!
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Save the Date: June 14-17, 2023
North Central Region Conference
University of St. Mary of the Lake Mundelein, Illinois
The North Central Region 2023 Conference will be held at University of St. Mary of the Lake, June 14-17, 2023, at 1000 E Maple Avenue, Mundelein, IL.
As details become available, they will be shared in our monthly E-Newsletter, E-Gazette and our website.
We are excited to be hosting the conference next year and we look forward to seeing everyone there!
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How Can You Help?
There are a number of ways that you can support SVdP Chicago this month!
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AmazonSmile
If you already use Amazon.com for online shopping, you can link your account to AmazonSmile and support SVdP Chicago!
You will make a .5 percent donation with every Amazon purchase by using AmazonSmile.
Here are 3 simple steps to start donating today:
Step 1: Go to smile.amazon.com log in using your email and password as if you were at amazon.com.
Step 2: Search for the Society of St Vincent de Paul-Chicago and select us as your charity.
Step 3: Shop, Amazon Smile, and Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to SVdP!
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SVdP Chicago Prayer List
Visit our website to offer prayers for those on our list or submit an intention for others to pray for. The power of prayer is very strong. We thank you for your prayers for our members while the Holy Spirit guides us in our work.
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Vehicle Donation Program
Have a car, truck, boat, motorcycle, or RV that is past its prime? The National Vehicle Donation Program is coordinated by The National Council of The Society of St. Vincent de Paul and all donations can be made to SVdP Chicago!
Contact our Office Manager Elvia at elvia@svdpchicago.org with any questions or call 773-779-6700 x 107 to start your donation today!
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Let's Get Social
One of the easiest ways to be involved with SVdP Chicago is liking us on Facebook (or Twitter, Youtube, or Instagram) and sharing our posts! We have accounts for each of the Thrift Stores also that you can follow, like, and share from.
This simple action has a big impact in helping to make others aware of the work we are doing to help those in need and how they can get involved!
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Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to the mission of The Society of St. Vincent de Paul! We are working together to build a better tomorrow for those in need. “Let us love God, but let it be with the work of our hands and the sweat of our brows.” - St. Vincent de Paul
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SVdP Chicago has been reaching out in our local communities throughout Cook and Lake counties for over 169 years. We have the experience of being a force of good throughout times of war, global pandemics, economic crises, and social changes. Our volunteers serve with hearts full of love and compassion and the Society helps anyone regardless of race, religion, political association, or gender. Learn more about what we do and who we help at our website.
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