Program Updates and Resources |
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With an end to State Assistance for Housing Relief (SAFHR), SVdP Conferences are reporting an increase in calls from Neighbors needing rental assistance. We’ve heard the following from you:
- Neighbors owe a significant amount in past due rent.
- Neighbors became dependent on SAFHR and are not prepared to pay their rent.
- Monthly rents have increased significantly.
- Neighbors are facing eviction or have been evicted.
- Neighbors cannot find a landlord that will rent to them.
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The Program Team at the Council Office offers the following guidance:
- Paying a Neighbor’s rent can prevent homelessness for the Neighbor.
- Empower our Neighbors to be part of their solution. What are they doing to improve their situation? What can they contribute to the rent that is due?
- Many Neighbors will receive a significant tax return. How can they use this to better their situation?
- Prioritize the need and help where you can. Consider if the Neighbor will be able to maintain the rent going forward.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition indicates that Missouri has a shortage of over 114,000 affordable, available rental homes for extremely low-income renters. If our Neighbor earns Missouri’s minimum wage $11.15 per hour, a Neighbor must work 61 hours per week to afford a two-bedroom rental.
If your Conference needs financial assistance to provide help to a Neighbor, ask for twinning. Many Conference have resources to help.
If you are a Conference with a surplus of funds, contact the Council Office and we can connect you with a Conference in need.
And during this difficult time, let us remember the words of St. Vincent de Paul: God does not consider the outcome of the good work undertaken, but the charity (or love) that accompanied it.
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Pregnancy Care Partnership |
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This partnership ensures pregnant women have the support they need during and after their pregnancy. SVdP is seeking Conferences willing to provide support and friendship to these women and their children. For more information, contact Julie Komanetsky at juliek@svdpstl.org.
Pregnancy Care Zoom: If your Conference is working with a pregnant mother and you would like to discuss her situation or learn about possible resources, please join us on Zoom!
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Wednesday, April 19 at 1 PM
Meeting ID: 883 4273 2618
Passcode: 301266
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Council Program Requests
To process a request, we must receive a Council Program Form and all the supporting documentation as listed in the Council Program Handbook. Please wait to submit until you have all the documentation needed.
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The Preventing Evictions presentation, a partnership between EHOC and the MO Legal Aids, is available below. This presentation contains helpful information for Vincentians to share while working with Neighbors in Need. |
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A Message from John Foppe | Trusting in Divine Providence
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“In all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.”
~ Romans 8:28
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Thank you for joining us at the 2023 Spring Assembly!
444 Vincetians gathered for a beautiful celebration of faith and Christian friendship.
Thank you to everyone who made this an informational, inspirational, and spiritual morning.
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Celebrant and Homilist
Fr. Daniel Thiess, C.M.
St. Louis Council Spiritual Advisor
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Keynote Speaker
Fr. Chris Martin
Vicar for Strategic Planning - All Things New
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“The Assembly was awesome.” “Renewed spirit of the mission.”
“Organized. Joyful atmosphere.” “I grew spiritually through this assembly.”
“The overall message was lovely; felt welcomed and loved every moment.”
“Great meeting people from nearby parishes; got some good ideas and invites.”
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April is the first full month of spring, a time of blossoming and renewal.
On April 23, 1833, a great renewal movement was founded in Paris, France by Blessed Frédéric Ozanam and six others: The Society of St. Vincent de Paul! April is an opportune time to celebrate the rich heritage of the Society.
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To commemorate the founding of the Society, along with the birthdays of our founder, Frédéric (April 23), and our patron, St. Vincent de Paul (April 24), the Society in the United States celebrates Ozanam Sunday the last Sunday of April. This year, Ozanam Sunday is April 30.
Is this also an opportunity to learn more about our heritage? There are many resources available for our study.
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When Our Neighbors Need More
Than Our Conference Can Provide
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We are excited to announce our 2023 Vincentian Wisdom Series! These Zoom sessions will feature wisdom from Vincentians and staff members on important and timely topics.
We invite you to register for one of the following sessions:
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April 11 (3:00 – 4:00 PM): When Our Neighbors Need More Than Our Conference Can Provide. This workshop will provide guidance and thoughts for Vincentians who encounter Neighbors with complex problems that often seem beyond our capacity to help. The session will be held on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom information in your confirmation email.
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The Ozanam Orientation is a foundational offering for all Vincentians covering the spirituality, purpose, history, approach, and structure of the Society. New Vincentians are expected to attend an Ozanam Orientation within their first year in the Society.
Saturday, April 15
9:00 AM – 1:30 PM
St. Ferdinand
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Helpful Guidelines for Merging Conferences |
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Please register below for the New Beginnings and the Way Forward: Helpful Guidelines for Merging Conferences training on Wednesday, April 26. This Zoom session will provide guidance for Conferences who will potentially merge under All Things New.
Wednesday, April 26
6:30-7:30 PM
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Vincentian Funds Outside the Vincentian Family |
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Q: Can our Conference help donate money or goods to another ministry with their service to the poor?
A: Regarding the use of funds, Statute 26 of the Rule states: The funds of the Society shall be used for the works of the Society, including Vincentian twinning and collaboration in payments for people we serve. However, no matter how worthy the cause funds shall not be diverted in the form of donations or contributions to other organizations or charities, except occasionally for other branches of the Vincentian Family. The Treasurer is charged as the responsible officer to ensure adherence after consultation with the Conference or Council.
Donations and gifts by donors for a certain purpose can only be applied for that same purpose and all reasonable steps will be taken to respect the wishes of donors.*
* If Vincentians are not involved or only marginally involved in helping Neighbors the other ministry, then it is considered a donation to another organization and therefore against the Rule. If several Vincentians are actively involved on a regular basis in helping those in need in this ministry, it can be considered a Vincentian work and therefore the contribution is valid.
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Get To Know SVdP Board Members |
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Name - Dave Little, South District President
Parish - Queen of All Saints
Hometown - I grew up in Crestwood, MO
Bio
- Graduated from St. John Vianney High School & Southeast Missouri State
- Met my wife while working at United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Been married almost 54 years, 3 children and 7 grandchildren
- Retired from USDA after 34 years of service in Accounting & Information Technology
History with SVDP
- Been a Vincentian for 16 years
- Made home visits the entire time with SVDP
- Became South District President in November 2021 and a Board Member
Why did I decide to become District President
- I felt a calling. It took me a couple of times saying no to the opportunity and then I felt that the Holy Spirit was calling me to do more and I accepted His calling and I haven't regretted it. I am able to help many more people as District President.
What committees do you participate in for SVDP
- Served on the Rapid Rehousing Committee
- Board Liaison for National Assembly
- Co-Chair of Program Committee
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Three Vincentians were honored at the Archdiocese of St. Louis Catholic Man of the Year ceremony. These awards honor men who serve their church and their community and are sponsored by the St. Joseph Evangelization Network. Congratulations, gentlemen! |
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SVdP In The St. Louis Review |
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Vincentian service to others in need embodies a mission to serve Christ, see His face in others |
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There’s always something happening at St. Vincent de Paul Parish. One of the oldest churches in the city of St. Louis, it has been a mainstay in the community for 180 years and long known for its outreach to the poor.
A recent rainy Friday morning was no different. A group of men unloaded a van filled with fresh foods donated from a nearby Fields Foods grocery store.
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Those items were placed on tables in the parish hall for anyone in the community to stop by and take what they wished. Meanwhile, two women volunteers distributed lunches to go at a window. Vincentian Father Dan Thiess was buzzing around the parish hall, helping where he could until he had to leave to celebrate the noon Mass.
“Our mission is to follow Christ, the evangelizer of the poor,” he said. St. Vincent de Paul, the founder of the Vincentians, “didn’t say ‘come follow me,’ he said ‘follow Christ.’ And Christ set the example for us.”
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Walking the path to a better life:
Pathways to Progress program takes a comprehensive approach to ensuring rights
and accepting responsibilities
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“I will forever be grateful to St. Vincent de Paul, because they didn’t just look at my background — they looked at me as a person,” India Brown said of the distribution center at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Outlet in Cool Valley, where she has worked since 2021.
Brown is a graduate of Pathways to Progress, a joint program of Catholic Charities of St. Louis and St. Francis Community Services that helps members enhance strengths, develop skills and build financial empowerment toward long-term economic independence.
The program helps address rights and responsibilities, which form one of the tenets of Catholic social teaching. This teaching reminds us that every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities — to one another, our families and the larger society.
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10th Annual North District Golf Tournament |
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Jan Longnecker (Ballwin Store Manager) and Jan Falcon (Retail Training Partner) modeled styles from SVdP thrift stores in Sacred Heart – Valley Park’s fashion show last weekend.
The afternoon featured about 30 outfits found at St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores and raised funds for the Sacred Heart Valley Park Conference. The event was a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness about our mission, as well as raise funds for our Neighbors in Need.
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From the Voice of the Poor |
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Urge the MO House to Support Benefits Cliff Legislation
Neighbors who participate in public assistance programs such as food stamps (SNAP), temporary assistance for needy families (TANF), and childcare subsidies risk losing those benefits if they receive a promotion or a pay increase. In some cases, the increased income from the promotion or pay raise puts them over the income threshold for receiving benefits, resulting in them falling off the "benefits cliff." This creates a disincentive for recipients to better themselves, since the loss of benefits can be greater than the pay increase, making the recipient worse off.
On February 23, the Missouri Senate passed SB 82 by a vote of 30-3. SB 82 would allow Neighbors receiving public assistance to take a pay increase without losing their benefits all at once. Instead, Neighbors would receive reduced benefits commensurate with their increased earnings. A similar Missouri House bill, HB 719, is awaiting a vote by the full House.
Protect SNAP in the Reauthorized Farm Bill
The current federal Farm Bill expires in September and will be reauthorized for another five- or six-year term. The bill sets U.S. policy on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and emergency food assistance programs, international food aid, conservation programs, agriculture subsidies, rural development programs, and more. It’s imperative that the reauthorized Farm Bill provide access to nutritious food for the poor and hungry, offer effective support for the family farmers who produce our food, and promote good stewardship of the land. As Vincentians, we know the criticality of nutrition programs like SNAP, and our voices can help protect these programs from harmful cuts.
Prepare Neighbors for Medicaid Eligibility Verification
The Missouri Family Support Division is beginning to verify the eligibility of all Missouri residents currently enrolled in MO HealthNet (Missouri Medicaid). The verification process has been paused for three years due to the pandemic. If additional information is needed to verify eligibility, enrollees will receive request forms in the mail about a month before their renewal date. During the last verification process in 2019, many eligible participants lost coverage when renewal letters were sent to incorrect or outdated addresses.
What You Can Do: Remind Neighbors on Medicaid to report any address change in the last three years online or by calling 1-855-373-4636.
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Reminder... Rosary Every Wednesday Night |
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Join us --
SVdP St. Louis
Rosary Wednesday
8 PM via Zoom
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Meeting ID: 989 8066 7271 Passcode: Vincent or dial in: (312) 626-6799
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Please Keep in Your Prayers |
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Please Pray for The Sick:
Larry Esswein
St. Stephen
Sandy Van Mill
St. Charles Borromeo
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Please Pray for the Deceased:
Terry Thomure
St. John Paul ll
Darlene Finkes
Ascension
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To add a name to the list, please contact Steve Rupp at stever@svdpstl.org or (314) 881-6018 |
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