St. Vincent de Paul Council
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Mission Statement:
Compelled to action by the convictions of our founders, St. Luke’s St. Vincent de Paul conference embraces the community to listen, engage, and build relationships that assist and advocate for individuals and families to meet basic needs and achieve stability and self-sufficiency.
How is this mission statement lived out TODAY for St. Luke Parishioners?
We acknowledge during these trying pandemic times there are specific challenges that all of us have. Some of us are experiencing unprecedented grave hardships, especially financially. Hope is the cure for feelings of fear and uncertainty. Your fellow St. Luke SVdP members can help give you some hope in the way of special assistance which we extend to all our Shoreline neighbors. We have set up a direct St. Luke hotline just for this purpose. Please feel free to contact us and we will prioritize our time to deal with your specific adversity. We can also suggest other organizations and resources that may be of support to you as well.This mission statement is lived out:
The vision of the St. Luke Council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society is to embrace our needy Shoreline neighbors in a network of charity. When we receive a neighbor request, we consult and provide in-home assistance visits conducted by two-person Vincentian teams. We attempt to understand their challenges and determine how we can best assist their needs. Home visits help people recognize they have self-worth. Our work is about preservation of families, listening, making them aware of various resources that are at their disposal, encouraging, holding them together, and affirming their human dignity.
What:
St. Luke SVdP provides the following assistance to our neighbors in need:
- Vouchers for clothing, food, bus transportation, and new beds
- Rent and utility payments to prevent evictions
- Motel room assistance for temporary transitional living
- Thanksgiving and Christmas gift and food baskets (family adopting). Delivery assistance and stocking stuffers are provided by our Junior Vincentians.
- Unity in prayer typically concludes a home visit
- St. Vincent Junior Vincentians in the sixth through eighth grades. They help coordinate, collect and distribute Parish food drives, create blessings bags, prepare Christmas stockings, go on field trips to St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank and Ronald Commons Housing, bake cookies for Veterans. View More HERE.
- Vouchers for clothing, food, bus transportation, and new beds
- Rent and utility payments to prevent evictions
- Motel room assistance for temporary transitional living
- Thanksgiving and Christmas gift and food baskets (family adopting). Delivery assistance and stocking stuffers are provided by our Junior Vincentians.
- Unity in prayer typically concludes a home visit
This past year, 2020, we have conducted 500 visits (in-person and phone) to our Shoreline neighbors resulting in a service value total in excess of $100,000. The majority of this service cost is funded by the very generous St. Luke SVdP monthly Sunday envelope donations.
Philosophy – the way we serve:
A growing number of parishioners are seeking greater involvement with our parish community and are searching for ways they can contribute with their time and talent. SVdP ministry is the only charity that conducts in-person home visits. Annual workshops are provided to motivate and inspire SVdP members to focus on our goal of “seeing the face of Christ in those we serve”. By helping others in a visit, our member’s faith is renewed and nourished. Including visits and meetings, you can expect a personal time commitment of 8-12 hours per month.
Is this ministry for you? Want to know more?
We welcome all interested parishioners – women and men – to understand what we do. Join us at a meeting on the 2nd and 4th Mondays or travel with us on a Shoreline neighbor home assistance call. You have a unique opportunity to reach out and touch those in need of financial assistance, emotional support, and prayer. Pope Francis has clearly focused on helping the poor as a primary mission for the church. Archbishop Paul Etienne has said his highest priority is strengthening and extending our community faith. Helping the needy is a vivid expression of Christ’s presence. SVdP will afford you the opportunity to become a grass-roots disciple.
Ministry Contacts:
For general assistance, please contact St. Vincent de Paul ‘s Seattle Help Line at 206-767-6449. St. Luke parishioners in need, please contact the parish office at 206-546-2451 or [email protected].If you are interested in serving, please join the St. Luke St. Vincent de Paul Flocknote group here at https://StLukeCp.flocknote.com/StVincentdePaul .
SVdP gladly accepts both physical and monetary donations, assist HERE. Thank you for your generous support helping our neighbors in need!The more you give to our Lord, the more blessings you will receive. – St. Vincent de Paul
Please view current Service Opportunities.
