St. Vincent de Paul Society

Those in need of assistance from the parish St. Vincent de Paul group should call the parish office at (916) 483-8454. Those living outside the parish area should contact the Sacramento St. Vincent de Paul Council for directions to their local group: (916) 972-1212.
 

The St. Vincent de Paul "Conference" (as it is called at parish level) is part of the world-wide St. Vincent de Paul Society, a charitable institution founded in Paris, France in 1833 by the Blessed Frederick Ozanam.  The first Conference in the United States was established in 1845.  No work of charity is foreign to the Society. It includes person-to-person assistance that promotes human dignity and integrity regardless of one's creed, color, caste or origin.

Activities:
The Conference provides limited financial assistance to needy persons in the parish area to assist in payment of utility bills and rent.  By using the services of the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, the Conference purchases clothing, furniture and other household goods for needy families.  The Conference also operates a food locker with weekly distribution of staples including perishable and nonperishable goods. 

Watch a video of the food locker operation on Vimeo.

The Home Visit:
“From the beginning of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the central and most basic activity of Conferences has been the visitation of the needy in the home. This action is the clearest symbol of the Vincentian charism which dictates the highest respect for the dignity of the poor: the visitor becomes the guest and the person being helped is the master. It symbolizes the fact that Vincentians are to reach out to the needy, rather than requiring them to report to an outside service site. It is in the home environment that needy persons feel most free to entrust their stories of struggle to the helper. It is there, in the family setting, that Vincentians are asked to listen, offer humble advice, and render assistance.” -U.S. Manual of SVdP
 
Donations:
Parishioners may contribute to the work of St. Vincent de Paul by donations of food, which can be left in the wicker baskets in the church narthex (no perishables, please), and by contributions in the parish envelopes twice a year (May and November). Other special collections are announced in church, or you may send your contribution to St. Vincent de Paul at the parish address.

The parish does not collect clothing or household items; however these items can be donated to the local SVdP Thrift Store.

Membership:
All men and women of St. John's parish are eligible to join the conference.  There are no dues. Officers include a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, elected every three years.

Affiliation: 
St. John the Evangelist conference is affiliated with the Sacramento District Council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Meetings:
Monthly meetings are held in Mercy Hall on the first Thursday of the month, following the 8:30 a.m. Mass. 

Youth Conference:
The St. Vincent de Paul Youth Conference is made up of members from the St. John's School and Religious Education Program.  They raise their own funds for projects of their own choosing.  The youth also volunteer for the annual Thanksgiving children's food collection and have added to the food locker with purchases of needed items.  They work alongside adult members at the Thanksgiving food distribution.

Please let us know if you are interested in this ministry or if you want additional information.
 

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Be the Voice of the Poor
 

As the Voice of the Poor we want to inform our elected representatives and our community how decisions affect the people we care for-our friends, the poor.  We want to hold our elected representatives accountable for the decisions they make that affect the poor. You can be a Voice of the Poor by joining us in speaking as a unified voice on behalf of the poor.

See also the webpage of the St. Vincent de Paul USA Voice of the Poor.