The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international Catholic organization of lay persons who wish to live their faith by loving and serving as Jesus did. The Society derives its inspiration from the thinking and work of its patron, St. Vincent de Paul.
2. Who do we help?
Volunteer members, called Vincentians, seek, in a spirit of justice and charity and by person-to-person involvement, to HELP THOSE OF ALL FAITHS who are needy and suffering, especially those most in need. The Society's Council of Orange is made up of parish-based groups called conferences, which serve throughout Orange County.
3. What differentiates us from most other charitable organizations?
The Society is one of many quality charities in the world whose members strive to help the less fortunate. What separates the Society from most others is the way in which our volunteers conduct this work. Instead of helping only those who come to us, we also seek to find the deprived, so our members provide one-on-one service to the less fortunate, lonely, and elderly, by going to people's homes to learn the extent of the needs before determining how to help. This assistance includes providing not only immediate help, but also assistance geared toward aiding individuals in finding ways to resolve the issues that put them in a position of need in the first place. In addition, unlike many other charitable organizations, all of the cash donations, as well as all proceeds from the sale of donated items in our thrift stores go to our programs to help the needy.
4. Who are our members?
With more than 800,000 members worldwide in over 130 countries, our Council serves the needy who live within the Orange Diocese. This area encompasses all of Orange County. More than 1,000 volunteers, known as Vincentians, serve this area primarily through personal involvement. These Vincentians, who make up the heart of the Society, work to meet the needs in their areas as much as they are able.
5. What else does the Orange Council do?
In addition to supporting our conferences, we operate several Special Works that serve children, families and the homeless.
6. What are these Special Works Projects?
They include:
Thrift Stores located throughout Orange County that provide free distribution items for the needy, and low-cost, quality goods to the community, with 100 percent of all proceeds from sales helping fund our projects and support conferences.
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The Second Harvest Food Bank, affiliated with Americas Second Harvest, supplies food to nearly 400 agencies and over 200,000 people each month.
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The St. Vincent Center operates several outreach programs to assist the needy including:
Friends Outside - supports the incarcerated, recently released ex-offenders, and their families.
Institute for Conflict Management - trains and manages volunteer mediators working toward restorative justice
St. Vincent's Haven - provides shelter and supportive services for the chronic homeless and ex-offenders
Emergency Cold Weather Shelter - provides overnight shelter, hot meals and supportive services from December through March.
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The Council of Orange County sponsors a summer camp program that uses the Circle V Ranch Camp above Santa Barbara in the Los Padres National Forest on Lake Cachuma, and Camp Mariastella in the San Bernardino Mountains at Wrightwood for underprivileged children ages 7 to 14.
Contact Jim Kay at (949) 653-2900, or visit www.feedoc.org for more information.
11. What training is available?
There are several kinds of training available depending upon your interest. We conduct a "school" for new members about three times a year, and our several special works have training programs to meet their needs.
To learn about membership training call Joe Kay at JoeKay@SVdPOC.org or (714) 633-9190.
To learn about training for conflict management call (714) 288-5600
To learn about training for the Friends Outside program call (714) 288-5600
12. What is Twinning?
Twinning is where one group of Vincentians with resources is matched up to another group in need. This can occur at the Conference, Council, or National level. All Twinning is coordinated at the national level to assure that funds provided to foreign entities actually receive them.
13. How do we obtain our funds?
In addition to proceeds from Thrift Store sales, we receive some of our funding through cash, real estate and miscellaneous other donations.
14. What kinds of donations do we accept?
Usable goods of all kinds, new and used, are welcome. These include furniture, clothing, appliances, household items, electronics and motor vehicles.
15. How do you get your donations to us?
You may bring your donations to one of the SVdP Thrift Stores or phone us for the free pickup of the items, including motor vehicles. Our operators will arrange a day for the pickup, generally no more than one week from the time your call is placed. Please phone (714) 633-9190
16. Does St. Vincent 's take automobiles and other motor vehicles?
Yes we do. Please call Frank Granillo at (714) 991-9260 for details.
17. What if you want to donate money or property?
To donate cash or property, please contact us by calling 714-633-9190, or e-mail:
, or write us at 180 S. Cypress, Orange, CA 92866.
18. Is your gift tax deductible?
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a 501(c)3 charity with a Federal Tax ID of 95-3033494. Most donations are tax deductible. Contact your accountant and/or the Internal Revenue Service for more information on what qualifies and to learn how to determine the value of your deduction. You will receive an itemized donation receipt or letter of acknowledgment of your donation.
19. What is the Toys For Tots Program?
This is an annual program that starts in October with the application process for Nonprofit agencies only who serve the less fortunate of their communities. The Society screens and approves the application of each agency. The program is a collaborative between The U S Marine Corps, The Fireman's Association (known as the Spark of Love) and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. If interested call (714) 288-5600.
The Society is a spiritual Society that does good works as a result. Over the past years this was not emphasized, thus many seem to have lost this focus. In addition, the National Office, and the Trustees have developed a strategy to improve the Society. If you do not go forward, you go backwards. Spirituality is one of the areas to improve. The other areas for improvement are: communication; unity in terms of training, and extension of the Society into other parishes, and archdioceses, and to the youth; solidarity in terms of support to other Conferences via twinning, and seeking other needs by being the Voice of the Poor; and finally improving the relationships of the Society with other Vincentian groups, the Church, and the parishes.
2. Why does the Spiritual Advisor have to stay for the whole meeting? In our Conference, the priest or deacon usually reads a reading, and leaves, or does not attend at all.
The duties of the Spiritual Advisor include not only the reading, but leading the discussions/reflections, assuring that the members realize that they are part of a spiritual Society, not a social services organization, and that the meetings are for their spiritual growth. In addition, the Spiritual Advisor remains the spiritual guide for the full meeting to ensure that the discussion does not go astray, and is the spiritual mentor to the members outside the meeting.
3. Why is it recommended that SVDP meetings occur weekly, especially if we can make our visits during the month?
The Society is a spiritual Society that does good works as a result. We go to Mass weekly or more to renew our dedication. The meetings are for the members who practice Vincentian Spirituality, which is Jesus: Evangelizer and Servant of the Poor, as it was for Vincent. So we prepare ourselves spiritually to minister to the poor (who are not just those who lack materially), and bring the Good News to them.
4. Must a Spiritual Advisor be a priest?
No. Deacons and Religious Brothers and Sisters as well as lay Catholics can act in this capacity.
5. What is the overall goal for the Society in Orange ?
The overall goal for the Society is to increase the spirituality opportunities for the members; increase the number and quality of Conferences, and increase membership; appeal to the youth: provide Vincentian instruction; increase twinning with Conferences in other countries; seek new areas of need; and relate better to other Vincentian and other Catholic organizations.
6. How do you intend to achieve the Spirituality plan?
We have formed a Spirituality committee to help in the selection and training of Spiritual Advisors, and to identify, and plan activities for spiritual renewal. Members plan to visit the conferences to learn how the spiritual portion of the meeting is conducted so they can learn new approaches. In this way new Spiritual Advisors may be trained in current best practices.
7. How do you intend to achieve the increase in Conferences and membership?
An Extension committee has been formed. We are summarizing the information we have on the parishes without a Conference. This will help determine our approach to meeting with the pastor, and members of the parish to share the information we have. We plan to select three parishes/year as new Society of St. Vincent de Paul Conferences. In addition, we will approach Conferences that want to increase membership, and conduct the "Share our Blessings" program with them.
8. How do you intend to relate better to other Vincentian and other Catholic organizations?
We have a close, working relationship with the Bishop of Orange, the Council of Priests, and the Vincentians Family. We plan to increase our contacts, sharings with them, and expand these contacts, both in number and frequency.
