Many times people have heard of St. Vincent de Paul through their church or know someone who has been helped in the past by Vincentians. So how do we work? How does SVdP operate within the Central Florida region?

Members of the Society of St.Vincent de Paul (Vincentians) are men and women who strive to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to individuals in need. We are young and old. Our members come in every shade of skin color. Some of us are wealthy, some are financially poor, but all of us are blessed with an awareness, that our blessings (time, talent or treasure) are to be shared with our brothers and sisters in need.

Within the Orlando Diocese there are currently 25 conferences operating within Catholic parishes. These conferences, as they are known, are the SVdP offices where interviews are conducted with clients, food may be distributed, appointments are made to visit client homes to assess needs, & Vincentians meet to plan ongoing good works. The conference offices are usually open to assist clients with various needs two days per week, depending upon coverage. Each of the 25 conferences operates under the direction of the Orlando Diocesan Council of St. Vincent de Paul.

Clients seeking assistance may have been referred to St. Vincent de Paul through a church, a friend, or a family member. They have many needs and each person is treated with dignity and respect in the spirit of confidentiality. Perhaps they cannot pay their utility bills, rent, or are in need of clothing to attend an interview. Maybe they are struggling to buy adequate food for their families, or are having a hard time paying for a prescription. Vincentians, through each conference will sit and talk with the client, perhaps pray with them, or schedule a home visit to assess their entire situation.

Once we have determined what the needs are, we will work on assisting in practical ways. This may include financial help with bills, food, education, transportation, spiritual & emotional support. If we do not have the resources to assist clients we will do our best to refer the client to an organization who may be able help.

In 2008, St Vincent de Paul, Orlando assisted over 210,000 individuals and families in need. This was an enormous increase over the previous year. Please consider helping us to serve those in need by shopping at our 2nd Home Stores in Clermont and Apopka. Or by making a donation online, or directly to your conference or church.  The society of St. Vincent de Paul is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.