Our Mission
Our Mission
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a worldwide Catholic organization of individuals committed to following Christ through service to those in need. Members are called Vincentians, and they show their commitment and devotion to Christ through person-to-person service to the poor and marginalized. Vincentians recognize that the fruit of their labor grows not from themselves, but from God and the poor they serve. As a lay led organization, it is truly a network of individuals committed to the principle of neighbors helping neighbors.
Learn more about SVDP from the Sacramento SVDP Diocesan Council.
If you’ve been incarcerated, the Exodus Project can help.
Our Programs
Friends of the Poor
The cornerstone of the Friends of the Poor Program is the prompt and compassionate response to the people who call us for help. Financial assistance provided is primarily for rent to prevent eviction and for utilities to prevent service disconnection. We also provide clothing, furniture, and household goods from the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. In addition, a small percentage of funds are used for vehicle fuel to help with transportation to work and school. Such aid, even in small amounts, can make or break whether someone falls deeper into the poverty cycle.
STEP2Work
By supporting our neighbors on the path to stable, full-time employment, STEP2Work addresses a root cause of poverty. STEP2Work is a new effort that aims to place individuals into already existing programs that provide critical job skills training. They receive financial assistance and mentoring to obtain employment that will sustain them and their families, hopefully preventing them from needing assistance from organizations like SVdP.
Break the Cycle
We supply bicycles to neighbors as a cost-effective and reusable mode of transportation to help them commute to work and school. The Break the Cycle Program to change the trajectory of families by improving their access to pathways for economic stability. In the past 18 months, the Break the Cycle Program has helped more than 100 people and has been essential for recent refugees arriving in Sacramento who are looking to start their lives in a new country.