The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVdP), a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering service to those who are needy and suffering. The Society’s Mission Statement reads: “A network of friends, inspired by Gospel values, growing in holiness in building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need”. Vincentians are drawn from every ethnic and cultural background, age group and economic level.
The St. Thomas Aquinas Conference of SVdP is comprised of dedicated volunteers who assist individuals and families residing within the St. Thomas Aquinas parish boundaries by conducting home visits to assess personal needs, and provide clothing and household items from the SVdP Indianapolis distribution center, grocery gift cards and financial assistance for rent and utility payments. Our other programs include the distribution of Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving food baskets, and financial support for the Boulevard Place food pantry, the Sunday Cathedral Soup Kitchen, and our Twinning parish in the Dominican Republic. Contributions from the St Thomas Aquinas parish community help fund our programs.
Contact Person:
Tom Quinn, Conference President @ Tquinn56@sbcglobal.net or 317.294.3712
There are many ways in which you can help:
Donate: Food donations are collected in the church Narthex or may be dropped off at the Boulevard Place food pantry. Donations of clothing are collected in the SVdP drop box in front of the church. Appliances, furniture and other donated household items may be picked up by calling the SVdP donation line at 317.687.1006 or dropped off at the SVdP Distribution Center at 1201 Maryland Street. The Indianapolis Council of SVdP sponsors both a bicycle donation program and a vehicle donation program.
Volunteer: Volunteers are needed to help staff the SVdP 30th Street Pratt-Quigley food pantry and the downtown Distribution Center. Additional volunteers are needed on Saturday mornings to help with the collection of donated household goods throughout Indianapolis. “Changing Lives Forever” a SVdP program that offers a real avenue to help individuals lift themselves from the confines of poverty is in need of facilitators, mentors and assistants.
More information regarding all of the SVdP programs and volunteer opportunities is available on the SVdP website www.svdpindy.org.
The St. Thomas Aquinas conference holds monthly meetings on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 in the Bethany Room. All are invited to attend. If you would like to learn more about the work of this ministry at St. Thomas, please contact the conference president.
