Might you be called to pray and work with us to help those in need?
The St Vincent de Paul ministry first and foremost is intended to immerse its members in a Vincentian spirituality – seeing the face of Christ in those we serve, while being the face of Christ to those we serve.
Our St Vincent de Paul Society Conference aims to help those in need residing in Franklin Township. Anyone in need can come to us regardless of religious affiliation.
Based on the most recent census data, Franklin Township is the largest town by population in all of Somerset County with a population approaching 69,000 residents. The poverty level in Franklin Township is estimated to be from 4.2% to as high as 9.1% depending on the neighborhood (somewhere between 3000 to 6,279 men, women, and children).
In 2024, we assisted 200 households. Our assistance amounted to one hundred eleven thousand dollars, of which ninety-eight thousand dollars were utilized to provide housing for our Neighbors. In addition, we have sent contributions to help the victims of the fires in Los Angeles County, and we have continued a quarterly contribution to a school in Port-au-Prince Haiti run by the Daughters of Charity, a Vincentian religious order.
All this has been made possible because of the stewardship in this community which has a history of sharing of our Time, Talent, and Treasure. In the case of the St Vincent de Paul Society, we give of our:
- Time – Time spent in prayer for our benefactors as well as our clients. Time spent interviewing clients either by Zoom or Face to Face meetings. Time in researching potential sources of help from the government/public sector as well as from our Conference funding.
- Talent – bringing to the group, and to our clients our life experiences and faith that are key in problem-solving and planning to assist those in need.
- Treasure – comes from our community in the form of financial contributions shared through special collections throughout the year, from individual contributors who have committed to regular, periodic donations, and by contributions to the poor boxes at the doors of the church.
The COVID pandemic severely impacted our client base, and the current economic situation has erased any wage progress made by our Neighbors over the past 5 years. In addition, landlords have become intolerant of even one day’s delay in rent payments. As a result, they will attach late fees and begin the court order eviction process that includes additional legal fees billed to the Neighbor.
Over the past couple of years, our member numbers have decreased for a variety of reasons. The work is sometimes hard but is extremely rewarding. What we ask is for you to discern whether you might be called to pray and work with us to help those in need.
For further information, you can reach us by email at SVDPatSM@gmail.com
Bob Cherill,
Conference President
SVDP at St Matthias