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St. Vincent de Paul: Santa Clara County

St. Vincent de Paul Santa Clara County

Who We Are

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Santa Clara County is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is governed by its own Board of Directors and is solely responsible for its own fundraising and program operations. All of the donations we receive serve the people of Santa Clara County.

We are also part of one of the oldest and most effective charitable organizations in the world, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic lay organization of nearly 700,000 people headquartered in Paris, France that helps people living in poverty in 142 countries on five continents. In the US, membership totals 172,000 in 4,600 local communities.

Here in Santa Clara County, since 1946, our crisis assistance programs support over 80,000 people annually.

Our Mission

Inspired by Gospel values, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering in the tradition of its founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul.

What We Do

We provide critical support to residents of Santa Clara County who are struggling to make ends meet, but are not receiving the help they need.

It may not be easy to see them but right now there are hundreds of families and individuals throughout Santa Clara County who call on the support of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) during times of financial hardship. Their stories could be anyone’s stories. When they turn to us for help, SVdP is there for them and responds immediately with compassion and support. We listen and offer support when it is needed most.

At the Society of St. Vincent de Paul we believe that it is important not to create dependencies in the people we help. Vincentians (our volunteers) need to consider each situation they encounter on its own merits, carefully crafting with the persons in need a resolution to their most pressing problems. Members of the Society understand that people can change self-defeating patterns in their lives when they are encouraged to believe in themselves. Vincentian support frequently takes the form of encouragement and realistic planning, building upon the strengths we find in the struggling individual or family.

In addition to guidance, direction and moral support SVdP provides basic survival necessities including food, clothing and other survival needs for the homeless and the precariously housed. Last year we aided over 83,000 people with food, clothing and rental assistance; with many being one bill away from losing their homes. We also assist in areas of medical, transportation, and education.

Your generous donations to SVdP help to clothe, feed and house your neighbors in need. Thanks to your donations and support last year SVdP was able to provide over $900,000 in direct financial aid and $1.3m in goods and services to the needy of Santa Clara County.

Non-Discrimination Policy

“Be it resolved that in the implementation of its mission, ‘In the Spirit of Love and Justice the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Santa Clara County provides person to person services of time, talent and resources to help our neighbors in need,’ the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Santa Clara County actively seeks to provide services to individuals, recruit volunteers and hire and promote employees without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, veteran status, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, national origin, age, medical condition or physical handicap, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance or regulation. Furthermore, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Santa Clara County serves, accepts as members or volunteers, and hires those with a criminal justice status.”