DEAR FRIENDS,
I can feel the seasons beginning to change: the mornings are getting cooler and the nights are getting longer. School is back in session and our days seem a bit busier, our schedules a bit fuller. And I am reminded of the verse from Ecclesiastes 3 that tells us that there is a season for everything.
During the summer season, we saw an increased number of families at our Catino Choice Food Pantry. We met neighbors whose health was suffering as a result of the heat and children who spent their summer sleeping on the floor. We provided food, air conditioning units, beds, and hope to these families as they navigated this season of challenge in their lives.
As the fall and winter seasons draw near, we will touch the lives of thousands of neighbors seeking assistance with basics such as rent and utilities. It’s no secret that extra
expenses associated with the cold winter months can be a financial stressor. Add the pressure of pulling off special celebrations for the holidays, and it becomes even more difficult to make ends meet, especially for families living paycheck to paycheck.
And so, we begin a busy season planning holiday food distributions, coat drives, and gift drives that will offer additional support for our neighbors during the holidays.
We hear from so many of our neighbors that they would not be able to provide all of the things that their loved ones deserve – a holiday meal, a warm coat, or presents under the tree – without the support of St. Vincent de Paul and our powerhouse network of volunteers. This season, I ask you to consider joining that network.
If volunteering in person isn’t for you, I ask you to consider inviting your network – your kids’ sports teams, your colleagues, your book club –
to give back through one of St. Vincent de Paul’s programs. Could your workplace host a collection barrel for our coat drive? Instead of Secret Santa, can your friends purchase items for our Angel Toy Drive? Would your kids consider donating the toys they’ve outgrown to one of our thrift stores?
In the following pages, you will see ways that you can support St. Vincent de Paul and our neighbors this season.
I invite you to join us for one event or for all. And I invite you to make every season a Season of Love.
Brad McMonigle, CEO St. Vincent de Paul – Cincinnati
Meet Chris Williams
Our Cincinnati District Council President
Congratulations to Chris Williams who will take office as the President of St. Vincent de Paul – Cincinnati District Council. His 3-year term officially begins October 1.
In his volunteer role as District Council President, Chris will organize and facilitate the activities of the Council, oversee the Presidents of our local Conferences, and ensure that each Conference operates effectively and in alignment with the Mission and Rule of the Society of St. Vicent de Paul.
Chris has served as a Vincentian for the Our Lady of Visitation Conference for 22 years where he has served as Conference President and currently serves as Vice President. He’s been a member of the District Council Board, serving as Vice President and member of the Executive and Stores Committee. He has also served on the Archdiocesan Council as Secretary and is currently on the Advisory Board.
Chris is looking forward to focusing on relationships during his time as President. “To me, relationships are what matter most—relationships with our neighbors as part of our Service, relationships with our fellow Vincentians as part of our Fellowship, and relationship with God as we look to deepen our Spirituality. I want to see if we can leverage all these relationships to enhance our experience with our neighbors, to be an example to others, and to grow in our faith. I am not able to do that alone, and I look forward to inviting people to join me in this work,” says Chris.
We thank Alison Zlatic, the outgoing President, for the faith-filled leadership she has provided for the past three years.
Congratulations to our Fall Fellowship award recipients!
The recipients were nominated by Vincentians from across our Cincinnati District Council. We are blessed by their compassion, leadership, and dedication to the mission of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
FIRES OF FAITH
Recognizing a person who has played a significant role in contributing to the spiritual growth of a Conference during the past year.
Norm Zins
Corpus Christi / St. John Neumann Conference & Spiritual Advisor to the SVDP Society Board
“Norm has taken on the role of spiritual advisor with a passion felt by all our members. He is a humble and compassionate person who is intimately involved with our Conference’s well-being. Norm has a penchant for recognizing the concerns of our Vincentians. He prays with and for us and has had a positive impact on the spiritual growth of our community,” says nominators Rich and Julie Bauer.
OZANAM AWARD
Recognizing someone who exemplifies the spirit of Frederic Ozanam and St. Vincent de Paul. By design, this recipient is not a Vincentian.
Georgeanne Bender
Bellarmine Chapel
“Georgeanne works in quiet ways— surreptitiously delivering her shopping bags of goodies, promoting friendships, bringing a cauldron of chili to volunteers, to name a few—and she understands the sweetness of offering that extra something to enhance our neighbors’ lives. She uses her sewing skills to offer joy and comfort to our neighbors, making blankets and supplying sheets so that our neighbors receive their beds with a full complement of bedding,” says nominator Marie Hill.
TOP HAT AWARD
Recognizing a Vincentian who specifically exemplifies the spirit of our founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam.
Kathy Nocks (Pictured in orange) St. John the Baptist Conference
“The energy and love that Kathy invests into her numerous ministries is truly inspiring. She started our ‘Feed the Children’ program, helps organize and direct the Bountiful Hearts meal program, and plants, waters and harvests fresh food in our parish garden for those in need. Kathy is always looking for ways in which to help those who need a helping hand and who just need someone to listen,” says nominator Raymond Roll.
CONGRATULATIONS to our Charitable Pharmacy team whose hard work and compassionate care earned them a 2024 Gold Rating from the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics! To date, our Charitable Pharmacy has dispensed $114 million worth of life-saving medications to neighbors in our region.
Summer was HOT for Serving
We are grateful for your support as a record number of this summer. Your involvement helps ensure that our Celebration of Service, Presented by Protective Life
Over 300 people gathered at The Lightwell at North by Hotel Covington as SVDP honored Joann Hubert and the late Ed Hubert for their longtime advocacy and support of Cincinnati’s neighbors in need.
This year’s event raised nearly $720,000 for our Homelessness Prevention Program which serves as a beacon of hope for individuals and families facing housing instability. The program provides emergency rent and utility assistance while helping neighbors work toward long-term solutions. As the largest provider of rental assistance in Cincinnati, SVDP’s Homelessness Prevention Program provided a total of $5.4 million in housing assistance last year.
Cincinnati Reds fans generously donated 8,146 lbs. of non-perishable food during the annual Strike Out Hunger food drive at Great American Ball Park, enough to provide over 6,800 meals to neighbors in need!
The drive was a much-needed boost as more families are accessing SVDP’s network of food pantries than ever before. The Catino Choice Food Pantry alone is serving, on average, 100 families per day.
Thank you to the Reds, WLWT, and 700WLW for ensuring that our food pantry shelves remained stocked for our neighbors in need.
Serving Our Neighbors
of neighbors turned to St. Vincent de Paul for assistance neighbors do not have to face life’s challenges alone.
We raised more than $75,000 for the Charitable Pharmacy during our annual Prescription ‘Fore’ Fun Golf Outing.
For every $1 raised, we are able to provide $13 in life-saving medications to our community— that’s $975,000 in free medication for our neighbors!
Thank you to Western Hills Country Club, our sponsors, raffle donors, and attendees who made this event a hole-in-one! Special thanks to our Presenting Sponsors, Protective Life and PhRMA.
Fifty children are starting off the school year with a better night’s sleep, thanks to the generosity of Morris Furniture Company and WCPO9. Children and their families, selected based on need, were invited to the Reds Youth Academy for the seventh annual Hope to Dream event.
Dozens of volunteers cheered as each child was presented with a new bed, mattress, and comforter donated by Morris Furniture, plus sheets, backpacks, toys and other items made possible by our many sponsors and community partners.
Following the event, we raised over $41,000 during our annual telethon which will allow us to purchase 235 beds for our neighbors.
Witness the art of sustainable fashion at RetroFittings
presented by Protective
Music Hall | October 24
Creativity and sustainability step into the spotlight when University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP) students turn items from our thrift stores into runway-ready looks.
This year’s Retrofittings theme, “Better Together,” challenged students to juxtapose materials that you wouldn’t expect to fit together—picture frames, baseballs, suitcases, cutting boards, VHS tapes, and more—into something show-stopping.
RetroFittings is an opportunity for DAAP students to showcase their skills and put upcycling into practice – while simultaneously shining a light on the benefits of thrifting at St. Vincent de Paul.
Shopping at your neighborhood St. Vincent de Paul thrift store not only helps to keep clothing and other goods out of landfills, but each purchase also generates support for St. Vincent de Paul’s outreach and assistance programs, providing aid, relief, and hope to neighbors in our community.
Join us on Thursday, October 24 for this celebration of upcycled fashion that benefits the many programs of St. Vincent de Paul and proves that helping our neighbors never goes out of style.
RetroFashion Week
Create your own sustainable outfit for Retrofittings by shopping our thrift stores and pairing new-to-you items with items already in your closet. From October 14-24, enjoy 50% off red-tagged clothing at all SVDP store locations and walk the Retrofittings red carpet in style.
We can’t wait to see your sustainable style during this night of fashion, philanthropy, and fundraising!
Make this holiday season a Season of Love!
Our seasonal programs will touch the lives of thousands of local families this winter. Whether you’d like to bring your family to volunteer for the day, organize a coat drive with your coworkers, or give to one of our gift assistance programs, there are truly dozens of ways you can get involved.
TRUNK OR TREAT:
OCTOBER 26
Fall fun hits Bank Street during our annual Trunk or Treat event! Children from the West End community are invited to trick-or-treat, play games, and participate in festive fall activities outside of the Liz Carter Center. Volunteers can bring huge smiles to our neighbors’ faces by dressing up and passing out candy from the trunks of their cars. To volunteer or donate candy, please email oscheper@svdpcincinnati.org.
DOUBLE YOUR DONATION DAY: NOVEMBER 14
Your generosity is impactful year-round, but on November 14, you can double your impact! Give during this one-day donation event and double the number of neighbors we can help with food, shelter, medicine, clothing and other vital essentials. Every dollar raised helps spread hope and relief -- just in time for the holidays. More details about Double Your Donation Day are coming soon!
WINTER COAT DRIVE: OCTOBER – DECEMBER
Winter weather will be here before we know it. Help ensure our neighbors stay warm throughout the winter months by participating in our coat drive. Starting in mid-October, SVDP will collect coats, hats, mittens, scarves and other cold weather gear. Last year, thanks to over 100 schools, businesses and other groups, we were able to distribute over 4,161 coats to neighbors in need. Sign up to host a drive or find a location to drop off coats at SVDPcincinnati.org/coats.
FOOD FROM THE HEART
- NOVEMBER 15 - DECEMBER 31
During the holidays, families’ budgets tighten and there is an increased need for food assistance. With help from our partner FOX19, we raised $7,160 last year to provide 2,386 meals for neighbors in need. Let’s surpass that number this year. Stay tuned for details on how to get involved in this tri-state holiday tradition.
ANGEL TOY DRIVE: NOVEMBER - DECEMBER
Help spread the joy of Christmas by donating to our Angel Toy Drive! Each year, thanks to the generous support of people like you, we collect thousands of toys for kids in our community. Families, who are pre-selected based on need, are invited to our Neyer Outreach Center throughout December. Parents shop for presents while their kids are entertained with holiday activities and treats. More information on how to get involved is coming soon!
THANKSGIVING FOOD DISTRIBUTION: NOVEMBER 26
Holiday traditions so often include enjoying a homemade meal with our loved ones. Each Thanksgiving, St. Vincent de Paul distributes food boxes to neighbors, so that they can focus on what is important – time with family and friends. Last year, we served over 1,000 families during our Thanksgiving Food Distribution at our Neyer Outreach Center. To sign up to volunteer for this distribution, either as an individual or with a group, please email volunteers@svdpcincinnati.org.
CALENDAR CALENDAR
