DEAR FRIENDS, Can you feel it? Autumn is in the air. As the mornings get cooler and the nights get longer, our days seem to get busier and our schedules fuller. And, as many families begin planning for the holidays, St. Vincent de Paul, too, is bustling with preparations for the season unfolding in the weeks and months ahead. Throughout November and December, St. Vincent de Paul will touch the lives of thousands of neighbors seeking assistance with the basics. It’s no secret that extra expenses associated with the cold winter months can be a financial stressor. Add on top of that 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. 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. Take for instance the scene captured beautifully on the cover of this newsletter: our Thanksgiving meal distribution. This year, we plan to bring this joy-filled event back to our Don & Phyllis Neyer Outreach Center with Covid-19 precautions in place. We’ll need volunteers to help greet neighbors coming to pick up a meal, as well as dozens of hands to sort, pack, and load meals into neighbors’ cars (or carts). 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 this season. Could your workplace host a collection barrel for our coat drive? Instead of Secret Santa, can your friends purchase items off of a family’s Christmas wish list? Would your kids consider donating the toys they’ve outgrown to one of our thrift stores?
On page 7 of this newsletter, you’ll find a calendar of the events planned by our Cincinnati District Council over the next few months. I invite you to join us for one event, or for all. Don’t see something that’s for you? More opportunities are listed online at SVDPcincinnati.org/Christmas, or you can connect directly with our volunteer coordinator, Alec, by emailing volunteers@SVDPcincinnati.org. We know this holiday season will be extra special for many. After setting aside plans to gather with grandparents, cousins, and co-workers last year, this year, it seems, we’ll be in a much better position to celebrate together once more. May we do so, centered by our core Vincentian values: faith, friendship and service.
Alison Zlatic
St. Vincent de Paul - Cincinnati District Council President
A CELEBRATION OF SERVICE St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) honored Becky Catino and Bart Kohler during its sixth annual Celebration of Service event on Thursday, September 16th at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. Two hundred fifty guests gathered on the zoo’s outdoor Africa Deck & Patio to honor Catino and Kohler, two visionary leaders who recently co-chaired SVDP’s $12 million Upward Spiral Comprehensive Campaign.
In total, this Celebration of Service event raised over $400,000 in Catino and Kohler’s honor, which will be directed to SVDP’s Homelessness Prevention Program. This generous support will help bring relief and hope to hundreds of local families on the verge of eviction. Hold your phone’s camera over this QR code to be taken to the video shown at this event. 2
SVDPCINCINNATI.ORG
