St. Vincent’s Way Showing Up for Our Neighbors: Stories of Service, Connection, and Care Throughout Our Community
S O C I E T Y O F S T. V I N C E N T D E PA U L - C I N C I N N AT I D I S T R I C T C O U N C I L
FALL
2026
Join Us In Celebrating Our Fall Fellowship Awardees! Fall Fellowship Awards Each year, our Fall Fellowship Awards give us the opportunity to recognize Vincentians and staff members who have gone
“What has always grounded our mission is simple: we show up, we listen, and we love our neighbors.”
above and beyond. Through their service to neighbors in need, they show us how to lead with love and compassion. We are grateful for their example and honored to celebrate all they do.
TOP HAT AWARD
Mary Ann Weber President at St. Joseph – North Bend Conference FIRES OF FAITH AWARD
Aggie Brackman St. Catherine of Siena Conference
Dear Friends, As we move into fall, I’ve been thinking about what keeps us grounded, especially when the world around us shifts. For me, and for all of us at St. Vincent de Paul, those roots are found in our faith and in the call to serve others with humility and love. Our roots show up in our churches, where Vincentians step into the lives of families who need someone to listen, someone to care, someone to stand with them. They show up in our homes, where we try to teach our children what compassion looks like by the way we treat people. And they show up across our community, where volunteers, donors, and partners join us because they believe deeply that every person deserves dignity and hope. What has always grounded our mission is simple: we show up, we listen, and we love our neighbors. That foundation has sustained the Society for generations. Even as needs change and we find new and
creative ways to serve, the heart of our mission remains the same. As you read through this newsletter, I hope you see that very same mission reflected in the many ways people care for one another throughout our community. Whether finding a creative way to meet a neighbor’s need, walking alongside someone through a difficult season, sharing our gifts and talents in service to others, or simply showing up and being present, each act strengthens the community we share. Thank you for the many ways you continue to show up for our neighbors. I hope the stories in these pages inspire you to keep finding your own ways to give, serve, and walk alongside neighbors throughout our community. With gratitude,
Brad McMonigle Chief Executive Officer, St. Vincent de Paul – Cincinnati
OZANAM AWARD
Lora Padur Western Hills Thrift Store EMMAUS AWARD
John Kershaw Resource Services Coordinator
We have not moved, but our street name has changed: If you’re visiting the Neyer Outreach Center or the Liz Carter Center, please note that Bank Street has been renamed to William L. Mallory, Sr. Street. Because maps, apps, and signs are still catching up, you may see either name. If you’ve recently mailed a gift, there is no need for concern; anything sent to the former Bank Street address will be forwarded for the next year.
home. When a volunteer expressed admiration for his commitment to his family, Marvin responded simply: “We all have our own responsibilities. laundry facilities, he uses detergent
I love my granddaughters and
from SVDP’s Catino Choice Pantry to
great-granddaughter. And I would
wash his clothes by hand in a sink or
want someone to take care of me if I
bathtub wherever he finds shelter.
needed it.”
Despite all he is navigating,
Serving Those Who Served Us All
Matthew speaks about SVDP with
As Marvin prepared to leave
gratitude. “St. Vincent de Paul has
with two full bags of groceries,
kept me alive,” he said. His words are a
a staff member asked how
reminder that gratitude can take many
he would carry them home
forms, including simply being there
without a car. He shrugged.
when a veteran needs a neighbor.
“I had to carry heavier things
Taylor spent decades working in
when I was serving. I once
A
construction after his military service.
carried two of my fellow
s Veterans Day approaches,
When the sudden loss of private
soldiers over my shoulders.”
St. Vincent de Paul - Cincinnati
insurance left him unable to afford
honors the men and women
medications for arthritis, high blood
Matthew, Taylor, and Marvin
who have served our country and the
pressure, and diabetes, he faced an
are three veterans with three very
sacrifices that service has required of
impossible choice. “I just couldn’t
different stories. This Veterans Day,
them and their families. Among the
afford them anymore,” he shared. “So
SVDP is grateful to them and to all
thousands of neighbors SVDP serves
I stopped taking them.”
those who have served our country.
each year are veterans whose lives
Through SVDP’s Charitable
Their service deserves more than a
and circumstances are as varied as
Pharmacy, Taylor was able to access
single day of recognition. It deserves
their years of service. When they turn
the medications he needed while
our respect, our gratitude, and our
to SVDP for food, medicine, or other
working toward a more permanent
willingness to stand beside veterans
support, it is a privilege to be there
insurance solution.
as neighbors whenever they need us.
for them.
Marvin served 20 years in the
To every veteran in our
Matthew served in the Air Force
Marine Corps, including three tours
community: thank you for your
as a medic. Today, he is experiencing
overseas. Today, he comes to the
service. It is an honor to serve you.
housing instability and makes the
Catino Choice Food Pantry to help
most of every resource available to
provide for the granddaughters and
him. Without regular access to
great-granddaughter he cares for at
STAFF S P OT L I G H T
Kayla Curlin Sergeant, U.S. Army Reserve Social Services Advocate, SVDP After I finished culinary school, my grandma encouraged me to join the armed forces. I did so in 2012 and served for 14 years. It was everything I didn’t know I needed. The Army taught me mental resilience, adaptability, and how to stay focused in stressful situations. For 12 of
my 14 years of service, I worked as an Army cook, eventually becoming head cook and an acting platoon sergeant. I led other cooks and helped provide meals for as many as 2,000 soldiers at a time. My introduction to St. Vincent de Paul came through volunteering while I was earning my degree in Business Administration and Management. I chose SVDP because I was already familiar with the Thrift Stores, which I love. That volunteer experience eventually led me to my current role
as a Social Services Advocate where I now work directly with neighbors seeking assistance. Both my role in the Army Reserve and my work at SVDP are mission oriented. The military taught me to serve, adapt, and be there when people need support. I bring that same mindset to the neighbors I work with every day.
SVDPCINCINNATI.ORG 3
FROM WORKBOOTS TO WHEELCHAIRS: Responding to Need with Creativity and Care
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cross our 51 parish-based Conferences, the most meaningful outreach often
begins with a simple question: how can I help my neighbor today? A pair of work boots. A wheelchair. A conversation. A seat at the dinner table. The answers take many forms, painting a picture of a Society that is as creative in its response as it is faithful to its Vincentian values. Three years ago, a chance connection changed everything for the St. Martin of Tours Conference. Vincentian Debbie
Brunst was sponsoring a woman for Confirmation whose son worked as
Bargain Basement, a repurposed
new job. A grandmother, who
an assistant manager at Walmart. He
gym basement complete with
had recently become the primary
was trying to determine what to do
Corinthian columns from the
caregiver for her grandchildren, found
with good merchandise that could
building’s earlier life as a church.
clothes that she needed and cried
no longer be resold, such as opened
Neighbors can shop for coats,
with relief. Another neighbor asked
packages or returned items that
shoes, kitchenware, furniture, and
simply for a non-slip bathmat for her
were still perfectly usable.
other household basics at no cost.
shower, and when the Vincentian
At Christmas, the space fills with
gave her a bath rug too, she teared
began making weekly trips to the
donated toys, boots, and blankets.
up, touched that someone had
loading dock to collect everything
In 2025 alone, 65 families received
considered her needs. As Debbie puts
from socks and school supplies to
Christmas gifts for their children
it: the room still ministers to people,
food and household goods.
there.
just as it always has, whether it’s a
Debbie and her fellow Vincentians
What began in the closed St.
The stories are what stay with
Martin School has grown into what
volunteers. One neighbor found the
the Conference nicknamed the
steel-toed boots he needed to start a
STAFF S P OT L I G H T
Olivia Lauer Conferences Manager Before joining St. Vincent de Paul, I was looking for a role that would allow me to live out my faith more fully and be rooted in Catholic teaching. I found that at SVDP. My role centers on nurturing the spiritual lives of our Vincentians through prayer, retreats, and
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reflections that deepen their faith as they serve others. I also create a safe environment where Vincentians can be vulnerable and ask for advice on all sorts of topics: assisting neighbors, CMS, internal struggles. There is pressure to move at the pace of the world, rarely processing but always doing. This pressure impacts Vincentians as well, so I give them the support they need to slow down, pray, and to reflect on what it is God would have them do.
church or Bargain Basement.
I love working with Vincentians. They are some of the best people you’ll ever meet. I always tell them, “When I grow up, I want to be like you.”
At the St. Jude Bridgetown
or simply spending time
Conference, Vincentians have found
chatting. For some residents,
a practical way to respond when
it may be one of the few
mobility and medical equipment
conversations they have all week
become barriers for neighbors. For
with someone from outside the
more than 30 years, the Conference
nursing home. Sharon Weckel
has operated a medical equipment
says that time itself is part of the
closet stocked largely through
gift: “We are friends.”
donations from parishioners. Walkers, wheelchairs, crutches,
At St. John Bosco Conference, a well-run food pantry left
In Their Own Words “Last year, 65 families received Christmas gifts for their children at our Bargain Basement.” – Debbie, St. Martin of Tours
and raised toilet seats are among
volunteers wanting even more time
the most requested items.
to connect with the neighbors
Sometimes neighbors come
they served. Their response was a
already knowing the closet exists.
free community dinner, held the
Other times, a Vincentian notices a
first Tuesday of every month in the
need during a home visit and offers
undercroft of St. William’s Church.
“We’ve been running this medical equipment closet for over three decades.”
a piece of equipment that can
Vincentians arrive early to cook,
– Tom, St. Jude
make daily life safer or easier.
set tables, and pour lemonade.
When equipment is no longer
Neighbors come to eat, talk, and
needed, neighbors often return
simply be together. The pace
it so it can be used again. One
is slower, the conversations are
dedicated Vincentian even repairs
longer, and the goal is connection.
items when necessary to keep
As Vincentian Dave Groene puts it,
“We visit about 85 nursing home residents to bring them the Eucharist or pray with them.”
them in circulation. The closet also
the dinners give everyone a chance
– Perry, Our Lord Christ the King
reaches beyond St. Jude. Nearby
“to slow down and say hello.”
Conferences sometimes call when
Four conferences, four very
they need a piece of equipment
different expressions of service.
for a neighbor of their own, and St.
Together, they are a reminder that
Jude is glad to share.
there is no single way to serve a
At the Our Lord Christ the King
neighbor well. What matters is
Conference, one resident’s request
paying attention, responding with
opened the door to a ministry
dignity and creativity, and being
centered on presence, prayer, and
willing to meet each neighbor
companionship. Nearly two decades
where they are.
“Last community dinner, we served about 50 neighbors, and we think that number will grow.” – Dave, St. John Bosco
ago, a nursing home resident called asking to receive Communion. That request grew into a weekly ministry that now sends two-person teams to four nursing homes. Vincentians who also serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bring the Blessed Sacrament, large-print Bibles, reading glasses, cross necklaces, art supplies, prayer, and conversation. Their visits are centered on presence and connection with each resident, whether that means receiving Communion, praying together, SVDPCINCINNATI.ORG 5
We Are All Neighbors: Walking Alongside One Another Through Life’s Changing Seasons
continued shopping secondhand for shoes, clothes, and household items her family could not afford at full price. Something about the Western Hills Thrift Store resonated deeply with Michelle. One day while shopping, she told her now-boss, Tina, that she’d love to work there if the chance ever came up. “I felt like I was supposed to be here,” she explained. A decade later, Michelle is a manager at the Western Hills location. She now helps other families find what they need, whether that means replacing belongings after a fire or flood, furnishing a first apartment, or simply stretching a household budget a little further. “It’s my favorite thing about working here: helping people.” Amber’s connection to SVDP began when she first moved into her
A
own apartment and needed help. A t different points in life,
late husband’s cancer treatment,
friend pointed her toward St. Vincent
Carol, Michelle, and Amber
and she could no longer work. All
de Paul, where she received vouchers,
each encountered St.
she had left was Social Security.
transportation and utility assistance,
Vincent de Paul in a different way.
Her oncologist recommended an
and toys for her children through the
One referred patients for help,
aggressive treatment plan, but
another shopped SVDP Thrift Stores,
the cost of medication ran into
and another turned to SVDP when
the thousands each month, even
entering her final year of high school,
her family needed support. Years
with insurance. Chemotherapy and
Amber realized she needed to practice
later, each found herself connected
steroids brought heart failure, lung
what she had been encouraging her
to SVDP from a new perspective.
damage, and worsening diabetes.
daughter to do: finish strong. She
Their stories are a reminder that we
“I always told patients to go to the
Christmas program. Years later, with a daughter
enrolled at Cincinnati State, earned
are all neighbors, with something
Charitable Pharmacy,” she recalled.
her GED and real estate certificate,
to give and, at times, a need for
“But deciding to go myself was the
and completed the requirements
someone to walk alongside us.
hardest thing I’ve done.”
of the business management
For nearly 50 years, Carol
When Carol finally walked into the
program, all while continuing to
worked as a nurse, first in the ICU,
Western Hills location, a pharmacist
work and helping raise her infant
then as an ER charge nurse and
reviewed her medications and helped
granddaughter. To finish the program,
clinical coordinator. She referred
her access what she needed. After
she had just one requirement left: 20
patients who could not afford their
decades of sending patients to the
hours of community service.
prescriptions to SVDP’s Charitable
Charitable Pharmacy for help, Carol
Amber chose to complete those
Pharmacy so they could receive the
now understood firsthand what that
hours at St. Vincent de Paul, returning
care they needed after discharge.
support could mean.
to a place that had once supported
She never expected to become
For Michelle, SVDP first became
her. “This is me giving back to a place
part of her life through the Thrift
that helped me once,” Amber shared.
Stores. Growing up in Price Hill as one
In doing so, she is now walking
breast cancer, her world shifted
of six children, thrifting was simply
alongside others, offering the same
overnight. Her retirement savings
part of how her family made ends
kind of support and encouragement
had already been depleted by her
meet. As a mother of six herself, she
that once made a difference for her.
RX
one of those patients herself.
When Carol was diagnosed with
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Celebrating Graduates of the Becky Catino Women’s Empowerment Program
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Dependency Counselor Assistant and Peer Recovery Support certifications and was hired
his September, four women
to earn more
soon after
celebrated an important
while also
at Sunrise
milestone: graduating
giving her
Treatment Center. Along the way,
from the Becky Catino Women’s
more time with
she also completed a first-time
Empowerment Program after 18
her children.
homebuyer course.
months of hard work, growth, and
Through
progress toward the futures they
the program,
I want to help people who are
envisioned for themselves and
SVDP helped
struggling,” Cierra said. “If I hadn’t
provide the
come to SVDP and enrolled in this
their families.
“I made this career pivot because
resources Destanee needed to
program, I don’t know where I’d be.
Empowerment Program is part of
complete her Commercial Driver’s
God brought me here at the right
SVDP’s Self-Sufficiency Programs.
License coursework. She passed her
time.”
Through coaching and resource
exam and, shortly after, became a
navigation, women work with
first-time homeowner.
The Becky Catino Women’s
While each graduate’s goals look different, Self-Sufficiency Programs
SVDP staff to identify career goals,
“That’s one of my goals with all of
overcome barriers, and build greater
this: to better myself and, in doing so,
Manager Jaclyn Cales says the program is designed to help each
long-term stability.
give my kids a better life than I had,”
woman identify and pursue the path
Destanee first connected with
Destanee said. “SVDP has helped me
that is right for her.
SVDP through our reentry program.
with this and got me on my own two
She quickly met her goals there
feet.”
“The Women’s Empowerment and Employment Program helps women
Cierra used her time in the
write their next chapter, not by telling
Empowerment Program, where she
program to pursue a very different
them who to become, but by helping
focused on building a new career in
career path. A cancer survivor and
them discover the strength, skills,
commercial driving.
mother of two, she managed a
passions, and resources they already
restaurant for much of her time in
have. Through coaching, accountability,
Destanee was working two jobs to
the program before setting her
and encouragement, women see new
make ends meet, as a supervisor
sights on something more personal:
possibilities for their future and gain
at USPS and as a nurse aide. She
helping others in recovery. This
the confidence to pursue them.”
wanted a career that would allow her
spring, she earned her Chemical
and moved into the Women’s
A single mother of three,
Looking ahead, 12 more women are working toward a spring graduation, preparing for careers in nursing, insurance, phlebotomy, and other fields. Their progress reflects the purpose of the Becky Catino Women’s Empowerment Program: supporting women as they build stability, pursue meaningful career goals, and create greater opportunity for themselves and their families. Becky Catino
WOMEN’S STABILITY, EMPLOYMENT, AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM
SVDPCINCINNATI.ORG 7
F
Stitching Purpose into Fashion through RetroFittings
ashion, at its best, is more
donated goods supports services for
than fabric and trends; it’s a
neighbors in need. RetroFittings
way to make someone feel
takes that concept and hands it
seen and comfortable. That spirit
to student designers, asking them
runs through RetroFittings, SVDP’s
to think not only about what they
RetroFittings help provide food,
annual fundraising event that invites
create, but what their creations can
medicine, rent, and other assistance
student designers like Corbett, Zach,
make possible.
for neighbors in need reshapes how
Gabby, and Sky from the University
For Zach, the cause resonates
DAAP students see their work. Gabby
of Cincinnati’s College of Design,
deeply. As a teen, he struggled to
observed that “It’s less about the
Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP)
find clothes that fit his height, which
design and more about the cause.”
to reimagine donated materials from
is what pushed him toward sewing.
When the goal shifts from personal
SVDP Thrift Stores into garments
“Fashion is important to me because
recognition to impact, the creative
modeled on the runway.
when I was 16, I didn’t have a lot
process takes on new weight. Sky
Corbett sees RetroFittings as
to wear that fit me because of my
agrees. “It’s more than an assignment.”
a chance to reconnect with what
height,” he explained. “Around that
That is part of what makes this
drew her to fashion: “Participating in
age, I got a sewing machine and
year’s RetroFittings theme, Nothing
RetroFittings is beautiful because I’m
started making clothes from scratch.
As It Seams, so fitting. What first
part of a movement that embodies
I want the whole point of fashion to be
appears to be a discarded garment
how fashion can be positive, using
to help others without options! That’s
can become something entirely new.
time and intention to give things a
why I went into fashion and why I’m so
What looks like an assignment can
second life. It’s transformative.”
glad that my work will be used to help
become an act of generosity. And
other people through RetroFittings.”
what happens on the runway can
That idea of transformation, of turning something discarded
Zach’s story is a reminder that
into something valued, mirrors the
fashion’s power isn’t only about self-
model that SVDP thrift stores are
expression, but also about access.
built upon, where revenue from
Knowing that the proceeds of
reach far beyond it, helping neighbors throughout Greater Cincinnati. Through secondhand materials, creativity, and craftsmanship, RetroFittings shows that there is
RetroFittings: Nothing As It Seams P R E S E N T E D B Y P R O T E C T I V E A N D S T . V I N C E N T D E PA U L T H R I F T S T O R E S
October 29
5:30 p.m.
Cincinnati Music Hall
STAFF S P OT L I G H T
Jamie Hahn SVDP Thrift Store Regional Manager I spent 13 years with St. Vincent de Paul in Northern Kentucky before joining SVDP - Cincinnati in 2025. I love helping people, and that includes both our neighbors and my team. It’s
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often more behind what we see, and that design and generosity can be stitched into the same seam.
RetroFittings.org
important to me to leverage my skills and experience to mentor and support my team. As a certified EMT, I’ve also been able to train store managers in CPR and other lifesaving skills. My team and I love assisting neighbors who shop with vouchers. I’ve seen the stress lift when a neighbor realizes they can get the things they need. I’ve met moms who have cried
happy tears because they were able to get school clothes for their kids. Moments like that are why I’m here.
Summer Events Recap
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rom home runs to golf swings to a good night’s sleep, this summer offered countless reminders of what can happen when our community comes together for our neighbors. Donors, volunteers, event participants, and community partners all played a part in turning generosity into meaningful support for families throughout Greater Cincinnati.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Cincinnati
PRESCRIPTION
FORE FUN 18-HOLE Charitable Golf Outing Cincinnati Reds fans stepped
Our 19th annual golf outing
52 children in Greater Cincinnati
up to the plate again this year for
at Western Hills Country Club
received new beds, bedding, and
Strike Out Hunger. We collected
raised more than $150,000 for
other comfort items during our Hope
14,245 pounds of food, providing
St. Vincent de Paul’s Charitable
to Dream distribution event with
11,869 meals for neighbors facing
Pharmacy, which translates into
Morris Home Furniture in August.
summer hunger.
approximately $1.35 million in
For each child, the gift meant more
The support came at an
prescriptions for neighbors who
than a new place to sleep. It meant
important time. July became the
otherwise may not be able to
comfort, stability, and a space of
busiest non-holiday distribution
afford the medicine they need.
their own at the end of the day.
month in the history of the Catino
We are grateful to the golfers,
The generosity continued a
Choice Pantry, with 3,013 families
donors, volunteers, sponsors, and
week later during the Hope to
served.
friends who made the day possible,
Dream Telethon with WCPO 9,
along with Western Hills Country
which raised over $53,400, enough
donated, every volunteer who
Club and presenting sponsors
to provide 267 additional beds for
helped make the drive possible,
Protective and PhRMA. Together,
children in our community.
and our teammates who
they helped turn a day on the
helped rally the community: the
course into better health and
Furniture, WCPO 9, the donors
Cincinnati Reds, Kroger, WLWT,
greater stability for our neighbors.
who gave during the telethon,
Thank you to every fan who
iHeart, 700WLW, and Chick-fil-A.
We are grateful to Morris Home
the volunteers who helped make the distribution possible, and every partner who helped create a memorable day for these children and their families.
SVDPCINCINNATI.ORG 9
A Holiday Tradition of Volunteering
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very November, something shifts at St. Vincent de Paul as volunteers begin preparing
holiday meal kits, sorting toys, hanging coats, and welcoming neighbors throughout the holiday season. For many, the work becomes more than an annual volunteer shift.
More than 160 departments and
another opportunity to strengthen
It becomes a tradition, a relationship,
teams throughout Cincinnati
those connections while helping
and a way to put gratitude and faith
Children’s donate, and dozens
neighbors through a season that can
into action.
become “Turkey Trotters,” helping
bring added stress and expense.
For Tom Roberts, that tradition
families carry their Thanksgiving
For Vicki Calonge, that sense
began 11 years ago and has become
meal kits to their cars. “That feeling of
of connection is strengthened by
an essential part of his holiday
leaving at the end of your volunteer
serving alongside her own family. She,
experience over the years. He said,
shift a little tired, but with a full heart
her husband Allan, and their three
“We can’t solve everything for
and spirit,” is what Hayley says brings
children, Lucia, Vincent, and Mary,
people back year after year.
volunteer at Christmas Together,
George Mitchell volunteers
restocking shelves and getting to
regularly in the Catino Choice Food
know each neighbor by name. “It’s
Pantry and also helps with seasonal
great to be able to give back in a way
efforts like coat distributions and
that is helpful,” she says.
Christmas Together. For him,
everybody, but we can be there with them.” Tom remembers being surprised by how quickly volunteering became an important part of his holidays. “Once you’ve experienced it, it pulls you in.” Hayley Shropshire from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center sees the same pull among her coworkers each year. 10 SVDPCINCINNATI.ORG
For the Calonge family, Advent
volunteering is about relationship.
is not just about anticipation; it is
“I’ve made friends through this, both
about action. “This is one of the
volunteers and neighbors. I talk to
most meaningful ways for our family
people like I am talking to family,”
to observe Advent: practicing the
he said. The holidays give him
corporal works of mercy,” Vicki said.
Non Profit Org US Postage Paid Cincinnati, OH Permit #1106 1146 William L. Mallory, Sr. Street Cincinnati, OH 45214-2130
NOV. 4 Every gift goes twice as far! For one day only, your donation will be matched, providing twice the meals, twice the medicine, and twice the hope to our neighbors in need.