A Night of Gratitude

On May 8, St. Vincent de Paul welcomed friends, supporters, and community leaders to the 10th annual Celebration of Service, presented by Protective Life, at Xavier University’s Cintas Center. Together, we celebrated a decade of honoring those whose generosity and compassion lift up our neighbors in need.

With nearly 400 attendees, the evening was filled with heartfelt stories, laughter, and the unmistakable spirit of community. Thanks to your support, the event raised $603,075 to fund life-changing programs including food assistance, homelessness prevention, and free pharmacy services.

This year, we had the joy of honoring three incredible couples— Sheldon & Norma Braun, Bob & Carol Gramann, and Fred & Nancy Habegger— whose decades of quiet leadership and deep generosity have helped shape St. Vincent de Paul into the trusted, compassionate organization it is today. Though their backgrounds and paths to SVDP are different, they are united by a shared belief: that everyone deserves hope, dignity, and someone to walk alongside them.

From building the infrastructure that houses our mission, to supporting air conditioner drives, thrift stores, and pharmacy services, these honorees have transformed generosity into action and action into legacy.

We were also thrilled to introduce a new tradition: the Young Philanthropist Award, recognizing an outstanding young individual whose dedication to service is already making a powerful impact. This year’s inaugural honoree, Ronan Bhati, is an eighth-grader who collected books and held a bake sale to raise $188, all to support our neighbors served through the Neyer Outreach Center. His efforts remind us that generosity transcends generations, and that every act of kindness—no matter how small—has the power to inspire change. Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating the power of service. You’ve helped carry our mission forward…and we’re just getting started.