St. Vincent de Paul Louisville
SERVING THOSE IN NEED SINCE 1853
October 2026
One Household at a Time: Sometimes all it takes is furniture A kid’s favorite word is “mine.” Sometimes, that’s a good thing.
to buy all this stuff. I was going to have to buy one piece of furniture at a time.”
“When my 3-year-old son, S.J., got his own bed, he finally started sleeping on his own. Now, he loves it,” said Joshua, who is 29 years old. “He says, ‘Dad, my bed, my bed?’ He likes claiming it as his bed.”
Joshua chose a dining room table with four chairs, an oversized couch with an ottoman, and a night stand. They also got a twin-size mattress and box spring set for his son, as well as a box spring set for his daughter. Then, St. Gabriel Conference members helped load and unload everything into Joshua’s apartment.
In May, Joshua moved into a three-bedroom apartment in Buechel with his son, S.J., and 7-year-old daughter, Everleigh, with little to place inside. “When I moved in, it was pretty much starting over from scratch,” Joshua added. In Aug. 2025, Joshua experienced a domestic violence situation with his soon-to-be ex-wife. Though he tried to keep their family together over the next year, things just didn’t work out. It was a challenge for Joshua to continue working because of childcare duties. Though his daughter receives a disability check, that only covers so much when they have to pay rent, utility bills, groceries, and gas. “It became a lot,” he said. Following a St. Gabriel Conference home visit over the summer, Joshua met with several members at the St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) Louisville Dorsey Plaza Thrift Store to hand-pick furniture for his family in early September. “It was great,” Joshua said. “It really took the pressure off because I didn’t know how I was going to be able to afford
“I loved the people from St. Gabriel … Everybody was so sweet and welcoming,” Joshua added. “Melissa [Rowe] talked with me about my situation and she understood … I wanted safety and stability.” And that’s how SVDP parish-based conferences change a community: one person, or one household, at a time.
“When our neighbors in need do not have a bed to sleep in, a kitchen table to share meals, or a couch to sit on, then that is where SVDP Thrift Stores are a blessing,” said Melissa Rowe, St. Gabriel Conference President. “Our partnership with the thrift stores allows us to provide not only household items, but quality furniture at an affordable price. It allows us to make their living space a home and much more comfortable.” St. Gabriel is one of 27 SVDP Conferences, which are parish-based groups of Vincentian volunteers who provide person-to-person assistance to neighbors in need through compassionate service. They prevent homelessness and help with rent, food, clothing, or utility bills. “We are so grateful to assist Joshua and his family during their unexpected hardship,” said Julie Wildt, a St. Gabriel Conference member. “The financial donations of parishioners help prevent our neighbors from experiencing homeless-
ness and the funds extend much further because of our partnership with the SVDP Thrift Stores.” From May 1, 2026 to Sept. 9, 2026, the St. Gabriel Conference helped 117 people and provided more than $21,000 in financial assistance through home visits. “This was more than a transactional experience,” Wildt added. “The heart of Jesus radiated from employee Alice (Wilberding). She radiates Jesus’ light in our SVDP mission of supporting those in need with compassion and dignity.”
The Good Samaritan The monthly newsletter of St. Vincent de Paul Louisville Send correspondence to PO Box 17126, Louisville, KY 40217-0126 Please contact us at (502) 584-2480 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) Jennifer Clark CEO & Executive Director Jamie Noon Chief Advancement Officer jnoon@svdplou.org Tony Nochim Communications & PR Coordinator tnochim@svdplou.org Chelsea Cruz Volunteer Engagement Coordinator ccruz@svdplou.org
Our Mission We house, feed, and support those in need with compassion and dignity.
Support SVDP To find out more about our work or make a donation, visit our website.
svdplouky St. Vincent de Paul Louisville
On Thursday, Sept. 17, we held an appreciation event at Waterfront Botanical Gardens for roughly 50 long-time St. Vincent de Paul Louisville supporters. It was a time of reflection and gratitude, but to also look ahead at what is to come. “For the past 22 years, Clubs & Cocktails has been more than our signature event. It was a driving force behind two decades of growth, helping transform our organization to meet the growing needs in our community,” said Jennifer Clark, SVDP’s CEO & Executive Director. “Together, we have deepened our roots in the community and extended our branches to serve more people.”
“A garden’s strength depends entirely on what lies beneath the surface,” said David Neill, SVDP Council President. “For 173 years in Louisville, our faith and spiritual foundation have been that deep taproot. It is what sustains our Vincentian mission, keeping us anchored in Christ’s love through every storm and season.” The event featured light appetizers and drinks, fellowship, and a brief program. As we prepare for the future, we invite you to continue building your legacy by planting new seeds to help our community flourish for generations to come. “One person housed means one person has a place to celebrate a birthday, welcome a friend, cook a favorite meal, or experience everyday moments and make the memories that are part of a life,” said Jamie Noon, Chief Advancement Officer. “That’s the difference we make. One meal. One family. One person at a time.”
Together, we raised
$48,359
UPCOMING EVENTS at ST. VINCENT DE PAUL LOUISVILLE
You’re Invited! Santa Shop December 2026
Thank you for personally making Give for Good Louisville a success. Because of the generosity of 238 donors like yourself, we raised $48,359 during Give for Good. We could not have done it without your support. While there are many worthy organizations in our community, we are grateful you chose to invest in our mission. Your donation makes a difference for our neighbors in need. Through your partnership, we can continue to provide: •
Groceries for households to stock their pantry and refrigerator
•
Nutritious meals served at lunch and dinner 365 days of the year
•
Relief for families who shouldn’t have to choose between paying bills and putting food on the table
While Give for Good is over until next year, the need continues year-round. Your generosity helps our neighbors access the resources they need each day. Thank you for ensuring hunger is one less thing they have to face. Visit https://www.giveforgoodlouisville. org/organization/st-vincent-de-paul-louisville.
Our thanks to Louisville Metro Government for their support
October Podcast Jeff Brown, Sr. Attorney, Legal Aid Society In this month's episode, Jeff talks about how he and his team have helped unhoused men with their civil legal needs and secured federal benefits. >>> www.svdplou.org/svdp-podcast
Stock the Shelves
358
average meals per day Oct. 1, 2025 to Aug. 31, 2026*
1,181
average households served per month
~43%
of those served at the Food Pantry were children
As regular access to healthy food is becoming scarcer in our community, we ask that you partner with us to feed those in need. We are requesting frozen ground meat for the Food Pantry and frozen vegetables for the Open Hand Kitchen. >>> www.svdplou.org/stock-the-shelves
“Roadies” Volunteer on Campus, Present $10,000 Check Texas Roadhouse executives also presented our organization with a $10,000 check to go towards serving those in need. We are so thankful for their partnership!
“Doubling Down on our Hometown.”
On Thursday, Sept. 17, nearly 30 employees from the Texas Roadhouse Support Center volunteered on our campus for its annual day of service.
“Giving back has always been part of who we are at Texas Roadhouse,” said Kelci Mester, Accounting Manager at Texas Roadhouse. “It was a passion of our founder, Kent Taylor, and we’re proud to carry that forward through opportunities like our partnership with St. Vincent de Paul. Seeing our Roadies come together to serve others and make a direct impact in
the community was incredibly rewarding, and we’re grateful to be members of this community we love so much!” Most “Roadies” worked outside in the heat! Whether it was assembling fall planters or landscaping around the Administration Building and one of our transitional housing units on campus, they did an incredible job of campus beautification. Several employees also assembled furniture or organized the coat closet in the Family Success Center.
New Drive-Thru set to open at Dorsey Plaza Thrift Store Drive-Thru Directions
1. From Shelbyville Rd., please turn onto S. Dorsey Lane into the back parking lot area.
2. Follow directional signage to the covered canopy area at the back of the building.
On Tuesday, Oct. 6, a much more efficient drive-thru experience opens at our Dorsey Plaza Thrift Store (10280 Shelbyville Road). Because of an anonymous donor, we were able to construct a new drive-thru canopy.
Instead of bringing your donations to the front left of the store, you can drop off any donations by driving around to the back of the store (please refer to the rendering).
3. Staff or volunteers will assist you under the canopy to keep items protected from weather.
4. After dropping off donations, please continue driving (rather than making a U-turn) and exit right onto S. Dorsey Lane. Donation Hours
We accept donations at the Dorsey Plaza Thrift Store
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For our other locations, please visit our website for the most up-to-date donation hours.
You can also schedule a free pick-up of large items by calling (502) 468-8953. For donation guidelines, go to www.svdplou. org/thrift-stores.