Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul

"Extend mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw His mercy from us?" St. Vincent de Paul

Today is the feast day of the Patron of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.  Today is a day we should reflect upon the work that we and hundreds of thousands of others across the world do in the name of St. Vincent; and to ask for God's blessing on that work.

Frederic Ozanam, and the other founders, chose St. Vincent de Paul as the patron saint for the Society because of his commitment to serving the poor. Yet it is important to know that he actually entered the priesthood to make a good life for himself and his family.  It was his ministry that changed his heart to seek not his own welfare, but the welfare of the poor.  Today, St. Vincent has become known as "the Apostle of Charity" and "the Father of the Poor."     

    

St. Vincent once said "Let us love God my brothers, let us love God. But let it be with the strength of our arms and the sweat of our brow." 

So today, as every day, we ask God to continue to change our hearts so that we may serve our neighbors in need through the 'strength of our arms and the sweat of our brow' - and by doing this let us love God and one another.

  

Peace and God bless,

John Berry

Executive Director

Poverty News - It is a Call to Action

On Monday of last week the US Census Bureau released poverty statistics for the United States and the State of Georgia.  Those statistics made big news in the media the next day. 

Unfortunately they were old news to staff and volunteers of St. Vincent de Paul Atlanta and the many others who work with people in need every day.  Each of the agencies dealing with situations of poverty and need have faced an overwhelming number of clients over these past few years; especially since the start of the economic downturn in 2008.

It is our hope that the release of these sobering poverty numbers does not drive a sensationalism of the plight of the poor and disenfranchised, or create a tone of blame against those living on the margins. Instead we hope that they will create an atmosphere of compassion and understanding and a drive for solutions.

We must demand that our elected representatives at all levels refuse to use the plight of the needy as political footballs to be kicked back and forth until one party wins and the people loose. Those suffering in poverty and need are real people with real stories of how they got into trouble. They are real people who have a strong desire to get themselves out of their crisis. Despite what some would claim, no one wants to be poor; no one wants to be dependent.

We all know that some people in need got themselves into that situation because of bad choices they made. But the vast majority of the people we help didn't have a choice--they lost their job at the wrong time, got sick at the wrong time, got their hours cut at the wrong time, or bought a home at the wrong time. They may be our family, neighbors, or friends. Without a financial cushion, these people fell into need. They deserve our compassion. They need our support.  

Let’s use the sobering poverty statistics released this week as a call to action rather than a call to blame.  Let’s act, not talk. We can all be part of the solution. While we are waiting for the economy to improve, for jobs to be created and filled, for housing to recover, we need to volunteer in a food pantry, donate to a thrift store, serve food in a shelter, and give to a service organization.  Together, we can make a difference.

John Berry
CEO and Executive Director

Voice of the Poor Month

St. Vincent de Paul has declared September Voice of the Poor Month. Our advocacy committee, Voice of the Poor, will tell the stories about those we help, their situations and their solutions.

The most striking change we have seen over the past few years has been the exponential increase in the number of people experiencing situational poverty,  a period of poverty caused by situational factors, in contrast with generational poverty, which is a form of entrenched poverty which can encompass multiple generations of a family. There are a number of reasons for situational poverty to emerge, but some of the most common are: divorce, death of a spouse, unexpected health expenses, and the loss of a job. These uncontrollable events can cause a spiral of events which leads to a period of situational poverty.

We have seen people who used to be our donors become our clients.

 

Those experiencing situational poverty often possess a higher level of education than people who experience entrenched poverty. Situational poverty can be grueling, especially without a support network. For people who have worked hard all their lives, it can also be extremely depressing, as it may seem like everything is being taken away for no apparent reason. Situational poverty is a sobering lesson, as it can potentially strike anyone; many people in the middle classes, for example, are only a catastrophic accident, illness or job loss away from situational poverty.

Look over over website and the stories of clients working their way through the challenges of situational poverty. They offer that SVdP has been instrumental in helping them when they were unsure of where to turn for help. We are blessed and honored to have the ability to serve those who need us so much. You can help, too! 

Become part of the solution for so many who need just a little help to get back on track.