History
St.
Vincent de Paul of Baltimore is affiliated with the
international Society of St. Vincent de Paul, one of
the oldest charitable organizations in the world. The
international Society was founded in 1833 in France
by seven students, including the founder, Blessed Frederic
Ozanam.
The
young Frederic Ozanam, a Catholic, wanted to help the
poor of all religions during the industrial revolution.
He also wanted to improve the lives of his peers by
urging them to perform works of charity rather than
simply talk about what should be done to help the needy.
Along with several friends, Frederic Ozanam visited
the poor in their homes, helping them whenever possible
by sharing whatever food and other necessities were
available for them to give. More importantly, the young
men provided food for the spirit through their many
acts of kindness and friendship.
Frederic Ozanam named his new group for Saint Vincent
de Paul, a French priest from the late 16th and early
17th centuries who alerted the people of his day to
many of society's ills and founded many of the very
first charitable works, including orphanages and hospitals.
The Society's work quickly began to spread and arrived
in the United States in 1845 with the founding of what
is now the Council
of the United States in St. Louis, MO.
This international organization is primarily comprised
of men and women who are committed to live and grow
in their Christian faith through prayer and personal
involvement in charitable works. The Society is present
in more than 130 nations, with more than 1 million members
worldwide. In the United States, there are more than
4,000 active parish-based volunteer groups called conferences,
with more than 60,000 active members.
The St. Vincent de Paul Society emerged locally in Baltimore
in 1865 as a source of material and spiritual aid for
the poor. Early members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society
of Baltimore were early pioneers in the development
of local social programs to help the needy. The first
parish group was established at the Basilica of the
Assumption. Early members visited the poor in the area,
bringing them food, clothing, and coal to heat their
homes.
Today,
St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore is a one of the leading
provider of services to people suffering from the effects
of hunger, homelessness, and poverty in the Baltimore
region. We operate 15 programs and have an annual operating
budget of over $11 million per year. Our services that
include food, clothing, shelter, transitional and permanent
housing, homeless day resources, employment training,
adult education, emergency financial assistance, Head
Start, after-school, summer camp, domestic violence
intervention, and more.
We
also have 50 affiliated parish-based Conferences whose
1,200 members provide food and emergency financial assistance
to people in their immediate community who need help.
We
are dedicated to helping people who are suffering from
the effects of poverty meet their basic human needs
and achieve a better future for themselves and their
family.
Each year, we reach more than 53,000 people with our varied services, and provide 55,000 shelter bed nights and 225,000 meals. We are committed to providing our services in a manner that fosters hope and promotes the dignity and self-worth of each individual, as we see God’s living presence in every person.
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