BRANCH OF THE VINCENTIAN FAMILY INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT: US: CM, DC, SC, LOC, SSVP

NAME OF SYSTEMIC CHANGE PROJECT: Voice of the Poor

PROJECT ADDRESS: National Council of the United States, Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, 58 Progress Parkway, St. Louis, Missouri 63043-3706

CONTACT PERSON: Roger Playwin

LENGTH OF TIME THE PROJECT/PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE:

PROJECT WEBSITE: http://www.voiceofthepoor.org/

In the spirit of Christian love and justice, the Voice of the Poor Committee through the establishment of an electronic legislative network, upholds Catholic values by researching, validating, documenting, advocating, and promulgating issues related to the condition of the poor and disenfranchised for the purpose of helping Vincentians to live their faith by acting knowledgeably and credibly as a unified body speaking with one voice for the purpose of building up the Kingdom of God.

  • In 2009, 146,365 members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul served 14,582,339 people. They gave 7,659,373 hours of service to their friends, the Poor.
  • Members made 644,000 home visits, plus more than 910,000 visits to prisons, hospitals, elderly, and to others in need.
  • The Society obtained jobs for more than 8,000 people, gave travelers aid to 83,000, and provided referrals for 382,000 people.
  • Expenditures in service to the Poor totaled $329,447,590. In kind value of food, clothing and furniture totaled an estimated $80 million. The total value of Vincentian services across the USA is more than half a billion dollars. The 2009 annual report totals are based on information from 352 Councils and 3,565 Conferences across the USA.

The Society is concerned not only with alleviating need but also with identifying the unjust structures that cause it. The Society strives, with charity, to foster new attitudes of respect and empathy for the weak, so that all are able to understand, recognize and defend the right of each person to be responsible for his or her own life. The Society promotes understanding, cooperation and mutual love among people of different cultures, religions, ethnic origins and social groups, and so contributes to the peace and unity of all peoples. (The Rule, part I, section 7.)




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