SSVP CANADA NEWS - February 13, 2024

SSVP CANADA - February 13, 2024

NEWSLETTER

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Hello Fellow Vincentians,

I am pleased to introduce to you three more National Council Board members in this month’s newsletter. We are having monthly virtual Executive meetings to discuss a number of topics including how best to support Vincentians across Canada. Thank you to all Vincentians across Canada carrying out our mission of serving people in need. Feel free to reach out to me at linda.dollard@ssvp.ca should you have comments on how we can support you.

Linda Dollard, President
National Council of Canada

NEW NATIONAL BOARD MEMBERS

Dave O’Connor
Treasurer

I have been a member of the Society Saint Vincent de Paul since 1993. I am committed to the mission of the Society to serve the poor in all possible ways. I started as the Treasurer of the St. Thomas Aquinas Conference in Halifax and then moved on to be the Treasurer of St. Patrick Conference, a position I still hold.

Michelle Finigan
National Board Secretary

I am very excited for this new position and look forward to working with fellow Vincentians across Canada. I am currently the President of Our Lady of Fatima Conference in Sydney River, NS. I have been involved with the Society for the last 17 years.

Maria Saulnier
Director of Internal Communications

I first encountered the SSVP at age eighteen when I attended university and joined the local conference in York, UK. Coming from a deprived area of the East End of London and with a passion for my faith, I became an active member of this small conference and remained so throughout my studies.

VINCENTIANS ACTIVITIES

Homelessness is a scourge that affects all our communities, and this growing population is among the most vulnerable in our society. That's why I've pushed for the SSVP to align itself with CAEH's National Housing Accord (https://www.nationalhousingaccord.ca/), and why I see this challenge as one of the most crucial for the SSVP right now.

Some of our members are already hard at work responding to the needs of our neighbours living in the streets. I'd like to introduce you to the Okanagan Valley Particular Council's InVincible Housing program and Windsor Essex central Council's Street Outreach program. When the concept of a personal "home" visit takes on a whole new dimension...

Philippe E. Blain, Executive Director
National Council of Canada

INVINCIBLE HOUSING
OKANAGAN VALLEY, BC

“Hey, my electricity is getting turned off and I don’t have enough to pay rent.”

“Hey, I have three children and we don’t have enough for rent.”

“Hey, I’ve been staying in a shelter, found a place and don’t have enough for the first month’s rent.”

In 2023 InVincible Housing received about 300 calls from people in these types of situations. In many cases, the neighbour is a single parent with children who has hit a speed bump in pulling together what is needed for the month’s rent. We help the caller connect with agencies and other support available in the area. Often the caller is unaware of the resources and needs a helping hand.

STREET OUTREACH
WINDSOR, ONTARIO

Street Outreach formally began as a SSVP Windsor Essex Central Council special project in May 2022, with an average of 40 individuals a month which grew by late summer to an average of 675 / month.

The winter of 2023 has seen an 845% increase over winter 2022. The summer of 2023 has shown a further doubling of the need. Food items donated to us that are not usable for our Food Security program, the home visits or our Street Outreach food bags are redirected to one of the various soup kitchens operating in our area.

In 2023 we were able to donate more than 80,000# of food - this resulted in 80,000+ meals (1# of food = 1 meal).

NORTH OF 60

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

For more than 10 years SSVP members in Edmonton and Calgary have been providing food, household items, beds and bedding, sewing machines and fabric as well as other items requested from members of the nine Communities that we serve.

View full report here:

NORTH OF 60 REPORT

TWINNING

ANTIOQUIA DEPARTMENT COUNCIL, MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA

The Conférence Saint-Ambroise de la Jeune Lorette, Quebec is twinned with the Antioquia Departmental Council, Medellin, Colombia.

The recipient twin from Colombia sent an activity report to its Canadian partner in December 2023. The members of the Medellin Council are very involved in achieving the 3 main objectives that the Council has set for itself: members’ training, strengthening the conferences and recruiting young people.

REFLECTION

GOD'S PRESENCE

From the New Testament and writings of Saint Vincent de Paul:

O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

ANNUAL NATIONAL FORMATION

Registration form for the next Annual National Formation will soon be sent to you.

Where is the ANF

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
1301 16 Ave NW
Calgary, AB T2M 0L4

https://www.sait.ca/

When is the ANF

Thursday June 20 to Saturday June 22, 2024

Workshops

If you are interested in presenting a workshop, please submit your workshop proposal by completing the on-line submission form. Please complete the form by March 15th.

IN CONCLUSION

We regularly publish exciting facts about the SSVP. Visit our Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn frequently to find out more about the Society. To promote our publications, please like and share them. Links to our social media can be found at the bottom of this newsletter.

We are always looking for Vincentian testimonials and conference/council activity stories. Send your stories to share with Vincentians across Canada to editor-editeur@ssvp.ca.

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