SSVP CANADA - November 20, 2024 | MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT | I had the pleasure to visit and tour the St. Marguerite d’Youville Museum and Shrine in Varennes, Quebec. Thank you to Nicole Schryburt for arranging this visit for myself, Penny Craig and Ellen Schryburt, two past National Council Presidents. This visit helped us learn more about the life of St. Marguerite d’Youville, the SSVP patron saint in Canada. Check out sanctuaireyouville.ca. We also visited the Basilica of Saint Anne located next door where her tomb is located. Check out Basilica of Saint Anne – Sanctuary of Saint Marguerite d’Youville. A video and book about the life of St. Marguerite d’Youville was purchased which will be kept in the National Council library. We are happy to share these resources with you. Email me at president@ssvp.ca if interested. Linda Dollard, National President | We welcome Sue Mazziotti-Armitage to the National Council Board as Director Stores. We also welcome Nancy Saul-Demers as Chair of Internal Communications Committee and Pegg Leroux as Chair of North of 60. Please see their bios. | Sue Mazziotti-Armitage
Director
SSVP Stores Sue Mazziotti-Armitage has been involved with the Society for 22 years, and lives in Peterborough Ontario. She has been married for 33 years and has 2 children, a boy 30 and a girl 27. She is a member of St. Anne Conference, and has served as a Particular Council President from 2008 – 2013. Sue served with Ontario Regional Council as Vice-President helping with Stores from 2016-2024. Her passion is bringing together the managers and learning/sharing from each other. She is part of a new store committee designed to help in all areas of stores. She is hoping to bring this forward to the National Board. Stores are stronger together than apart. | Nancy Saul-Demers
Chair of Internal Communications Committee Nancy Saul-Demers’ career began as a Sports Information Director at a US college. She then managed not-for-profit organizations, worked in public affairs with the Government of Alberta and started and grew her own strategic communications consulting firm. Since her retirement in 2008, Nancy has chosen volunteer commitments where she can make a difference. As a Vincentian with the St. Francis conference in Nova Scotia since 2012, Nancy has focused on home visits. She is also a board member for Nourish Nova Scotia, a former board member of the Community Oven in Wolfville and was a volunteer for a local farm’s delivery program for those in need of support. On Mayreau, she supports the Junior Sailors, is a volunteer tutor and works to alleviate food insecurity arising from COVID and Hurricane Beryl’s July 2024 visit. | Pegg Leroux
Chair
North of 60 Project Pegg Leroux has been a Vincentian for over 20 years. During that time moving from a member to PC president in Kitchener -Waterloo, to also serving on two Boards for Ontario Regional Council. Her biggest Vincentian calling has been working with the Inuit Families in Nunavut serving on the Ontario North of 60 Project. To now be called to serve as the Society’s National Committee chair for North of 60, has her heart and mind pumping to work with other Regional chairs to collectively work in helping to improve the lives of our Inuit, First Nation and Metis sisters and brothers. | | “HOUSELESS TO HOUSED”
Campaign Launched This month we officially launched our campaign, and we plan to showcase our work’s impact in the coming months in the four stages of the housing spectrum, preventing and surviving homelessness, temporary housing and shelters, and subsidized housing. Click on 'Read More' to look at the messaging we used in our digital launch communication, which we’ll repeat regularly. READ MORE | | ANNUAL NATIONAL FORMATION | Our Theme for the 2025 ANF will be:
Evolving in today’s world Evolution is defined as a process of continuous change from a simpler to a more complex state. This truly represents the current state of Canadian society and the SSVP needs to continuously adjust to its realities. We are at a tipping point and our flexibility and willingness to change our approach will dictate whether we can recruit more members and backers and grow our impact nationally, or maintain our current approach with shrinking participation and dwindling impact. Plan to join us in Hamilton in June 2025 for engaging discussions and Vincentian best practice sharing. 2025 Annual National Formation (ANF) will be held from June 19-21 2025 in Hamilton, Ontario. We look forward to seeing you there! | | FREQUENCY OF THE ANF The survey regarding the frequency of the ANF received 99 responses, which were evenly split between holding the event annually or every 2 years. As a result, the National Council Board voted unanimously to continue holding the ANF annually. This decision was reached due to the positive momentum created when Vincentians meet in person at a National event, along with the great feedback on the excellent guest speakers, great workshops and relationship building with other Vincentians from those who attended the 2024 ANF. | FINANCIAL ADVISOR'S CORNER | THE POWER OF LEGACY GIVING
Creating Lasting Impact Through Your Will In the world of charitable giving, legacy or planned giving offers an incredibly meaningful way for donors to make an enduring impact. By including a charity in your will, you have the opportunity to leave a legacy that reflects your values, helps create lasting change, and provides critical support for future generations. Legacy giving is not only a powerful philanthropic tool but also an accessible way to make a profound difference that will resonate long after your lifetime. READ MORE | | Pan-American International Youth meeting The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul has taken me all over the world and I am so beyond grateful for that. I have always been an adventurer and loved learning about different places and their respective cultures. Becoming a Vincentian has taken me all over Canada, the United States, Poland, Panama, Portugal and most recently to Sumare, Brazil representing Canada for the Pan-American meeting of National Youth delegates. What a weekend it was!! My overall feeling at the end of a busy meeting was one of inspiration. Imagine being surrounded by hundreds of youths, all sharing the same vocation for serving those in need. READ MORE | | | | A BUSY AND SPIRITUALLY REWARDING SUMMER SSVP’s Basilica of Our Lady Conference supplies Beds and Kitchen Essentials for new Homeless Shelters. The County of Wellington along with the local Emergency Shelter - Stepping Stone opened 3 additional shelters to house families experiencing homelessness. Keeping the families together (most with very young children) was the number one priority. The Basilica of Our Lady Conference shared in that goal and provided much needed bunk beds for the children’s rooms and outfitted the common kitchens in each facility with all the essentials needed for the parents to make daily good, nutritious meals for their families. READ MORE | | | | LISA
Hamlet of Ulukhatkok's receptionist,
food bank coordinator and maincontact for the St Albert SSVP North of 60 Project, for a few years. Ulukhaktok, a beautiful and remote hamlet of 450 people, predominantly Inuvialuit (NW Canadian Inuit), is located on Victoria Island and on the shores of the Beaufort Sea, Arctic Ocean. The residents are rich with their traditions, language, and culture. Ulukhaktok is renowned world-wide for its art prints, sculptures and hand stitched traditional outerwear. Being a fly in community for most of the year, the cost of living and unemployment is very high. Many find it hard to make ends meet. READ MORE | | | | | SSVP OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CONFERENCE, CAMPBELL RIVER, BC
GOLD RIVER FOOD SECURITY PROJECT A North Island SSVP Food Security Project Success Story… The Gold River Food Network The Gold River Food Network has evolved from its early beginnings with SSVP to a full Food Bank type Operation, with an expansion of donations and financial support coming from community businesses and organizations and through grant funding. Its Coordinator - Marcie Carlsen is doing amazing work, along with her team of volunteers, and the future looks very promising for the continuing of their operation in Gold River. Our support of the Gold River Food Security Project has gone from a Hand Out to a Hand Up. READ MORE | | | | TWINNING WITH UKRAINE Simcoe North Particular Council, Ontario twinned with
Bl. Martha Wiecka Conference, Ukraine Here is an overview of their Vincentian work: In the last few years, the activities of our Conference have slowed down. First, because of the pandemic, and then due to the war, we lost touch with you a little. However, as you know, the Ukrainian people have faced significant challenges, with many more in need. Now, together with the Sisters, Fathers and volunteers, we want to resume the active work of the SSVP. Therefore, we have started several projects that we want to develop and unite people around them. READ MORE | | | A DEEP QUESTION TO ASK Many sternly ordered Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly. ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ And they called the man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ (Mark 10.48-51) READ MORE | | 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. If you received this from a friend, you can subscribe to receive our newsletter directly. SUBSCRIBE HERE | CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA | | | | |
