Society of Saint Vincent de Paul

You can help today…

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Contact Information
Phone: 905-845-3603
Email: ssvpstjamesoakville@gmail.com

Members
As of January 2022, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SSVP) St James Conference has 10 active members who want to make a difference in our community by helping families in need.

Purpose of Organization
Our mission is to live the Gospel message by serving Christ in the poor with love, respect, justice and joy. As Vincentians, we see Christ in all people, but focus on anyone who suffers. We come together as a family to establish personal contact with the poor. We provide assistance wherever possible. If we do not have the expertise to help, we are committed to finding someone or some organization who is willing to provide the needed assistance.

Families in Need
We help families with food cards, transit cards, furniture, back-to-school supplies, dental care, employment, housing issues, school uniforms, immigration issues, mental health issues, etc.

Anyone needing support is welcome to call us. Please call 905-845-3603 or email ssvpstjamesoakville@gmail.com to reach us.

Member Activities
• Serving those in need through activities such as home visitations (including follow-ups), a back-to-school program, a Christmas program, and fundraisers;
• Participating actively and regularly in the activities of the Society;
• Contributing to the spirituality, simplicity, and Christian joy of members, which are the hallmarks of our faith and Conference meetings;
• Responding to the needs in our community through the involvement on various SSVP committees, or, in an Executive position;
• Meeting regularly with volunteers, continuing to abide by the National Council of Canada Statutes, policies and procedures of the Society in Canada, as well as local policy and practices as approved by the Conference or Council. This includes Member Screening and related Mandatory Training programs.

Supporters
All the work we do relies on donations made by parishioners and various organizations in our community. Without you, nothing would be possible.

If you would like to donate, please use the online donation website for SSVP Halton Particular Council and select “St James – Oakville” as the beneficiary. You can even set up a monthly donation! Please note that a tax receipt is issued for all donations above $20.

Meetings
We gather about once every 4-5 weeks at St James for about two hours. These meetings include a time of reflection led by our Spiritual Advisor. We share information about programs and families in need, and collectively make decisions on how to run our group more efficiently.

Invitation to New Members
New members are welcome anytime. If you would like to join our dynamic group, please send an email to ssvpstjamesoakville@gmail.com. You will be required to fill out forms, to provide us with a police record check and three references, to attend an interview and a couple of training sessions.

Other
For the protection of both the families in need and our members, visits to families are always done in pairs.