Société de Saint-Vincent de Paul-Conseil national du Canada Society of Saint-Vincent de Paul-National council of Canada

We deliver emergency food aid (gift cards and non-perishable food items) to any person who calls the SSVP from within the boundaries of St. Jerome's Roman Catholic Church parish. Our major source of funds are donations from within our parish. As well we typically purchase school supplies for children returning to school who are in need of items such as paper pencils markers and knapsacks. We offer further supports to callers based on their needs (spiritual or secular) including for example prayer and pastoral care financial or tax planning advice house-keeping advice clothing and baby items where needed and referrals to other community agencies which can furnish longer-term support. We attempt to raise funds for our work each year through a fund-raising activity. We seek to nurture spiritual growth among our member volunteers through prayer and reflection. In 2023 we began to support (for a three-year term) a 'twin' SSVP Conference in Bridgetown Barbados supplying it with funds that it is using to support its own charitable activities in a context of great financial need. We also initiated a program of gatherings in our Church gatherings that we call 'St. Jerome's Golden Connections': These gatherings are social occasions to nurture friendship and good health among senior members of our parish community.