Most St. Vincent de Paul Society confer-ences conduct home visits to better understand the needs of neighbors and to provide information about other resources that may be available to them.  Home visits also include an offer to pray with or for the neighbor.  The following describes a recent home visit conducted by the St. Thomas the Apostle SVdPS Conference:

“We asked her if she needed prayers, and she requested that we pray for her to have peace and forgiveness, in particular regarding her deceased father. She then opened up and started sharing some of her story and her desire to know God more and to learn to forgive. 

After praying together, she expressed her gratitude for being listened to and being cared about. She said she was only expecting us to drop off the blessing bag; she did not expect us to ask about her and to genuinely care about her. She also said that our listening to her and praying for her had been more helpful and consoling than the material assistance (needed though it was).” 

St. Mary Cathedral:  we conducted 362 home visits and provided assistance to 433 adults and 227 children.  Assistance included help with 
the purchase of beds, furniture, household items, clothing, personal hygiene items, prescriptions and provide gas cards and bus passes.

St. Joseph Conference, St. Johns - St. Vincent de Paul Store:  assistance provided to 426 families, with emergency assistance totalling $227,050 for expenses such as rent, utilities, shelter, prescriptions, auto repairs, clothing and household items.

St. Vincent de Paul Store - Lansing District Council:  we assisted 138 families with utility expenses and 73 families with rent expenses. Our staff also assisted 360 families with utilitiy expenses through BWL grant funds and 50 families through BWL refugee-deposit grant funds.  In 2023, our staff responded to 7,161 phone requests for assistance and fulfilled 994 vouchers for Thrift Store items that were funded by SVdPS conferences.  Through the Council's Catastrophic Circumstances fund, we provided a total of $100,012 to help neighbors facing especially difficult circumstances such as eviction.  We also contributed $92,000 to help neighbors with car expenses and the purchase of used vehicles so that they could maintain employment and remain self-sustaining.  

St. Joseph Conference (Howell):  In the most recent fiscal year, our conference conducted more than 310 home visits and provided assistance to 620 individuals and families.  We helped with the costs associated with rent, eviction-stay, home repairs, car insurance, vehicle registrations (tabs), vehicle repairs, temporary/emergency housing for homeless families and individuals, utility bills, public transportation (LETS Bus) and other needs.   Together with the St Francis SVdP Car Ministry we provided reliable used vehicles to three families and individuals in Livingston County and provided technical and vehicle movement assistance to the St Francis SVdP Car Ministry for vehicles delivered throughout the Lansing District.   We worked collaboratively with Livingston County offices of Salvation Army, Love INC. OLHSA, LACASA, and CMH.

St. Gerard:   we conducted more than 1,500 home visits to deliver food and personal hygiene items to neighbors. We provided beds to 100 neighbors and we coordinated and helped to fund a car ministry aimed at helping neighbors obtain reliable transportation.

St. Thomas Aquinas:  our members made 274 home visits, assisting 371 adults and 350 children.  Our major activity was provision of housing  which included eviction prevention, payment of rental deposits and rehousing homeless individuals.  We also helped with utility bills, furniture (especially beds), household goods, transportation and clothing. We worked collaboratively with “Meridian Cares” and with the Clinton County SVdPS Thrift Store when helping neighbors in need who reside in Meridian Township or Clinton County, respectively.

St. Michael of Grand Ledge:  we assisted 178 families in 2023, helping these neighbors with utilities, medical bills, rent, food, car repairs and more. 

St. Mary of Charlotte:  our Food Pantry helped to feed 2,000 neighbors and our Shelter and Utility served 200 neighbors in 2024.

St. Therese:  we provided 3,040 individuals with food through our food pantry.  Some neighbors were assisted with personal needs items, clothing and furniture.

Cristo Rey Church:  In 2023, our conference visited 350 families and served 980 people.  Additionally, we served neighbors who stopped by the church for food, and we assisted many other neighbors by making referrals to other agencies.  Our conference served neighbors within our geographic area and Spanish-speaking neighbors outside of this area.  Assistance included food, bedding, clothing, furniture, and appliances.

St. John Church and Student Center:  In 2024, our Food Cupboard provided 5,000 bags of groceries and personal care items to neighbors in need.  Our Friends of Returning Citizens ministry prepared and delivered baskets of food, personal care items and a Meijer gift card to 134 men and women on the day of their release from prison.  Other assistance provided in 2024 included the preparation and serving of 900 hot meals and 2,500 snack sacks to the area's homeless population, as well as food and gifts at Christmas for 40 children and 19 adults.  Our "Food Movers" group picked up and transported thousands of pounds of donated food to local charities.

St. Thomas the Apostle:  we assisted 112 households, representing 345 adults and children.   Part of our ministry includes preparing and distributing "blessing bags" to neighbors in need.