The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is answering Christ’s call to bring shelter and comfort to those in need.
There are almost 13,000 homeless shelters in the United States. That number, up almost 5% from 2019, received a significant bump following the hard-hitting economic effects of the pandemic.
Despite this increase, in 2023, more than 50% of people experiencing homelessness were not in these shelters. Due to lack of both resources and resource coordination, much like for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, there is no room at the inn.
But no excuse or attempted justification, no matter how valid, would soothe the conscience of any believer if they knew their Savior was left out in the cold. In these hazy days, when the American dream is less clear and many grumble over groceries and gas, it is important to remind ourselves that there are those amongst us with far, far less. As we gripe about cutting back because of inflation, there are too many who would be relieved if their biggest burden were having to switch to store-brand peanut butter.
That’s why the work of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is so important. Since its founding in 1833, the Society has provided Christian aid to those suffering poverty through the work of their volunteers, known as Vincentians. This Christ-centered work is not merely a stopgap for those experiencing need, nor is it intended only to meet their material needs and put them on a path towards financial stability. It is a radical encounter with our neighbor, rooted in wanting to understand the lives of those around us, informed by the inherent dignity of every person.
SVdP’s founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, took seriously the charge to “go to the poor” as Jesus did. Since the Society’s founding, all seven of the corporal works of mercy have had some place for certain Vincentians and their work. But the central component of Vincentian work, the Home Visit, remains the same, bringing shelter and comfort to those who need it most.
Performing this corporal work of mercy is a true example of the ancient Christian practice of almsgiving, which benefits the one who gives just as deeply as the one who receives. In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, “Almsgiving, according to the Gospel, is not mere philanthropy; rather it is a concrete expression of charity, a theological virtue that demands interior conversion to love of God and neighbor, in imitation of Jesus Christ, who, dying on the cross, gave his entire self for us.”
The fact that this approach to those experiencing need is also demonstrably effective is not accidental to the core mission of the Society. Skirting the oft-inefficient system of transitional housing and shelters, SVdP homelessness prevention programs can be thought of in two separate ways. “Diversion” programs place those in need in safe places, by providing, for instance, a short stay in a motel or a bus ticket to get to stable relative or friend; “prevention” programs work to keep people from losing their homes in the first place by helping to cover rent, utilities, or other necessities.
Despite having a national structure, the member conferences and councils of SVdP USA are uniquely situated to meet the needs of their immediate neighbors. One example of a diversion program is that of Georgia’s Motel to Home. This program was created in response to a community need: extended-stay motels acting as homeless shelters for many families in the suburbs—often, for months and even years on end.
These families, though most of them work full-time, cannot escape from rental debt and thus cannot find a new permanent housing solution. Starting out thinking it will just be a temporary solution, they soon are further trapped by daily and weekly fees and local motel room taxes, leaving little to no money to pay down their rental debt or save up for a deposit on a new apartment.
SVdP’s program works to help families these move from extended-stay motels to more stable housing. Working with both local landlords and the families themselves, Vincentians guide the families through the process of more accessing more permanent housing. This helps them get back on their feet and establish a baseline, preventing a return to the motels which act as a weight on both their finances and quality of life.
SVdP chapters nationwide minister in total to thousands of at-risk families. Yearly spending on homelessness prevention programs alone exceeds $60 million. But SVdP’s work is not measured by dollars spent but by lives impacted, both for neighbors and Vincentians. In the course of work with families needing shelter, Vincentians are also helped along in their spiritual journey by their gift of self. Encountering those in need, and seeing in them the face of Christ, is all the reward that they need to continue to make room at the inn.