The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) is a 175-year old Catholic lay organization embracing charity and social justice.

The Society began in 1833, in Paris, during the decades after the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. Frederic Ozanam and a handful of other Catholic college students began the St. Vincent de Paul Society to join the struggle against local poverty and hunger. They were putting their faith into action –speaking out against social injustice while personally serving the poor.

The Society in the Mid-Willamette Valley began in 1957, responding to the same sort of poverty. Locally, St. Vincent de Paul responds to immediate emergency needs through:

•    home visits
•    person to person outreach
•    food banks
•    clothing
•    financial contributions in aid
•    building a community response to root causes of poverty

In Salem the Society employs about 50 people.  Our two retail stores are both a source for employment training and fulltime work, helping those with previous barriers to employment. The stores also provide quality goods at reasonable prices, extending the purchasing power to those with fewer resources.

St. Vincent de Paul confronts needs in other direct ways: operating one of the the Mid Willamette Valley’s largest food bank, where more than 600 families each month receive support.

Combating the root causes of poverty and incarceration, SVDP started the Marion County Reentry Initiative and the Center for Family Success. These efforts involve more than 20 local organizations working collaboratively to reduce crime and recidivism and help rebuild lives.