Many years ago, growing up in a Catholic parish, I thought SVdP was a male-dominated organization mostly dedicated to operating thrift stores. It wasn’t until I went to my first meeting at St. Jude Parish that I realized the work was way more interesting. First, it was not just for men, women too could be Vincentians. Secondly, it put me in touch with my local community and gave me first-hand knowledge of the high living costs in Redmond, and the challenges people face making ends meet. And finally, it taught me about a variety of organizations and churches who are trying to help.

St. Vincent de Paul is not a social club with lots of parties and events. Rather, we bond in our work, sharing prayer and insights that help us grow spiritually. We help families and individuals with what would be small obstacles to many of us, but large problems for someone who has a limited income and then loses that income temporarily due to an accident, illness or job loss. When you can visit our neighbors in their homes and provide some assistance, it is very satisfying and humbling.

Here's how it works. A Redmond neighbor will call the Seattle SVdP helpline phone number and put in their request. The request will be routed to our St. Jude SVdP Conference. Our dispatch volunteer will assign a case to one of our Vincentians. He/she will find a partner and arrange a home visit. In the visit we try to ascertain how we can best help. Usually, it is rent or a utility payment, but often we discover other ways to help such as furniture, kitchen items, or children’s clothing. Vincentians are typically given one or two requests for help each month. The time commitment is flexible around our schedule and the people we serve.

If the Spirit moves you, please contact Diane Murphy via email: svdp@stjude-redmond.org, or come to one our meetings at 7 pm in Lovett Hall on the third Thursday of each month. We are sincerely grateful for all the help given to us by St Jude parishioners in cash donations, as well as household and furniture items. Also, we appreciate your gift card donations on the Christmas Giving Tree that help our neighbors in need. Thank you!

You can donate to St. Vincent de Paul online - be sure to click fund "118‑St. Vincent de Paul" in the dropdown menu. If you wish to join our team of Vincentians, please contact Diane Murphy via email: svdp@stjude-redmond.org

A SPECIAL REQUEST THIS MONTH: HOUSEHOLD ITEMS NEEDED

If you have extras or can purchase these items for our ministry, it will help us focus more of our donated funds on keeping our neighbors housed.

Silverware                       Twin sheets                       Kitchen towels

We have a basket in the Narthex where you can leave these and other donated items. Thank you!

Some St Vincent de Paul Stories

August 2025 Article

I joined St Vincent de Paul 10 years ago because of the way that SVdP handles helping people. It was so different from what I had seen in any other organization before. We visit the people we help in person. What a difference that makes! Not just for the people we see but for ourselves. We meet face to face with the neighbor we’re serving. We see their stress, worries and tears, and can comfort them and tell them they are not alone. That God has heard their prayers, which is such a blessing and a relief. We are forever changed every time we have the privilege to visit a neighbor.

Our local conference, even though it is small, makes a huge difference in the lives of so many people who just need some support or money to be able to pay their rent and stay in their apartment or pay for their utilities to have electricity and hot water for their kids. The donations you make are the difference between a single mom, with kids, getting to have a roof over their head or being evicted and having to live in a shelter or in their car.

These are some of the cases we worked on made possible by your contributions.

A single mom with a 7-year-old son who couldn’t cover the rent because she works in a company’s food service where employees don’t come to the office over the holidays. This means she doesn’t get paid but still has a rent bill to pay. She tried to save as much as she could to cover those months when she didn’t make as much, but she was short on the rent and needed to buy time until she got paid again. She was late and received an eviction notice. She was so worried about not knowing if she would make it and if she and her son would be evicted. But we were able to help her cover the past due rent and the family stayed in their apartment.

A young 26-year-old woman who was laid off and then couldn’t cover her rent. She became very depressed and stuck. During our visit we gave her a lot of resources she could investigate to get a job, go to a food bank, and get all types of help. By the end of our time together, she was so happy because we listened and provided some hope. She had felt so alone before we met her, but afterwards she felt so much better. She had no idea these resources existed and was grateful for having someone to talk to as she had not spoken to anybody for weeks.

A mom with two kids worked two jobs but lost one of them. Her second job was as a caregiver. The person she was serving was elderly and passed away, so she lost that job. She needed temporary help until she received her paycheck from a new job selling insurance. Our rent help meant the difference between staying in her apartment and being evicted. Both she and her son talked to us, and they felt seen and heard.

What a blessing this ministry is, and I want you to know that your monetary help and prayers are making a difference in this world. The people we help say they will pass along the kindness and help others. Thank you for being on this journey with us.

You can donate to St. Vincent de Paul online - be sure to click fund "118‑St. Vincent de Paul" in the dropdown menu. If you wish to join our team of Vincentians, please contact Diane Murphy via email: svdp@stjude-redmond.org

Past Articles:

July 2025 - St Vincent de Paul: Small Miracles 

May 2025 - Bringing Good News to the Poor