St. Vincent de Paul believed we share an obligation to serve and help struggling neighbors. He devoted his life to that mission. He created a special group devoted to helping needy neighbors in small towns and villages. And the organization that carries his name, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, does it right today: Volunteers make home visits to needy neighbors, find out what they need, and then help them. The key to our success is thinking local. Money raised in King County stays here to help neighbors in our communities.
To keep up with St. Vincent de Paul, visit our blog or connect with @SVdPSeattle on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.
If you are a shopper at our Thrift Stores, please considering joining Vincent’s Shoppers for information about upcoming sales, special offers, and exclusive promotions.
Learn more about St. Vincent de Paul
This video is a comprehensive overview of the history, mission, services, measures of accountability and future vision of this well-known and respected community organization.
Local
- We are an independent 501(c)(3) organization.
- We have been in King County since 1920. Money donated to us stays here.
- We have over 50 neighborhood-based chapters all around King County.
- Over 1,000 volunteers make over 12,000 face-to-face home visits annually helping people.
- Our Helpline manages 45,000 calls a year from people needing help.
Efficient
- We manage our money efficiently, with over 90 cents of every dollar donated going directly to programs to help people.
- We run thrift stores and manage property that covers all of agency overhead.
- We have a Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating—highest rating available.
- We received “Best Human Service Agency in Seattle in 2011.”
- We receive over 27,000 referrals from the Crisis 2-1-1 Line, more than any of the 1,700 social service agencies in King County.
Compassionate
- We serve clients that come from every faith, race, color, creed, sex, and sexual orientation
- SVdP programs serve over 200,000 people per year.
- 80% of the people we serve are non-Catholic. We serve everyone. Period.
- Our volunteers and employees come from every faith, race, color, creed, sex, and sexual orientation.
- Our case management programs help people create pathways toward self-sufficiency.
- We help prevent evictions and utility shut-offs. Evictions often lead to homelessness, which costs communities hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.
Green
- We have been a true pioneer and leader in recycling since 1926.
- Our SVdPGREEN program recycles about 2,000,000 lbs. annually.
- Goods in our thrift stores are resold instead of being thrown away.
- We were an integral part of leading the “clean-up” of Lake Union in 1964, which then was a polluted mess.
