The Society of St. Vincent de Paul began in Austin in the early 1960s, and our network of charity now serves the entire Diocese of Austin. In 2007, the Society's volunteer members, called Vincentians, performed nearly 9,300 person-to-person home visits. As a result of these home visits, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provided over $2.1 million in direct aid to our struggling community members in the Diocese of Austin. During the home visits, Vincentians listen to the difficult and heart-breaking struggles of their neighbors. Through the generosity of the black bag collections by the parishes, the Society is able to provide financial assistance supplemented with in-kind services, referrals, and most importantly, prayer.
In addition to its person-to-person visits, the Society in Central Texas operates three thrift stores. The South Congress (SoCo) and Round Rock thrift stores are co-owned by both the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and another Vincentian lay organization, the Ladies of Charity . A third St. Vincent de Paul thrift store serves residents in Bryan, Texas. Because of generous community donations, the thrift stores are able to offer used clothing and household goods at reduced prices. The SoCo and Round Rock stores also offer a no-charge voucher program for eligible clients.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul exists to serve those in need while improving the spirituality of its members. Vincentian spirituality is rooted in the fact that members encounter the face of Christ in every individual they visit, and in turn, they share Christ's love with everyone they serve. Following the example of their founder, Frederic Ozanam, members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul aspire to grow in intimacy with Jesus by "embracing the world in a network of charity."
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Central Texas is organized into 37 parish-based volunteer groups, called conferences, representing over 1,000 volunteer members with over 85,000 service hours last year. The conferences report into five (5) district councils which report into the Diocesan Council of Austin. The Diocesan Council of Austin is part of the South Central Region, one of eight regions reporting to the United States National Council.
The Society in Central Texas