SVDP 2024 Annual Report

SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

2024 ANNUAL REPORT

Thank you to the members of St. Clement parish for your generous, ongoing support of the work of our conference. Your help has made and will continue to make a difference in the lives of our neighbours-in-need who are facing financial hardship. In the past year the poor box donations totaled $26,236 and your donations to the annual Christmas collection totaled $17,451.

We would like to acknowledge the support of the St. Clement school community also. For many years they have been donating gift cards to our Christmas outreach project. This past December they donated gift cards valued at $735 and cash donation of $680 which was included with our annual collection. We are immensely grateful.

In 2024 we made 340 visits to 43 homes composed of 80 adults and 24 children.

During 2024 we spent $25,440 on grocery vouchers, we purchased Salvation Army gift cards totalling $3,250 for clothing and household items. With assistance from the SVDP Stores division, we supplied our neighbours-in-need with much needed beds and other furniture totaling $858. Our 2024 Christmas outreach project delivered $3,200 worth of gift cards to 32 families (63 adults and 32 children).

We also held two “Bundle-Up” weekends (May and October) we collected clothing, shoes and linens etc. these items were taken to the warehouse at 60 Newcastle St. near Royal York Road in south Etobicoke. Your support for these drives was excellent as it always is.

We are a member of the Etobicoke Particular Council (EPC) which is a group of seven conferences in South Etobicoke. In 2024 we passed up to EPC $8,000 to assist other conferences in our area which have fewer resources and/or more neighbours-in-need. Any funds that are surplus to our needs in our area are then passed up to the Greater Toronto Central Council (GTCC). The GTCC, in addition to supporting 114 conferences in the GTA, operates summer camps for girls and boys. They also maintain and support eight residences which provide housing for women, recovering adults, and adults with developmental disabilities.

Our conference currently has 8 members, and we are in need of new members. Please contact me through the parish office if you are interested in joining us!

With sincere gratitude,

Lois Walsh, President