Poverty Programs

admin
September 11, 2025

A Little Loan and a Big Difference: The Power of SVdP’s Microloan Programs

A Little Loan and a Big Difference: The Power of SVdP’s Microloan Programs https://members.ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/SVdP-Micro-Loan-Image-Contra-Costa.png 1350 988 admin admin https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/042b90beb75349fb51b87bc0a5d70d9f00e789e16d11b0c55e6715aca12aa2ee?s=96&d=mm&r=g September 11, 2025 September 11, 2025

When a man in Massachusetts lost his driver’s license because of unpaid excise taxes, his commute to Boston—more than 60 miles each way—became an exhausting ordeal. Without a license, he couldn’t drive. Without driving, he risked losing his job.

Through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s (SVdP) microloan program, he received a loan that helped him pay off more than $1,200 in back taxes – enough to renew his license, keep his job, and ease the financial and emotional toll on his family.

“Both his and his wife’s blood pressure went way down real fast,” said Judy Coleman, a Vincentian of almost 25 years from the Northeast. “That’s the kind of difference these loans make.”

The Mini Loan Program of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) North Texas provides small-dollar loans — typically between $500 and $4,000 – to individuals caught in predatory payday or title loans, or those in urgent need of car repairs or apartment deposits. Loans are paid directly to vendors and carry just 3% interest over a 12-month period.

SVdP’s Alternative Lending/Microloan Programs are just a few of many ways SVdP serves vulnerable individuals and families, reaching an average of 5 million people each year across the United States with compassionate, person-to-person assistance.

Juli Maxon, Mini Loan Program Coordinator and trained financial coach for SVdP North Texas, says microloans are just the beginning. “We started shifting toward financial literacy,” Maxon explained. “We help people set up budgets, prioritize their debt, and start saving, even if it’s just $5 a month. That’s how change begins.”

Maxon meets one-on-one with participants over Zoom and also offers group classes. One client, a single mother, dreamed of taking her son on a vacation and eventually buying her first home. With guidance and accountability, she did both – saving for a weekend getaway, and later purchasing a home in January.

SVdP’s Conferences in Central Ohio are also educating their communities, but through somewhat of a different lens. They have held community forums on predatory lending, for example, to help communities understand how payday lending works and its detrimental effects on people who are unable to afford high interest rates.

“At each forum, we had someone who had taken out a payday loan speak about how hard it was to get out from under the loan,” said Deb Zabloudil, SVdP volunteer and chair of its Poverty Action Committee. “After the sessions, we sent letters and one of us testified before the Ohio Senate once the bill finally made its way to the floor of the Ohio House and Senate for hearings.” As a result, the Ohio Fairness in Lending Act was passed in 2018 and went into effect in 2019.

In every region, the stories multiply. A widowed woman in her 70s took out a title loan to cover a car repair. With SVdP’s help, she paid it off and returned later—this time avoiding the payday lender—to request a second emergency loan. She’s now repaying on time and doing well.

Whether it’s through a microloan program, food pantry, or Home Visit, the principle is the same: SVdP Vincentians offer a lifeline and walk alongside neighbors to a stronger, more stable future.

“It’s about trust, compassion, and hope,” said Louise Bland, Mini Loan Program Leader for SVdP North Texas. “Sometimes a little help goes a very long way.”

admin
June 19, 2025

Feature: Poverty Program committees

Feature: Poverty Program committees https://members.ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Guests-at-homeless-shelter-st-vincent-de-paul.jpg 1280 853 admin admin https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/042b90beb75349fb51b87bc0a5d70d9f00e789e16d11b0c55e6715aca12aa2ee?s=96&d=mm&r=g June 19, 2025 June 19, 2025

A Tradition of Transformative Action

By Steve Uram, National Director of Poverty Programs

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is composed of individuals who seek personal holiness through works of charity – in other words, we are called to action. When you think of advocacy, your mind may immediately move to our National Voice for the Poor Committee, legislative advocacy through Voter Voice, or to our new Washington DC office, led by National Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, Ingrid Delgado. These groups take action to influence policy and change the systems that trap people in poverty.

It should come as no surprise that our other National Poverty Program Committees are also all about action: our new Poverty Action Committee and our Homelessness Prevention Committee. Both committees meet monthly over video chat and are open sessions that Vincentians can listen to.

The Poverty Action Committee is charged with engaging more Councils and Conferences in systemic or transformational change. Valuable webinars are available to watch, like last fall’s webinars on “The Benefits Cliff” (Part 1, Part 2).

The Poverty Action Committee is focused on how to encourage Conferences and Councils to build and expand their systemic change programs. One way to inspire such change is through the Systemic Change Grant. This annual grant provides up to $20,000 a year for Councils or Conferences to create or expand a transformational program that will shift the conditions that hold poverty in place. The grant application asks Conferences and Councils to draw from encounters with their neighbors, survey the needs of their community, and build sustainable and replicable programs.

“I have reviewed systemic change grant applications for over four years and have seen the innovative programs presented by Conferences and Councils to address the barriers faced by our neighbors,” said Deb Zabloudil, Chair of the Poverty Action Committee. “This grant program allows conferences and councils the opportunity to pilot a new program or implement a more established program such as reentry, workforce development, or Getting Ahead, that are prevalent across the Vincentian Family network.”

The grant application, scoring rubric, and a recording of last week’s informational webinar can be found on our website. Applications are due July 11^th.

The Homelessness Prevention Committee is charged with providing guidance and best practices in homelessness prevention and shelter diversion to Councils and Conferences. They are working with likeminded national homelessness organizations to create a series of training courses and toolkits for Vincentians, continuing our long-standing mission to prevent homelessness in our local communities.

Denise Fisher, Chair of the Homelessness Prevention Committee said of her committee, “Our goal is to help Vincentians become confident in their knowledge of the homelessness response system and potential interventions to help neighbors avoid the trauma of homelessness. By using best practices in program design, we hope to help councils and conferences become more intentional about who they are serving, more effective in the way they are serving, and more confident in their ability to communicate and advocate for homelessness prevention efforts in their community.”

“Each one of us plays a vital role in this beautiful network of charity. We as Vincentians know we need to work together to tackle issues of poverty: we cannot do it alone. We cannot feed the hungry, shelter the unsheltered or pay for all our neighbor’s utilities by ourselves: we gather up, go out two by two to do that work together,” said Bobby Kinkela, Chair of the Voice for the Poor Committee. “Countless small acts of service combine to make meaningful impact in the world.”

Advocacy and action are, by definition, transformative. Those actions will become part of your culture. That culture will become a tradition. That’s how systemic or transformational change takes place, one action step at a time. Ask yourself, do you regularly make advocacy and action a part of your meeting agenda? If not, consider how you might do that.

SVdP Poverty Programs consist of the Homelessness Prevention Committee, the Poverty Action Committee, the Voice for the Poor and the following shared interest groups: Reentry, Workforce Development, Housing, and Getting Ahead.

admin
February 11, 2025

Feature: Voice for the Poor

Feature: Voice for the Poor https://members.ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Voice-for-the-Poor-VFP-committee-members-scaled.jpg 2560 1755 admin admin https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/042b90beb75349fb51b87bc0a5d70d9f00e789e16d11b0c55e6715aca12aa2ee?s=96&d=mm&r=g February 11, 2025 February 13, 2025

Be a Voice for the Poor

By Steve Uram, National Director of Poverty Programs

When you think about “calls to action” you may think about SVdP’s national advocacy committee, Voice for the Poor.

For over 23 years, the Voice For the Poor Committee has been the advocacy arm of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, identifying issues that are critical to those living in poverty and need, and bringing attention to the issue to reduce or eliminate poverty.

“Before joining Voice for the Poor, I would be discouraged and powerless when we see the needs increasing – with lack of food for children, lack of housing for families, and the homelessness crisis,” said Dorothy (Dot) O’Connor, Voice for the Poor, West Region. “But now that I’m engaged with Voice for the Poor and learning to trust in God, I’ve seen firsthand that we really can make a difference, and I’m engaging in ways that I wouldn’t have had the courage to engage in…I believe that the people who make decisions at the local, state, and federal levels will remember our stories, and feel confident the work of Voice of the Poor will bring change.”

For nearly 20 years, Vincentians across the country have utilized our E-Advocacy platform to write letters to their federal legislators. Our platform allows Vincentians to communicate easily with their elected officials on policies that affect, and hopefully transform, the situations of our neighbors in need. The platform can also be leveraged for Councils and Archdiocesan Councils to conduct advocacy campaigns at the state level. Recently, Illinois, Georgia, Michigan and Kentucky have conducted state advocacy campaigns. You can take part in our current campaign asking Congress to prioritize families in poverty when crafting the federal budget. Take action at https://ssvpusa.org/take-action.

The SVdP USA National Council also works in concert with other national Catholic organizations such as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Charities, Catholic Rural Life, and other faith-based organizations to send letters to Congress and the president to support issues such as funding for SNAP, housing, child tax credits, and FEMA funding. Your advocacy is as important as the rent or utility assistance you provide to your neighbor.

“Collaboration takes a lot of work, but it’s often worth the effort. We can do more with others than we can do alone,” said Bobby Kinkela, Voice for the Poor, National Committee Chair.

Adding our collective Vincentian voice to others amplifies our ability to advocate for our neighbors. Their expertise and new ideas are great to share with other Vincentians.

The Voice for the Poor committee, along with several National Council staff and Board members, attended the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering (CSMG) in Washington D.C. Jan 25-29, 2025.

At CSMG, SVdP National President John Berry gave a keynote address to the audience, saying the time was right to take a bold approach to highlighting the causes of homelessness and the steps that can be taken to reduce the number of people who are unhoused. Several Voice for the Poor members also led breakout sessions on human trafficking and homelessness prevention and sat on expert panel discussions throughout the 4-day gathering.

Hear what Voice for the Poor members said about their experience at CSMG:

Dorothy (Dot) O’Connor, Voice for the Poor, West Region, said this: “My faith has increased exponentially. In my experience in the last 9 months, I have had the opportunity to be a part of a team that lives the Vincentians’ hallmark of the sanctification of its members. As a first-time attendee, I was in awe of the CSMG conference. I was inspired by my colleagues, who were there to advocate for people in need. And I also had the honor of advocating in the Capitol, which was exhilarating. I saw the compassion and kindness of the people there, and I was inspired. It was an emotional event, and I don’t think I will forget what I saw. With more than 500 people in attendance, each speaker was a powerful, positive force of good. I experienced a level of spiritual connection with the people around me that I’ve never encountered before. I met interesting people all doing work to help those we serve, learned new things, and I feel grateful to have been a part of it.”

Michael J Sylvester, Voice for the Poor, North Central Region said this: “I had a very good experience at CSMG. The liturgies were really uplifting and reminded me of the universality of our Church that can accommodate the many cultural influences we have from the music of the Taize’ community to music rooted in the African-American experience. They nourished my spirituality, and growing in holiness is the primary objective of our Vincentian vocation. The presentations were thoughtful and filled with useful information. I hope they will help me to better see Christ in others as I try, sometimes unsuccessfully, to be Christ to others. I particularly enjoyed the presentation by Bishop Joseph J. Tyson of the Diocese of Yakima, who delivered an inspiring message of hope. Finally, it was great to be able to exercise our advocacy skills with staff from the offices of my U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative. As an added benefit, I was able to connect with participants from a parish within my diocese whose members are primarily Hispanic who want to organize a St. Vincent de Paul Conference. Our diocesan Council is reaching out to further explore their interest.”

Matthew St. John Harris, Voice for the Poor, Mountain Region, said this: “I had a great experience. The two people with whom I went to the Halls of Congress were a monsignor and a gentleman from Catholic Charities. The monsignor had multiple generational ties to the state of Colorado though he was a pastor in the DMV so it was great to learn his take on things as a fellow Coloradan. The gentleman from Catholic Charities was originally from Puerto Rico and had worked with the previous Representative of the Commonwealth. As a result of pairing with him I was able to visit the Commonwealth’s House of Representative office. We attempted to visit both Senate and all House of Representative offices for Colorado to drop off CSMG packets which was rather rewarding. Meeting staff gives one an opportunity to express what he or she believes. I hope to do this again.”

Bobby Kinkela, Voice for the Poor, National Committee Chair said this: “As part of the planning committee for Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, it was great to see the Holy Spirit bring it all together and have affects I did not intend. I knew it was important to tell Voice for the Poor Vincentians to attend and the benefits, what I didn’t know is a regional vice president would tell everyone about it at their regional meeting during national assembly and get a group of college aged Vincentians to attend! I knew that it was important to network with other Catholics, I didn’t know that I would find a large number who already have DC offices and are willing to help network with us as we build our own DC office! I knew we were opening a DC office, but I didn’t know the DC office announcement would coincide with CSMG! I knew we were doing lots of breakout sessions with Vincentians; I didn’t know how those networks would help us later or the effect it would have on people! I knew John Berry would be at CSMG; I didn’t know he would speak and give an electric charged call to change our world with courage and hope! The Holy Spirit is certainly alive and well and active at the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering and it was an honor to be part of it all.”

If you would like to get involved in the Voice for the Poor committee and learn how to advocate for the voiceless in your community, or leverage our E-advocacy website for state or local issues, please reach out to Steve Uram with the National Council.

admin
January 7, 2025

Feature: SVdP Reentry Program

Feature: SVdP Reentry Program https://members.ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Screenshot-2025-01-07-101328.png 1474 828 admin admin https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/042b90beb75349fb51b87bc0a5d70d9f00e789e16d11b0c55e6715aca12aa2ee?s=96&d=mm&r=g January 7, 2025 January 9, 2025

Faith-Based Mentorship for Individuals Reentering Society

By Judy Dietlein, Western Region RVP

Each year more than 600,000 individuals are released from state and federal prisons. Another nine million cycle through local jails. Nationally, nearly 30% of those we serve have been directly impacted by incarceration.

SVdP Reentry Programs are designed to assist citizens leaving jail or prison that are returning to society. These programs help citizens successfully transition to their community after they are released, and lives are transformed every day.

Has your Council or Conference ever considered starting a reentry program? There are several SVdP Reentry Programs operating throughout the nation that could be a valuable resource for you. The St. Vincent de Paul St. Peter Claver Prison Ministry in Orlando, featured in this video, was one of National Council’s original Immersion/Reentry programs. This ministry has recently partnered with an organization called Promising People, which trains former inmates in the electric trade using virtual reality.

You may also connect with our Shared Interest Group in Reentry/Immersion, which embodies the very action of transformational change. Just as mentoring is a key component in an effective Reentry program, members of this shared interest group can offer mentoring to any SVdP Council or Conference that wants to begin a program in their community.

In the same way Conferences respond to the specific needs of their communities, so do Reentry programs focus on the needs in their local areas – perhaps the local jail or a nearby prison. Every program takes on key components and designs a program that fits the needs of their local returning citizens. Most are challenged first with the need for housing and jobs to create stability in their lives. Community and spiritual support are also offered along the way.

“Our mission and our guiding principles are those acts of mercy – feeding the hungry, clothing the naked…and visiting the people that are in prison,” said Carlos Benitez, Program Manager for St Peter Claver Prison Ministry. “We go into prison bringing spirituality, and compassion and kindness and goodness, to the folks who don’t get that in prison.”

You can learn more about our Reentry/Immersion program on our website. Members of the Shared Interest Group are happy to share their stories and best practices. Additionally, you can reach out to Steve Uram, National Director of Poverty Programs with the National Council.

SVdP Poverty Programs consist of the Homelessness Prevention Committee, the Poverty Action Committee, the Voice for the Poor and the following shared interest groups: Reentry, Workforce Development, and Getting Ahead.

admin
October 30, 2024

2025 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering

2025 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering https://members.ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CSMG-logo.png 7786 3607 admin admin https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/042b90beb75349fb51b87bc0a5d70d9f00e789e16d11b0c55e6715aca12aa2ee?s=96&d=mm&r=g October 30, 2024 October 30, 2024

Register Now for the 2025 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering!

Missionaries of Hope, Advocates for Justice

January 25 – 28, 2025, Washington, D.C.

Don’t wait, special early bird registration ends November 22!

Don’t miss this transformative gathering for leaders in Catholic social ministry and advocacy! We will gather to pray, learn, and work together on our Catholic call to be missionaries of hope and beacons of God’s love for the world. The 2025 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering celebrates and shares a bright vision for our world and will equip leaders to become advocates for justice and peace.

For more than 30 years, the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering (CSMG) has brought together hundreds of current and emerging leaders in Catholic social ministry from across the United States, including bishops, diocesan, and parish leaders, as well as representatives of major national Catholic organizations, volunteer organizations, young adults and college and university students whose faith inspires them to address pressing current domestic and global challenges affecting our most vulnerable brothers and sisters at home and around the world.

Dynamic and thought-provoking presentations and workshops will inspire us to think creatively and boldly about how we can promote healing and renewed encounter in our communities. Then, we’ll raise our voices in solidarity by advocating with our members of Congress.

The 2025 gathering will include hearing from Inspiring speakers and grassroots voices in Church and society such as Christophe Cardinal Pierre, the Papal Nuncio to the United States and Dr. Emilce Cuda, the Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America at the Holy See.

Also included in the CSMG experience:

Workshops with policy experts and community leaders.
Intentional opportunities for best practice-sharing among participants.
Resources from dozens of Catholic social ministry organizations.
Meeting with members of Congress and their staff on key Catholic concerns.

The program at CSMG 2025 will include offerings for Hispanic/Latino leaders who play an important role in forming disciples on mission in their communities.

Act now to be part of our special initiative for young leaders in Catholic social ministry and learn more about our Diversity Outreach Initiative, which brings together important perspectives from different cultural and disability families.

Join the discussion and be part of the solution! Don’t wait, register before November 22, 2024, to take advantage of special early bird registration: https://cvent.me/NgvNE8 To register:

Visit the CSMG 2025 Home Site: Register Now!!
Click on the “Register Now” button on the Welcome page

Enter your Personal Information: National Collaborating Organization Staff Recipients will enter the passcode: NCOREG25 (Vincentians use this code). As a reminder, this registration code is for restricted use only and should not be shared.

Go through the registration process to sign up for the in-person Gathering’s activities and events.
The Registration Fee is $400.

The early bird registration deadline is November 22. The last day to register online is January 10^th, although on-site registration is allowed.

We hope to see you there!

Pam Hudson
August 7, 2024

Systemic Change Grant Awardees Announcement

Systemic Change Grant Awardees Announcement https://members.ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/systemic-change-updates.png 1198 1198 Pam Hudson Pam Hudson https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0f049a8d42bf603b68db60d745a2ec7d72b36c0e5bd6cfe7a0cab40bf0a8348e?s=96&d=mm&r=g August 7, 2024 August 8, 2024

Thank you to the 38 Conferences and Councils who applied for the Systemic Change Grant. The good news is that we saw many outstanding and innovative program applications. The bad news is that we could not award grants to everyone. To put that in perspective, we had $719,315 in requests and had a $250,000 budget.

The core of The Society’s approach to systemic change is working to remove the conditions that keep pockets of our communities in such need. We continue to learn more about how to broaden our impact because of the innovative programs started by our Councils and Conferences.

We wanted to recognize the 2024 grant awardees:

Most Holy Redeemer Conference in Detroit, MI – Fortuna Familiar: Financial Empowerment
Helen Conference in Georgetown, TX – Getting Ahead
District Council of Contra Costa County in Pittsburg, CA – Workforce Development Program
District Council of Marinette in Marinette, WI – Getting Ahead
Evansville District Council in Evansville, IN – Microloan Program
Diocesan Council of Providence in Providence, RI – Necesities for Neighbors Expansion Program
La Pine Conference in La Pine, OR – Self Sufficiency Support (Mentorship) Program
Sacramento Council in Sacramento, CA – Housing Navigator for Homeless
Annunciation Conference in Altamonte Springs, FL – SVdP Pharmacy of Hope
Cabrini Conference in Wausau, WI – Getting Ahead and Bridges out of Poverty
Paul the Apostle Conference in NY, NY – Heath and Wellness Transformation
Baltimore Council in Baltimore, MD – Getting Ahead
Maria Goretti Conference in Hatfield, PA. – Partnership Assisted Resource Training Program

We encourage all Conferences and councils to apply next year.

admin
May 13, 2024

2024 Friends of the Poor Grant Award Winners Announced

2024 Friends of the Poor Grant Award Winners Announced https://members.ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/growth-revitalization.jpg 1600 652 admin admin https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/042b90beb75349fb51b87bc0a5d70d9f00e789e16d11b0c55e6715aca12aa2ee?s=96&d=mm&r=g May 13, 2024 May 15, 2024

Congratulations to the winners of the Friends of the Poor Grants from the North Central, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic Regions! The National Council received 131 grant applications totaling $632,250. Grant awards for this round total $83,500.

SVdP Conferences and District Councils can apply for up to $5,000 from the National Council’s Friends of the Poor Fund. Individual grant award amounts may vary from the application amount, but will not exceed $5,000. Grants are targeted to specific areas of need, above and beyond available Conference resources: assistance for rent/housing, utilities, food, clothing, medical, transportation, and baby/children needs.

admin
April 25, 2024

The Eucharist and Social Mission: May 30th Webinar

The Eucharist and Social Mission: May 30th Webinar https://members.ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/prayer-hands.jpg 1600 651 admin admin https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/042b90beb75349fb51b87bc0a5d70d9f00e789e16d11b0c55e6715aca12aa2ee?s=96&d=mm&r=g April 25, 2024 December 1, 2025

The Eucharist and Social Mission

Join us on May 30 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time to reflect on The Eucharist and Social Mission: Body of Christ, Broken for the World during the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Together, we will break open the Theology of the Eucharist and consider how our liturgical practice calls us to be missionary disciples, going forth from the Eucharistic meal to accompany those who are poor and vulnerable. This webinar will also provide practical examples, resources, and tools to help our Eucharistic communities live the call to transform all that degrades human life and dignity and create systemic change. This virtual event is co-sponsored by the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Relief Services, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Register here.

En Español

Acompáñennos el 30 de mayo de 2024 a las 7:00 p.m., hora del este, para reflexionar sobre La Eucaristía y la Misión Social: El Cuerpo de Cristo, Partido y Entregado por el Mundo durante la Solemnidad del Corpus Christi. Juntos, profundizaremos sobre la Teología de la Eucaristía y consideraremos cómo nuestra práctica litúrgica nos llama a ser discípulos misioneros, saliendo del alimento eucarístico para acompañar a los más pobres y vulnerables. Este seminario web también proporcionará ejemplos prácticos, recursos y herramientas para ayudar a nuestras comunidades a transformar todo lo que degrada la vida y la dignidad humana y crear cambios sistémicos. Este evento virtual es copatrocinado por el Departamento de Justicia, Paz y Desarrollo Humano de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos, la Asociación Nacional Católica de Directores Diocesanos para el Ministerio Hispano, el Consejo Nacional Católico para el Ministerio Hispano, Caridades Católicas de los Estados Unidos, Catholic Relief Services y la Sociedad de San Vicente de Paúl. Regístrense aquí.

admin
April 25, 2024

April Advocacy Update: Child Tax Credit, Affordable Connectivity Program, and a Supreme Court Case

April Advocacy Update: Child Tax Credit, Affordable Connectivity Program, and a Supreme Court Case https://members.ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/voice-of-the-poor.jpg 1600 615 admin admin https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/042b90beb75349fb51b87bc0a5d70d9f00e789e16d11b0c55e6715aca12aa2ee?s=96&d=mm&r=g April 25, 2024 April 25, 2024

Please read the April Adovocacy Update below by Voice for the Poor Chair, Bobby Kinkela:

Fellow Vincentians,

I wanted to share what we are working on and what we are watching.

First, as a member of the Circle of Protection, a broad faith-based coalition, President John Berry signed a letter to members of the U.S. Senate urging them to pass the Child Tax Credit. The House passed their bill with an overwhelming majority. The Senate is bogged down over politics and not on the merit of the issue. Thank you to the 2,700+ Vincentians that have sent emails to Congress on this issue. If you have not weighed in, you can still send your message! Because the legislative calendar is compressed due to the November election, if the Senate does not act soon, the bill will die.

We are monitoring the Affordable Connectivity Program. The Affordable Connectivity Program provides a $30 discount on internet bills to income qualified households. This is one of many programs that helps to reduce the internet costs for individuals. While funding for this program is in jeopardy, several similar programs remain including programs that provide cell phones to people who meet certain requirements.

The Supreme Court is hearing a case this week regarding criminalizing homelessness – Grants Pass v. Johnson. The city argued that the ordinances merely bar camping on public property by everyone, while the challengers contended that the laws effectively make it a crime to be homeless in the city and therefore violate the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Monday’s arguments mainly focused on a 1962 Supreme Court ruling Robinson v. California which held that the 8th amendment forbids states from making laws punishing those addicted to drugs. The current challengers to the Oregon case likewise contend that the city’s ordinances, like the state law in Robinson, punish people who are involuntarily homeless. We anticipate a decision will be made in late June.

Thank you for your advocacy and prayers.

In Christ,
Bobby Kinkela
Chair, Voice for the Poor Committee

admin
March 20, 2024

Voice For the Poor Updates

Voice For the Poor Updates https://members.ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/vfp-blog.png 1080 1080 admin admin https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/042b90beb75349fb51b87bc0a5d70d9f00e789e16d11b0c55e6715aca12aa2ee?s=96&d=mm&r=g March 20, 2024 March 20, 2024

Fellow Vincentians,

As the new Chair of the Voice for the Poor Committee, I wanted to update you on our work. First, the new National Council Board made a small name change and we are now the Voice FOR the Poor Committee. While our committee’s name changed slightly, our mission and focus remain the same.

The National Voice for The Poor Committee is charged with advocating on behalf of people in poverty, and with education and information-sharing to strengthen and grow Council and Conference involvement with advocating for policy solutions to local, state, and national leaders and legislators.

During the Midyear Meeting, the National Council Members approved the updated Human Trafficking position paper. One of our committee’s goals is to update the National Council’s position papers, and we would like to update two or three papers each year. We will seek input of other national committees, including Formation, not only to work collaboratively, but also, to make sure that Catholic Social Teaching is incorporated into all our position papers. You can find the position papers on our website.

Also at the Midyear Meeting, we introduced the updated Voice for the Poor Manual, a digital document that can be found and downloaded or printed from the National Council website. I also presented a session on how to start a Voice For the Poor committee and recorded a short video that introduces the Voice For the Poor that will be available for upcoming SVdP Regional Meetings.

Please stay tuned for many exciting Voice For the Poor updates. You can find more information at https://members.ssvpusa.org/voice-of-the-poor/ or email us at vop@svdpusa.org.

In Christ,
Bobby Kinkela
Voice For the Poor Chair

P.S. Don’t forget to make advocacy part of your regular Conference and Council meetings. Make it an agenda topic. I encourage you to invite your fellow Vincentians, parishioners, and friends to become advocates for their neighbors in need. Why? Because our neighbors in need deserve it! Sign up at https://ssvpusa.org/take-action. Thank you!