Thank You for Your Support
The Bundle Weekend event on June 6, 2020 was a huge success.
SVdP truck was packed full and overflowing with gently used clothing and household items.
We sincerely appreciate the Boy Scouts help in loading the truck.
Our next bundle weekend is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2020 and Sunday, October 25, 2020 For more information, please see our web page for more information: https://www.svdpfrisco.org/bundle-weekend
Pentecost
“When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.””
St Vincent de Paul Food 4 Health Program
EVERYONE DESERVES CONSISTENT ACCESS TO ENOUGH FOOD FOR AN ACTIVE, HEALTHY LIFE.
According to the North Texas Food Bank, 1 in 7 Texans are forced to choose between buying food, medications, and paying basic living expenses. Inconsistent access to adequate amounts of nutritious food negatively impacts the health of individuals of all ages. Having to choose between food and paying bills puts these persons at risk for physical and behavioral health problems, lost work days, and serious complications or exacerbations of their condition. The burden of choosing between paying bills and buying food can be lessened for persons who participate in the Food 4 Health program offered by the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVdP), St Francis of Assisi Conference. Eating healthy foods and staying active are beneficial to all persons regardless of age.
WHERE THERE IS HOPE
Significant unexpected setbacks such as illness/accident/death, job loss, hours cut at work, spouse abandonment, forced early retirement can happen to anyone, at any time. Coupled with the reduced household income are feelings of loss, anxiety, depression, and despair. The men and women of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) offer real assistance with compassionate hearts to persons who are in crisis regardless of their race, religion, gender, political opinion, age, or disability. We make person-to-person visits via web or video conferencing (during COVID 19 pandemic) to those requesting assistance, to gain first-hand knowledge of the person's situation and their greatest need, and to ensure the best use of available funds are targeted to the most needy. Maintenance of the confidentiality and dignity of the persons we serve is core to SVdP's work.
WE OFFER
gift cards to shop for quality and nutritious dairy products, fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish at local ALDI grocery stores any day of week
gift cards at Walmart or Kroger for purchase of items such as cleaning supplies, personal hygiene products, medicine, or gas for their vehicle
aid which may take the form of in-kind service or direct financial assistance for items such as shelter, utilities, transportation, or medicine as well as education
A comprehensive list of resources and guidance on additional resources which may give assistance
WHO WE SERVE
We serve persons in Denton and Collin County who reside in Frisco, Frisco ISD, Prosper and Celina. Ac cording to the North Texas Food Bank, over 15% of Denton and Collin County residents worry that their food would run out or would not last before they got money to buy more. They struggle to provide adequate food for every person in their household to live an active, healthy life. Concerns related to acquiring healthy, nutritionally adequate and safe foods can be eased for persons who receive SVdP financial assistance and participate in the Food 4 Health program.
DO YOU, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW, NEED HELP?
Feast of Saint Louise de Marillac - May 9
St Louise de Marillac (1591 - 16600
In Louise’s day, serving the needs of the poor was usually a luxury only fine ladies could afford. Her mentor, Saint Vincent de Paul, wisely realized that women of peasant stock could reach poor people more effectively, and the Daughters of Charity were born under her leadership.
Today, that order—along with the Sisters of Charity—continues to nurse the sick and aging and provide refuge for orphans. Many of its members are social workers toiling under Louise’s patronage. The rest of us must share her concern for the disadvantaged.
Gospel: (Matthew 25: 31-46) The King will say to those on his right hand, “ Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me… I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.”
Reflection: Louise de Marillac, (1591-1660), married Antoine LeGras and they had a son whom they named Michel, but at the age of 34 she became a widow. Vincent de Paul became her spiritual director and under his guidance she began caring for the poor and visiting the Confraternities of Charity. Vincent and Louise co-founded the Company of the Daughters of Charity, and dedicated them to serve the poor with humility, simplicity and charity. In 1960, Pope John XXIII proclaimed Louise the patron saint of all Christian social workers.
Vincentian Meditation: “Above all, be very gentle and courteous toward your poor. You know that they are our masters and that we much love them tenderly and respect them deeply. It is not enough for these maxims to be in our minds; we must bear witness to them by our gentle and charitable care.”-St. Louise de Marillac- ( Gibson and Kneaves, Praying with Louise, p. 72)
We Will Get Through This By Working Together
““Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you say, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?””
Many get it. They walk the walk. They open their hearts to “bring God’s love to the poor” through their generosity and donations.
The COVID 19 is impacting everyone; some more dramatically than others. Many families have made major changes in everyday routines as they struggle to make ends meet. They are forced to choose between buying food and paying bills. Before COVID 19, more than 15% of residents within our community lacked financial resources to consistently access enough food for all household members to enjoy an active and healthy life. Evidence of the problem today can be found in news reports of cars lined up to receive food.
Healthy bodies and minds requires nutritious meals at every age. Reductions in household income and trade-offs in paying bills and going hungry sets into motion a perpetual cycle of illness or exacerbation of condition that contributes to increases in health care costs and utilization.
Parishioners open their hearts and respond in kind. They get it! Baylor Scott & White (BS&W) Medical Center - Centennial gets it too. We are excited to announce that BS&W has awarded $2,500 grant to the Society of St Vincent de Paul's Food 4 Health Program. Persons participating in the Program will receive financial assistance to pay basic household expenses and will have access to fresh healthy foods at local ALDI grocery stores. And ultimately, it provides an opportunity to positively impact the health of persons residing in the Frisco, Celina and Prosper area who are in crisis.
Helping People in Need: Where do we get our Funds?
With your help, we will do everything in our power to continue to meet the needs of persons in our community. The canceling of SVDP fundraising events scheduled for this spring (Bingo and Bundle Weekend, formerly Bundle Sunday) meant a loss of 30% of our revenue. The majority of our funds (70%) comes from our parishioners, through monthly envelopes, memorials, and special contributions. So, if you usually donate with envelopes at Mass, we are missing your help. Please consider choosing an alternate method to contribute such as:
Making a donation through Faith Direct
Making a donation through our site: www.svdpfrisco.org
Sending a donation to: SVDP at 8000 Eldorado Pkwy in Frisco, TX 75033
Where There is Hope
We hope that you and your loved ones remain healthy and safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
SVDP continues to work hard meeting basic needs of persons within our community--especially those who are most vulnerable. We have shifted our service model from personalized face-to-face visits in the home to meeting via web and video conferencing.
We expect that as families cope with income disruption, requests for assistance will increase significantly in the coming weeks and months. More funds will be needed to meet the extraordinary demand in order to buy food, medications, cleaning and personal hygiene products, and gas for their vehicle, to prevent evictions, and to keep utilities turned-on. We cannot help these families without your generous donations and support.
Thank You for helping us help others
Your generous gifts to the SVDP are a sign of God's love to those who carry their cross of suffering and pain.
Assistance Provided In March 2020
Number of Adults and Children Helped 55
Partial Rent Payments/Eviction Prevented $10,507
Paid for Food, Medicine, Gas, & Other Basic Needs $4,501
Prevented Utility Cut-off $3,487
SVdP Thrift Stores: Once Again Accepting Donations
SVdP Thrift Stores: Now Accepting Donations
We would like to thank everyone who has supported the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores during this time, we truly could not be who we are without you. As always the safety of our team and guests is our top priority, and have decided that at this time our Stores will remain closed.
The Donation Doors at our Dallas and Plano locations will be opening starting this Tuesday, May 5th, from 9am-5pm, and Monday through Saturday, thereafter for donation drop offs only. Please read below for a list of guidelines that must be followed in order for your donations to be accepted, we strongly believe these guidelines will allow our team, as well as you, to be able to operate in a safe environment during this time.
Clothing must be washed and in a sealed plastic trash bag.
Donations will NOT be taken from any vehicles, they must be set on our doorstep where a member of our staff will safely bring inside.
We will not be offering any furniture pick-ups at this time.
Clothing items being donated to one of our donation bins must be in the same conditions as mentioned above.
We will continue to monitor the situation and post more updates as soon as they are readily available to us by the CDC and government authorities.
At our stores, the health and safety of our team members and guests is our top priority. Thanks again for your support, we are truly blessed, and look forward to seeing you soon.
God Bless You,
Your Thrift Store Staff