Saint Vincent de Paul

"It's fluid," said Bear Clifton, development director at Brighton Center. "Literally, five minutes after we take bags out of a donor's trunk, they're going out the door to a family."

Brighton Center gave out 500 Thanksgiving food baskets last year. This year it expects to distribute 800.

Non-holiday needs also are great.

The Brighton Center's pantry served 260 families in October 2008. Last month, 880 families were helped.

Sixty-five percent of the people needing help are first-timers.

St. Vincent de Paul in Cincinnati and Hamilton County anticipates that 1,100 families will show up Nov. 24 for Thanksgiving baskets, compared to 800 a year ago. At this point, it has 400 baskets and commitments for another 100 turkeys.

"So we have a huge gap to fill," said Liz Carter, St. Vincent de Paul executive director. "Our numbers don't count what church-based pantries are doing."

Those pantries in Catholic churches provided 2,375 Thanksgiving baskets last year. The churches expect to easily top that number this year.

William and Janice Fullman and their three children, who live in North Fairmount, have been promised a Thanksgiving basket.

Both parents have had their hours cut in the past year, although both are still working. They have no health insurance and have received pharmacy, clothing and food help from St. Vincent de Paul.

"It's a blessing to know we will have a nice meal," said Janice Fullman.

A complete meal can be bought with each $35 donation, Carter said.

The Fullmans have two teenage sons and a 12-year-old daughter.

"I am thankful for my family and for our faith in God that if you just stand still it will all work out," said Janice Fullman, who works part-time as at a grocery store. Her husband's job is with a dry cleaner.

"We are not struggling as much this year, thanks to St. Vincent de Paul," she said.

The FreestoreFoodbank, the region's largest pantry with a network of 350 member agencies in 20 counties, faces its busiest and must crucial holiday season in its history, said president and CEO John Young.

The Freestore will distribute its holiday food boxes three days before Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it anticipates that it will give away 630,000 pounds of food to about 18,000 families, who account for an estimated 49,000 people.

"The need has increased so dramatically and at such a fast pace that it is difficult to keep up," Young said Tuesday at a news conference at the Freestore's Tennessee Avenue warehouse in Bond Hill.

Between 2006 and fiscal year 2009, ending in June, client visits to the Freestore's Liberty Street emergency services center increased 52 percent.

Food and clothing aren't the only charitable needs.

The Salvation Army needs more sponsors for its annual Christmas Adopt-a-Family program, which provides gifts to families and elderly people who otherwise would not be able to afford them.

"We want to ensure that every family that comes to us in need will receive the gifts that will make their Christmas special," said Capt. Faith Miller, program secretary at the Salvation Army in Over-the-Rhine.

Additional Facts
How to help

Send cash donations to St. Vincent de Paul, 1125 Bank St., Cincinnati, OH 45214. The FreestoreFoodbank accepts food, clothing and cash at its emergency client center, 112 E. Liberty St., Over-the-Rhine, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays or 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. Or call 513-482-3663. To participate in the Salvation Army Adopt-a-Family event, e-mail Deanna Powell, Deanna.powell@use.salvationarmy.org. For information on donating to Brighton Center, contact development director Bear Clifton at 859-491-8303, ext. 2410

November 10, 2009 – Cincinnati.com / DEERFIELD FIRE RESCUE COLLECTING COATS

Deerfield firefighters are helping families stay warm this winter by participating in the Saint Vincent de Paul Coat Drive.

The Coat Drive relies on donations from the community to distribute new and gently used coats to those who are newly unemployed or living paycheck to paycheck. The project has as its goal to collect 4,000 coats this year. Firefighters make donations possible by collecting coats for volunteers to transport and sort.

“For families living paycheck to paycheck, or those who are newly unemployed, the expense of a coat may just not be in the budget, especially when faced with the more pressing needs of food or medicine - some just simply go without," said Liz Carter, executive director, St. Vincent de Paul.

Deerfield Fire Rescue has barrels at all four fire stations where you can donate coats anytime until Dec. 4th. Fire station locations are: Station 57 – 3380 Townsley Drive; Station 56 – 8395 Snider Road; Station 58 – 2095 Kings Mills Road; and Station 59 – at Fleckenstein Park on Mason-Montgomery Road.

October 23, 2009 – Cincinnati.com / ST. VINCENT DE PAUL COLLECTING ITEMS AT CHURCHES

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will host Clean Out and Donate weekends in November and early December to collect critically needed household items, furniture and clothing.

A S. Vincent de Paul truck will be on-site Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 7 and 8, at St. Jude in Bridgetown and St. Antoninus in Green Township.

The collection truck will be attended before and after Sunday church services for donor-convenience, and donor tax receipts will be available.

The economic downturn continues to create a record need for furniture, household items, and clothing while reducing the quantity of items being donated. The decrease in donations of furniture and household goods is still an issue for us. When people come to our stores seeking assistance because they have no or little furniture, and are even without beds, it is heartbreaking to see them leave our store empty-handed because we have no furniture or bedding to give them, said Prentice Carter, director of operations, St. Vincent de Paul.

St. Vincent de Paul volunteers visit needy families and offer assistance, regardless of race or religious affiliation. St. Vincent de Paul accepts donations of gently used clothing, household items, furniture and cars year-round. Free pick-up service is available for large items. Call 513-421-CARE (2273) to arrange a pick up, or you may drop off your donations at any of the six Cincinnati area thrift stores. Tax receipts are available for donated items. For more information on donating or for a list of St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores, go to www.svdpcincinnati.org.

October 15, 2009 – Cincy Not For Profit News / DONATE

DONATE: St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores announce convenient "Clean Out & Donate" Weekends in October. www.svdpcincinnati.org.

DONATE: St. Vincent de Paul and WLWT Channel 5 kick-off the 8th annual 5 Cares Coat Drive. Community support needed more than ever; goal is to collect 4,000 winter coats for local neighbors in need. www.svdpcincinnati.org.

October 1, 2009 - EXPRESS Cincinnati / SVDP + student genius + $10 = RetroFittings

Give them $10, they’ll try to make you look like a million bucks.

That’s the aim of the 7th annual St. Vincent de Paul RetroFittings fundraiser, where students from the University of Cincinnati’s Fashion Program unleash some big style ideas on a tiny budget.

Students have just $10 to create cutting-edge fashions, using items found at St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores. The resulting fashions will hit the runway during an evening that will include a designer trunk show, a live auction, raffle, music, food and a cash bar.

RetroFittings is set for Thursday, Oct. 8, at the 20th Century Theatre in Oakley. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; fashion show begins at 7:30 p.m.

Advance tickets are $30; $15 for students; $60 for VIP tickets, which include reserved seating and two drink tickets. Patron tickets are $100. Information on tickets at www.svdpcincinnati.org or call 562-8841 ext. 225. Tickets will be $40 at the door.

RetroFittings committee members are Kendra Bach, Mary Casella, Susan Debrul, Debbie Goldstein, Tina Hawking, Barb Rinehart, Kathleen Stutz, Meg Tarvin and Gwen Triplett. Event sponsors include Recycling Group, Ltd., Krombholz Jewelers; Cristofoli-Keeling, Inc.; Scripps Interactive and Bang-Zoom Design, Ltd. Food From the Heart

August 12, 2009 - Americantowns.com / PAPA JOHN'S PRESENTS $ 7,349. TO ST. VINCENT DE PAUL'S FAN DRIVE

Papa John's Pizza local franchise recently presented a check for $7,349.00 to St. Vincent de Paul, to support the organization's annual fan drive helping to provide relief from the heat this summer to those in need. Papa John's raised the funds by conducting a two day pizza drive in July, donating $1 for every pizza purchased. This is the fifth year that Papa John's has partnered with SVDP to support the fan drive. WCPO-TV serves as the drive's media partner. For more information on St. Vincent de Paul's Fan Drive, go to http://www.svdpcincinnati.org/drives/fan_drive.html.

August 12, 2009 - Americantowns.com / ST. VINCENT DE PAUL ANNOUNCES 7TH ANNUAL RETROFITTINGS EVENT, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8

Fundraiser Features New Designer Trunk Show and VIP Section

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, in partnership with the University of Cincinnati Fashion Program in the College of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning (DAAP), and 20th Century Theatre, announces the 7th annual RetroFittings, the organization's signature fundraiser, featuring fashions created by UC Fashion Program School of Design students from St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store finds. Event coordination and fashion show direction led by Sarah Bellamy of Downtown, and Anne Firestone of Mt. Adams.

UC Fashion Program School of Design students, armed with just a $10 budget, create original fashions by combining an array of items found at St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores, including clothes, curtains, bed sheets and table cloths. The cutting-edge fashions will be modeled in a professional-style runway show during the event.

RetroFittings will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the 20th Century Theatre in Oakley. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. New for 2009, The RetroFittings fashion show will also feature a designer trunk show - second-hand finds from St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores, a VIP section, as well as a live auction, raffle, music, light fare and a cash bar.

The RetroFittings committee members are Kendra Bach of Anderson Township, Mary Casella of Downtown, Susan Debrul of Hyde Park, Debbie Goldstein of Hyde Park, Tina Hawking of Mt. Lookout, Barb Rinehart of Anderson Township, Kathleen Stutz of Hyde Park, Meg Tarvin of Anderson Township and Gwen Triplett of Ryland, Kentucky.

To date, the event sponsors are: Recycling Group Ltd., Krombholz Jewelers, Cristofoli-Keeling, Inc, Scripps Interactive and Bang-Zoom Design, Ltd. For more information about the event or sponsorship, call 513-562-8841 ext. 225. Tickets for RetroFittings will be available soon at www.svdpcincinnati.org.

August 7, 2009 - Cincinnati Enquirer / CAR DEAL IS CLUNKER FOR SOME

For dealers who make a living selling cheap used cars, low-income people who can't afford to buy new, and charities that rely on donated automobiles - the real clunker in town is the government's car-buying spree.

"A lot of the cars being traded in are not clunkers. They still have a useful purpose to get someone to their job and the grocery. Not everyone has the means or the credit to buy a new car, " said Pat Davis, who has operated the Landen Motors used-car lot in Deerfield Township for 25 years.

Senate approval of another $2 billion for the popular "cash for clunkers" program means up to 750,000 new cars will be bought nationwide to replace an equal number of older models traded in. Under government rules, the clunkers must be destroyed.

That's bad news for Landen Motors, near the Kings Auto Mall, which is a frequent stop for new-car buyers hoping to get more for their trade-ins than at the new car dealer. The recession already had hurt the lot's business: Because people are holding onto their cars longer, the lot had been showing fewer used cars and they carried higher prices.

Davis, who typically carries 30 to 40 used vehicles on his lot, is down about 25.

"We just can't get them," he said.

Kelley Blue Book estimates that 750,000 "clunkers" equals about 5 percent of the 16 million used vehicles sold last year. The car-buying information firm says the government program probably will mean higher used-car prices and tighter availability in the short term.

Prentice Carter, director of operations for the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Cincinnati, said it's too early to gauge the full impact of the "clunkers" program on car donations to charities. But he has noticed fewer "runners," vehicles that can run, coming in donations the past few weeks.

"Normally two out of every four donations are runners,'' he said. "The last week or so only one in four actually runs."

The society accepts both types of vehicles, but running cars are sold at auctions, where prices recently have risen 10 to 20 percent, depending on the model, Carter said. Non-runners are sold for their scrap value.

Despite tighter IRS charitable donation rules, Liz Carter, Prentice's wife and executive director of St. Vincent de Paul, said, "Car donations are still a big part of our ability to help people."

Transportation for low-income workers is a chronic problem in Butler County, which has no county-wide mass transit, said Jeffrey Diver, executive director of Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families, the county's community action agency.

"Anything that reduces the availability or increases the cost of transportation will have a big impact on our clientele," he said

August 5, 2009 - Cincinnati.com / FAN DRIVE ENDS SUNDAY

Alternate Solutions Homecare of Blue Ash has donated $2,500 to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's annual Fan Drive. The goal for this year's fan drive is to collect 500 new or gently used fans and 100 air conditioners. Monetary donations are being accepted at all Huntington Bank branch locations through Sunday, or can be sent directly to St. Vincent de Paul, 1125 Bank St., Cincinnati, OH 45214. For Fan Drive donation drop-off points, visit www.svdpcincinnati.org.

July 31, 2009 - Cincinnati.com / RENT A BOOTH FOR ST. MAXIMILIAN KOLBE CHURCH'S COMMUNITY SALES

St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church is accepting booth reservations for its Sept. 12 Community Sale. For $20 an individual or vendor can rent a table and parking space, approximately 9-feet by 15-feet for the sale. It runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine, at the Liberty Township church, 5720 Hamilton-Mason Road. It is up to the seller to tag and price items and handle money. Unsold items may be given to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at the end of the day. The organization will have a truck for donations. Volunteers are needed for registration and space assignments, advertising, set up and clean up. Donations of bottled water, cans of soda and baked good for the concession area are also needed. All proceeds from the sale will benefit the church's 20/20 Debt Reduction Campaign. Information: 513-777-4322

July 13, 2009 - Cincinnati.com / GOLF OUTING TO HELP CHARITABLE PHARMACY

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will hold its third annual "Prescription for Fun 9-Hole Charity Golf Outing," to benefit its Charitable Pharmacy on Aug. 6. The event begins at 2 p.m. with a shotgun start at Beckett Ridge Country Club, West Chester Township.

The fees are $80 for a single player and $300 for a foursome, which includes greens fees, cart, dinner, two drink tickets, goodie bags and prizes. The after-golf party fee is $25.

For more information regarding sponsorships or registration, contact Julie Rack at 513-562-8841, ext. 225, or to download event brochure and raffle tickets online, go to www.svdpcincinnati.org.

July 1, 2009 - Cincinnati.com / ST. VINCENT DE PAUL & PAPA JOHN'S PIZZA PARTNER TO RAISE FUNDS AND AWARENESS FOR ANNUAL FAN DRIVE; $1 For Every Delivery Pizza Sold Will Be Donated To SVDP To Purchase Fans & Air-Conditioners For Local Neighbors In Need

Papa John's Pizza will donate $ 1 to the St. Vincent de Paul Fan Drive for every pizza sold at 38 participating locations on July 7 & 8. Donations will be used to purchase new fans and air conditioners for local families in need.

The goal for this year's fan drive is to collect 500 fans and 100 air conditioners to help provide proper cooling and ventilation to people in need this summer, especially the elderly, ill, and children. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is partnering with WCPO-TV Channel 9, Coney Island, Huntington Bank and Cincinnati Firefighters Union Local 48 and Papa John's in Greater Cincinnati to raise funds and awareness of SVDP's annual Fan Drive.

In addition to the Papa John's pizza promotion, there are several ways to help:

Monetary donations will be accepted at all Huntington Bank branch locations throughout Greater Cincinnati through August 9, 2009.
Coney Island is a drop off site for the Fan Drive, and anyone donating a new fan at Coney Island will receive a free all-day rides wristband, valued at $11.95, through August 9.
The 38 participating Papa John's locations will also serve as a drop off point for anyone who would like to donate a gently-used or new fan or window air-conditioner to the effort.
Fans and new air conditioners may also be dropped off now through August 9, 2009 at any of the six St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores in Hamilton County & five thrift stores in Northern Kentucky.

For SVDP thrift store locations in Hamilton County, more information about the SVDP Fan Drive, or other ways to donate, contact St. Vincent de Paul at 513-562-8841, ext. #225, or visit www.svdpcincinnati.org. For SVDP thrift store locations in Northern Kentucky, contact the District Council of Covington at 859-341-3212.

The donated fans & air conditioners will be distributed through St. Vincent de Paul's neighborhood volunteer groups, the West End headquarters and other outlets.

June 25, 2009 - Cincinnati.com / COLLECTION DURING REDS/CUBS SERIES NETS 20K POUNDS OF FOOD

The Cincinnati Reds and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul with NEWS 5 partnered Friday, June 5 through Sunday June 7 during the Reds vs. Cubs series at Great American Ball Park with a goal of collecting 5,000 pounds of non-perishable food items to help strike out hunger in Greater Cincinnati. Reds fans showed their dedication, donating a total of 20,000 pounds of food over the three-day series. The food collected will feed 7,000 people in our community for one day.

Anyone who donated a non-perishable food item received two tickets an upcoming game. In addition, each fan donating to the food drive was entered into a drawing to throw out the first pitch at the June 17 game. The winner who will throw out the first pitch is Ryan Link of Milford, who will attend Milford High School this fall as a freshman.

"We are overwhelmed by the support from our local community. Clearly we are surrounded by people who genuinely care about those in need in our community and stepped up to help", said Liz Carter, Executive Director, St. Vincent de Paul. "Requests for food assistance are at record levels, and we are seeing significant increases in requests from those who have never used our services before - people who have unexpectedly lost their job or who those who are having a tougher time making ends meet as a result of rising food costs," she continued.

"We are thrilled to have such a successful outcome and know that this effort, through the kindness and support of our fans will help so many people in our community", noted Lorrie Platt, Cincinnati Reds community relations director.

For more information regarding the Reds, St. Vincent de Paul Food Drive, contact the Reds Community Relations at 513-765-7022. For more information about donating or volunteering at the SVDP Bank Street Food Pantry, please contact 513-562-8841, ext. # 225 or visit www.svdpcincinnati.org.

June 25, 2009 - Cincinnati.com / ST. VINCENT DE PAUL THRIFT STORES ANNOUNCE CONVENIENT "CLEAN OUT & DONATE" WEEKENDS IN JULY; Furniture and Household Goods in Critical Need

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will host "CLEAN OUT & DONATE" Weekends in July to collect critically needed household items, furniture and clothing at several Greater Cincinnati churches. A SVDP truck will be on-site Saturdays and Sundays at the following parishes:

July 11 & 12: Assumption, Mt. Healthy; Sts. Peter & Paul, Reading

July 18 & 19: St. Monica-St. George, Clifton

July 25 & 26: St. Bernard, Winton Place

The truck will be attended before and after Sunday church services for donor-convenience - donor tax receipts will be available.

The economic downturn is creating a record need for furniture, household items, and clothing while reducing the quantity of items being donated. "It continues to be difficult to meet the needs of the growing number of people that need our help. We're seeing more middle class and unemployed people that never needed our help before, walking through our stores," noted Prentice Carter, Director of Operations, St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores.

St. Vincent de Paul members personally visit needy families and offer assistance, regardless of race or religious affiliation. St. Vincent de Paul accepts donations of gently used clothing, household items, furniture and cars year-round. Free pick-up service is available for large items. Call 513-421-CARE (2273) to arrange a pick up, or you may drop off your donations at any of the six Cincinnati area thrift stores. Tax receipts are available for donated items.

June 12, 2009 - Business Courier / GREATER CINCINNATI FOUNDATION MAKES QUICK WORK OF AWARDING ITS $2M CRISIS FUND

Even in times of dire need, philanthropy can be a notoriously slow business. That's why when the Greater Cincinnati Foundation took the lead in creating a fund to address the ongoing economic crisis, foundation leaders knew they needed a different approach for awarding funds to the people and organizations that needed them most.

"This is a crisis," said Ellen Gilligan, GCF's vice president for community investment. "We can't go through our normal, somewhat lengthy grant-making process. People are in dire straits. We need to step up and act quickly and provide relief and additional services as quickly as we can."

That's just what the foundation's Weathering the Economic Storm Fund was designed to do. Launched in March, the fund consists of $2 million. Half of that was committed by the foundation, and the rest came from commitments from other funders and donations from individuals. The idea was to help the region's families being hurt by the recession and to help struggling nonprofits, too.

In late April, the foundation announced the first series of grants awarded from the fund. GCF invited organizations to apply for between $30,000 and $50,000. Staffers focused on nonprofits that had a history with the organization, those they knew could use the funds quickly and effectively, Gilligan said. And every nonprofit invited to apply received funding.

The funds have had a profound impact on the agencies that received them. Liz Carter, executive director of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Hamilton County, said her organization used its $50,000 grant to increase staffing at its charitable pharmacy and purchase some medication.

"This is just a godsend to us," she said. "When you're right in the midst of the storm, the last thing you need is a 15-page application. And they made it very, very simple. It was one page. We told them what we wanted to do with the money and what the need was."

Without the funding, the pharmacy had been turning away people in need because it didn't have the qualified staff necessary to dispense the medication, she said.

"It's hard because people are coming down, and they're sick," she said. "They're at a really low point at their life. And the last thing you want to do is be another door that closes to them."

Child Focus used its $42,362 grant to hire a part-time family stability caseworker, said Tara Dawson, director of marketing and development.

"When families are under stress, the likelihood of child abuse increases," she said. "The model for this program is to reduce and prevent child abuse."

The new staffer can work with families before abuse occurs, she said, and can help them try to stabilize their finances and their families.

Other recipients included Brighton Center, Santa Maria Community Services, FreestoreFoodbank and Everybody Rides Metro, among others. The organizations were chosen to represent a wide swath of needs, from keeping food on the table to having transportation to hunt for jobs, Gilligan said.

The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation is among the funders that committed money to the special fund. Foundation CEO Tim Maloney said he's been impressed with the leadership GCF has shown in creating the fund and distributing the money so quickly and effectively with the help of United Way of Greater Cincinnati and participating funders.

"The tough part is picking one over another," Maloney said. "Any one story will break your heart."

But foundation staff kept the process moving to get the dollars out the door, he said. And they brought new funders to the table who hadn't partnered with GCF in the past, which helped build the fund to have a bigger impact.

Still, as impressive as the $2 million fundraising effort has been, Maloney said the funders realize that the economic storm is far from over.

"Our challenge will be next year and the year after," he said.

The funders as a group already have discussed the region's ongoing need for help, Gilligan said.

"Next year, in fact, may be worse than this year as the real impact of lost employment or reduced hours or lost health care continues to impact people," she said.

And while funders haven't committed to continuing the fund, Gilligan added, "there's an awareness that this isn't a one-time deal, and we really need to think about what the future holds."

GCF continues to accept donations of all sizes to the fund. For more information or to contribute, go to www.greatercincinnatifdn.org/WTES.

June 3, 2009 - Cincinnati.com / ST. VINCENT DE PAUL TO KICK OFF ANNUAL FAN DRIVE JUNE 17 AT CONEY ISLAND WITH LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS & HUNTINGTON BANK; Partner Huntington Bank to Collect Monetary Donations At Bank Branches

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, in cooperation with WCPO-TV Channel 9, Coney Island, Huntington Bank and Cincinnati Firefighters Union Local 48, is encouraging Greater Cincinnati residents to get involved to help local families in need by donating a fan, new window air conditioner or provide a monetary donation to support the annual fan drive.

The goal for this year's fan drive is to collect 500 fans and 100 air conditioners to help provide proper cooling and ventilation to those in need this summer. Monetary donations will be accepted at Coney Island on June 17 only. Huntington will kick-off the fundraising effort by making a $1,000 financial contribution. Monetary donations will also be accepted all Huntington Bank branch locations throughout Greater Cincinnati from June 17 through August 9, 2009.

Only on June 17 Coney Island will offer a free pool and ride pass valued at $21.95 in exchange for the donation of a new fan or air conditioner brought to the Sunlite Pool admission gate, or for a minimum cash donation of $15. Coney's participation as a drop off site for the Fan Drive will continue through August 9, 2009. Anyone donating a new fan at Coney Island between June 17 and August 9, will receive a free all-day rides wristband, valued at $11.95.

"This year more than ever, our neighbors need our help -- Cincinnati's summers can make every day difficult for those without proper ventilation, particularly those with health problems, the elderly and children" noted Liz Carter, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul.

The donated fans & air conditioners will be distributed through St. Vincent de Paul's neighborhood volunteer groups, the West End headquarters and other outlets.

Fans and air conditioners may also be dropped off now through August 9, 2009 at any of the six St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores in Hamilton County & five thrift stores in Northern Kentucky. For SVDP thrift store locations in Hamilton County, more information about the SVDP Fan Drive, or other ways to donate, contact St. Vincent de Paul at 513-562-8841, ext. #225, or visit www.svdpcincinnati.org. For SVDP thrift store locations in Northern Kentucky, contact the District Council of Covington at 859-341-3212.

May 27, 2009 - Cincinnati.com / ST. VINCENT DE PAUL THRIFT STORES ANNOUNCE CONVENIENT "CLEAN OUT & DONATE" WEEKENDS IN JUNE; Donations of Furniture and Household Goods Critically Needed

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will host "CLEAN OUT & DONATE" Weekends in June to collect critically needed household items, furniture and clothing at several Greater Cincinnati churches. A SVDP truck will be on-site Saturdays and Sundays at the following parishes:

June 6 & 7: St. Dominic, Delhi; St. Martin de Porres, Lincoln Heights

June 13 & 14: St. Ann, Groesbeck; St. Rose, East End

June 20 & 21: St. Philip the Apostle, Morrow; St. Margaret Mary, North College Hill

June 27 & 28: St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Bridgetown; St. James, White Oak; St. John, Deer Park

The truck will be attended before and after Sunday church services for donor-convenience - donor tax receipts will be available.

The economic downturn is creating a record need for furniture, household items, and clothing while reducing the quantity of items being donated. "It is a life-changing experience to go into someone's home and see the family eating in shifts because they don't have enough plates for everyone. Even worse, many have no kitchen table. They can't even sit together as a family for a meal," noted Liz Carter, Executive Director, St. Vincent de Paul.

May 20, 2009 - Cincinnati.com / CINCINNATI REDS, NEWS 5, ST. VINCENT DE PAUL TEAM UP TO STRIKE OUT HUNGER; Donation of Non-Perishable Food Item Will Receive Two Tickets To June 17 Reds vs. Braves Game

The Cincinnati Reds and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul with NEWS 5 are partnering to help end hunger locally by hosting a food drive Friday, June 5 through Sunday June 7 during the Reds vs. Cubs series at Great American Ball Park.

Anyone donating a non-perishable food item in designated food collection barrels will receive two tickets to the June 17, 2009 Reds vs. Atlanta Braves game. In addition, each fan donating to the food drive can enter a drawing to throw out the first pitch at the June 17 game. The SVDP Reds Food Drive goal is to collect 5,000 pounds of food, which will feed 1,750 people in our community for one day.

"Economic factors have resulted in nearly a tripling in requests for food assistance in certain areas of Greater Cincinnati. Requests are coming from people throughout the city - those who have unexpectedly lost their job or who those who are having a tougher time making ends meet as a result of rising food costs", said Liz Carter, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul. "The support of the community in terms of food donations is vital for us to be able to provide food to all clients. That support will ensure we don't have to turn anyone away", she continued. Nearly half of the food that St. Vincent de Paul provides to clients goes to children.

"For the third year, we're pleased to partner with St. Vincent de Paul to help impact the hunger issue in our community", said Lorrie Platt, Cincinnati Reds community relations director. "It's important to us to involve our fans to help those in need."

The game schedule during the food drive is as follows: - Fri June 5 - 7:10pm - Sat June 6 - 7:10pm - Sun June 7 - 1:10pm

May 14, 2009 - Cincy Not-For-Profit News / VOLUNTEER

St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores announce convenient "Clean Out & donate" weekends in May. Donations of furniture and household goods critically needed.

Proceeds will benefit Moeller's non-profit efforts, including a school for children in Uganda, a school leadership program and to tuition assistance, said spokeswoman Johanna Kremer. Anything unsold items will go to St. Vincent De Paul and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

The event is at the school's Activity Center, 9001 W. Montgomery Road.

May 8, 2009 -nky.com / MOELLER RUMMAGE SALE SATURDAY

Hundreds of items will be on sale for $5 or less, including an Underwood typewriter from the early 1900s and hundreds of prom, bridesmaid, and evening dresses.

The event is at the school's Activity Center, 9001 W. Montgomery Road.

April 16, 2009 - Cincy Not-For-Profit News / DONATE

St. Vincent de Paul partners with WGRR for 7th Annual Spring Cleaning Drive at Tri-County Mall, Saturday April 25; donations of furniture, household goods desperately needed. Community encouraged to donate goods to help neighbors in need. Contact St. Vincent de Paul at 513-562-8841, ext. # 217 or visit our web site at www.svdpcincinnati.org

March 11, 2009 - Forest Hills Journal / THRIFT STORE IN NEED OF DONATIONS

The St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores are looking for help.

Since fall the number of people who rely on donations to the thrift stores has grown considerably, said Liz Carter, executive director of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. As the economy worsens, however, the number of donations has dropped.

"We're concerned where things will be in 2010," said Tami Schrichten, manager of the thrift store in Mt. Washington. Although Schrichten said donations of clothing have remained fairly consistent, she said household items and furniture are in much shorter supply. In 2008 St. Vincent de Paul assisted about 80,000 people, according to Carter. "The people we (assist) are the ones on the verge of becoming homeless," she said. "The goal is to keep them in their homes." "We try to stop a situation where someone loses everything." Volunteers visit the homes of those in need and provide vouchers to obtain items at the thrift stores. Items purchased in the stores also go toward helping those in need. Carter said the stores currently need basic household items such as towels, dishes, pots, pans and lamps. Donations of furniture are also a priority, she said. Items can be dropped off during store hours. Donation bins are at Guardian Angels Church, 6531 Beechmont Ave., and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 7820 Beechmont Ave. The Mt. Washington store is located at 2129 Beechmont Ave. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For information, call 231-1239.

March 5, 2009 - Americantowns.com / ULMER'S AUTO CARE RAISES FUNDS FOR ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

Bryan Kauffeld owner of Ulmer's Auto Care and resident of Pierce Township, presents a check for $2,015 to support St. Vincent de Paul's food pantry; accepted by Liz Carter, executive director of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and resident of Mt. Washington, as part of its Oil Change That Gives Back promotion. Through the program, Ulmer's donated $5.00 from every oil change performed in January at its Milford and Anderson locations.

February 24, 2009 - Americantowns.com / ST. VINCENT DE PAUL DESPERATELY SEEKING FURNITURE DONATIONS TO HELP PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AFFECTED;

Furniture Donations Critical in Person-to-Person Assistance The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is facing a critical shortage of furniture, household items and clothing to assist families and individuals in need during this economic downturn. St. Vincent de Paul staff and volunteers personally visit people in our community to assist during times of need and often find families who have little or no furnishings or do not have basic household items such as pans, dishes or towels. At this time, the Society's ability to assist has been severely curtailed, and home visits from the Bank St. headquarters may need to be eliminated due to the severe shortage of donations, especially furniture and household items. St. Vincent de Paul has experienced a 17% increase in calls for furniture assistance in the last several months.

"It's not unusual for us to visit families who eat dinner on the kitchen floor because they have no table or chairs, elderly people who sleep on the floor, and many other heartbreaking circumstances. Whether it's a family who has recently experienced a home foreclosure and is left with nothing, or a woman coming out of a battered women's shelter who is starting over, we need furniture and household goods to help. With the current economic conditions, we are seeing people who have never asked for help before - people being affected by job layoffs and pay-cuts", noted Liz Carter, St. Vincent de Paul Executive Director. "The situation is very serious and we desperately need the community's help immediately," she continued.

Following a home visit, families in need may be given vouchers for basic essentials, which can be redeemed at any St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. The Thrift Stores are also open to the general public, many of whom shop at the stores to stretch their dollars and make ends meet.

Furniture, household goods and clothing can be dropped of at any of the six St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores in Mason, Mt. Washington, Colerain, Evendale, Milford or Winton Place; or St. Vincent de Paul will arrange a home pick up of donated items. Tax receipts are provided upon request. To schedule a pick up, call 513-421-CARE. Financial contributions can be sent to: Society of St. Vincent de Paul, 1125 Bank Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45214, or can be made online at www.svdpcincinnati.org.

For additional information, please contact St. Vincent de Paul at 513-562-8841, ext. 225

January 2, 2009 - Cincinnati.com / ULMER'S OFFERS CAR CARE FOR A CAUSE

On the heels of a successful partnership this summer, Ulmer's Auto Care is once again teaming up with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

During January, $5 from every oil change at Ulmer's in Anderson Township or Milford will be donated to SVDP food pantries.

Bryan Kauffeld, service manager for both locations, said the first "The Oil Change That Gives Back" partnership in August 2008 raised $2,130 for the charity.

"St. Vincent de Paul is a wonderful organization and they have (thrift store) locations close to ours," he said. "This is absolutely something that we plan on doing and will have an ongoing relationship for many years to come."

The oil change promotion last summer enabled the organization to further serve the local community and Liz Carter, executive director of the Cincinnati Council of SVDP, said they are proud to partner with Ulmer's Auto Care again.

"This year, there are so many people in suburban and blue-collar neighborhoods being affected by the economic challenges - people who have never before had to ask for help," she said in a press release.

"(This) is a simple way to help, and we couldn't be more grateful to Ulmer's and their customers."

Ulmer's is located at 6389 Salem Road in Anderson and 700 Lila Ave. in Milford.

About St. Vincent de Paul

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has helped Greater Cincinnati and Hamilton County residents in need with the basic necessities of life for nearly 140 years, the release said.

Its food pantries feed more than 50,000 people annually, with close to half being children.

SVDP works personally with those in need, regardless of race or creed, to bridge the spiritual, emotional and financial gaps in their lives through initiatives such as the Charitable Pharmacy and home visits by neighborhood-based volunteer groups.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was recently recognized as a Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics winner by The Better Business Bureau and by The CincinnatiUSA Regional Chamber of Commerce as Nonprofit of the Year, the release said.

Visit www.svdpcincinnati.org or call 562-8841 for details.

January 2009 - Pharmacy Today "Rx Help for Needy Patients" Click here to read Pharmacy Today article, January 2009

WKRC - Channel 12 - SVDP Charitable Pharmacy Segment

December 18, 2008 - Cincinnati.com / ST. VINCENT DE PAUL AND WLWT CHANNEL 5 ANNOUNCE 5 CARES COAT DRIVE RESULTS

5,352 COATS COLLECTED FOR LOCAL NEIGHBORS IN NEED

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul and WLWT Channel 5 collected 5,352 new and gently-used coats during the 8th annual 5 Cares Coat Drive between October 21 and December 2, 2008, with the help of collection partner Gold Star Chili, City Dash and fire departments in Greater Cincinnati. The total collection surpassed the goal by over 30%.

St. Vincent de Paul supplies coats to its own clients, as well as to other agencies that also work directly with those in need. "Thanks to the generous community support and our corporate partners, we are able to provide coats to help our neighbors in need - and a large number of children in need - to help them stay warm this winter," said Liz Carter, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul.

This project is made possible by the firefighters and volunteers who collect the coats, transport, sort and distribute the coats, and the generosity of area residents.

For more information about donating or getting involved, please call St. Vincent de Paul at 513-562-8841, ext. #225, or visit www.svdpcincinnati.org.

About St. Vincent de Paul

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) has been helping Greater Cincinnati and Hamilton County residents in need with the basic necessities of life for nearly 140 years. The organization works personally with those in need, regardless of race or creed, to bridge the spiritual, emotional and financial gaps in their lives through home visits provided by neighborhood-based volunteer groups, and groundbreaking initiatives like the Charitable Pharmacy. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul continues to be a leading community service organization, recently recognized by The Better Business Bureau (BBB) as a Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics winner and by The CincinnatiUSA Regional Chamber of Commerce as Non-Profit of the Year. For more information, go to www.svdpcincinnati.org.

November 20, 2008 - American Towns.com / ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SEEKING HELP FROM COMMUNITY TO ENSURE 2,200 HAMILTON COUNTY FAMILIES RECEIVE FOOD

Financial Contributions and Donations of Non-Perishable Foods Are Desperately Needed.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will distribute Thanksgiving food packages to 2,200 needy families throughout Hamilton County prior to Thanksgiving. A gift of $ 25 is enough to provide a Thanksgiving dinner package for a family of four. Canned good donations are also needed. Volunteers will distribute the packages through St. Vincent de Paul food pantries in suburbs throughout Greater Cincinnati, or by delivering the meals directly to the homes of those being helped. Because St. Vincent de Paul's assistance emphasizes the importance of family, groceries are distributed so families can cook and share a Thanksgiving meal in their own homes. "The current economic conditions are taking a toll. We are seeing people who have never asked for help before - people being affected by job layoffs and pay-cuts", noted Liz Carter, St. Vincent de Paul Executive Director. Food donations can be made at St. Vincent de Paul's Edyth and Carl Lindner Choice Food Pantry, 1125 Bank Street in the West End. Financial contributions can be sent to: Society of St. Vincent de Paul, 1125 Bank Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45214, or can be made online at www.svdpcincinnati.org. For additional information, please contact St. Vincent de Paul at 513-562-8841, ext. 225. About St. Vincent de Paul The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) has been helping Greater Cincinnati and Hamilton County residents in need with the basic necessities of life for nearly 140 years. The organization works personally with those in need, regardless of race or creed, to bridge the spiritual, emotional and financial gaps in their lives through home visits provided by neighborhood-based volunteer groups, and groundbreaking initiatives like the Charitable Pharmacy. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul continues to be a leading community service organization, recently recognized by The Better Business Bureau (BBB) as a Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics winner and by The CincinnatiUSA Regional Chamber of Commerce as Non-Profit of the Year. For more information, go to www.svdpcincinnati.org.

November 15, 2008 - Cincinnati Enquirer / THRIFT STORE NEEDS UP, BUT DONATIONS DOWN

Ed Oxley, a 61-year-old Springdale resident, is a regular thrift store shopper who has seen traffic surge at his favorite second-hand shop, the flagship Goodwill center in Woodlawn.

"The place was packed during back-to-school, and I'm seeing more of a cross-section of society; more rich people. You ought to see some of the cars driving out of here," said Oxley, as he checked out a used foosball game, which he eventually bought for $30.

As the slowing economy squeezes household budgets, many more people are turning to thrift stores to stretch their dollars.

But while tight credit and other economic hardships have generated increased foot traffic, thrift stores sponsored by nationwide giants Goodwill, Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul have seen cutbacks in donations - their main source of inventory - tied to those same economic conditions.

"People are not changing out their living rooms - their furniture," said Liz Carter, executive director of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the West End. "That's where we've really seen it. We're getting fewer donations of dishes, pots and pans, curtains and towels.

"People are just trying to ride out the times with what they have."

In far-flung thrift stores like the Williamsburg Goodwill, the lack of donations has hit hard.

"You can't sell stuff if there isn't good stuff to put out there," said Stephanie Marcum, lead cashier.

In the southern territory of the Salvation Army thrift and family stores, which consists of 15 states, including Kentucky, donations are down by as much as 20 percent, said Melissa Temme, public relations director at the Salvation Army's headquarters in Alexandria, Va.

But nationwide, sales have risen 5 percent to 15 percent in recent months, according to Salvation Army figures.

"As people hold on to items but want to shop at thrift stores more, eventually we'll have a problem with getting items to sell," she said. "We may have the shoppers but not the items."

In the meantime, local thrifts are hustling to meet demand, including all five Northern Kentucky St. Vincent de Paul stores, in Newport, Dayton, Falmouth, Carrollton and Crescent Springs, where combined sales have doubled since last year, said director Pat Corry.

"Some days we've had as many as 300 people come through the door at Crescent Springs," she said, adding that increased marketing may be helping. "Three years ago, a great day was 75 people."

Goodwill offers no statistics on local revenues, but year-to-year trends show that the annual customer count in the region has risen by 22 percent from 2005 to 2007, from 951,674 to 1.16 million.

"It's a rough economy," said George Palmer, director of public relations and marketing for Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries Rehabilitation Center, 10600 Springfield Pike in Woodlawn. "Donations are coming in, but we always need more donations.

" In response to the slowdown in donations and the growing need for social services, the Salvation Army is introducing the sort of national advertising and marketing campaign used by department stores and specialty retailers.

Salvation Army officials believe that if more Americans were reminded that the money generated by thrift stores goes toward drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, they would be more likely to make donations. The campaign would include fliers, signs, new logos on trucks and radio and television advertisements.

The campaign will target donors and shoppers, including those who once shopped daily or multiple times a week for vintage treasures but are making fewer trips.

Then there are those who have stopped buying entirely or are buying only when there are promotions, leading a few thrift stores to experience a dip in sales and donations this year.

Some days, Mike Irvin looks around the Good Stuff, his eclectic secondhand toy, furniture and home accessories warehouse store in Camp Washington, and wonders: Where have all his customers gone?"

"Our business has really dropped in the past year," said Irvin, a 32-year-old Covedale resident who owns the store with his wife, Erika.

And for those on the bottom rung of the economy - people who are facing or have been foreclosed upon - fewer items being donated means no good way to start over again.

"Last week I saw a family of eight that was homeless and they had nothing to sleep on," the St. Vincent de Paul Society's Carter said.

The donation deficit really hit home this time. "One twin bed was all we had to give to them," Carter said. "I've been here nine years, I've never seen it as bad as this."

November 15, 2008 - Cincinnati Enquirer / MEIJER, CAMPBELL DONATE $10,000 TO ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

Meijer and Campbell Soup Company are officially wrapping up Meijer's involvement in the 2008 Stamp Out Hunger food drive with a $10,000 donation to the Cincinnati Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to help provide meals for the hungry. The announcement was made today by Hank Meijer, Chief Executive Officers of Meijer.

Each year, Campbell joins forces with the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) to Stamp Out Hunger! across America, and partners with grocery retailers to help encourage participation.

Stamp Out Hunger!, is the nation's largest single-day food drive, having collected more than 900 million pounds of food since its inception in 1993.

"Meijer is very pleased to partner with Campbell on this great program," said Tony Jones, market director for Meijer. "It is especially gratifying when a national program such as Stamp Out Hunger! can help people at the local level and have such a dramatic impact on the communities Meijer serves."

The various programs of the local Society of St. Vincent de Paul help people in need with basic necessities such as food, clothing, rent, utilities and furniture. Its safety net extends into virtually every neighborhood in Cincinnati, as more than 750 members and volunteers visit people in need in their homes.

"This year's Stamp Out Hunger! program was our most successful yet," said Dave Brady, Vice President of Customer Team Regional Accounts for Campbell. "More than 73 million pounds of food were collected. Although this is a national initiative, it can only be successful when we partner with retailers at the grass-roots level to get food into the hands of those who need it the most."

The Stamp Out Hunger! program is a nationwide food drive which encourages U.S. Postal Service customers to leave non-perishable food donations for pick-up by their local letter carriers.

This year, more than 230,000 letter carriers participated in the May 10 initiative, making 2008 the most successful year for the program since its inception.

November 13, 2008 - Cincinnati Enquirer / BBB TORCH AWARDS

Twelve businesses and nonprofit organizations were lauded for "doing the right thing" to conduct business in an ethical manner at a gala recently at Music Hall.

Torch Award winners were cited for integrity in creating a corporate business climate that embraces trustworthiness, fair play, honest competition, and truth in advertising, according to the Better Business Bureau.

In the Business category, winners were Neyer Properties (1-20 employees); Nixco Plumbing, Inc. (21-100 employees); Colliers Turley Martin Tucker (101-250 employees) and Messer Construction Company (251-plus employees).

In the nonprofit category, winners were Visions Community Services (revenues under $5 million); and St. Vincent de Paul - Cincinnati (revenues over $5 million).

Honorees were businesses Clark-Theders Insurance Agency, Inc., Olympic Contracting, Inc., Spectrum, Inc., and Best Upon Request.

Nonprofit agencies lauded were The LAM Foundation and Northern Kentucky Action Commission.

"We're honored to be recognized along with our peers for our attempts to create an environment within our organization that reinforces our commitment to conducting business ethically," said Dan Neyer, Neyer Properties president.

"The Torch Award encompasses the spirit and tradition of the BBB unlike anything else," said Jocile Ehrlich, BBB president. "It recognizes and honors businesses and organizations who fully commit themselves to ethical practices in all aspects of their business dealings."

November 13, 2008 - American Towns.com / SVDP Kicks Off Food From The Heart; Kroger Donates Over $2,000 In Canned Goods

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, in cooperation with The Kroger Co. and FOX19 television, kicked off of the annual Food From The Heart campaign November 12, 2008 at the Hyde Park Plaza Kroger store. Kroger donated over $2,000 worth of canned goods to jumpstart the drive. The holiday food drive will run through December 31, 2008, with donations of non-perishable items being collected at all Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Kroger locations. The food collected will be distributed to individuals in need throughout the holiday season. Cash donations to support St. Vincent de Paul can also be made at checkout at all participating Kroger stores for the duration of the campaign. Pictured left to right: Geoff Covert, President Cincinnati-Dayton Marketing Division, The Kroger Co., and resident of Montgomery; Liz Carter, Executive Director, St. Vincent de Paul and Mt. Washington resident; Frank Marzullo, Meteorologist, FOX19 FirstWeather team & Mt. Adams resident.

October 31, 2008 - Business Courier / Helping Out

Society of St. Vincent de Paul will host "Clean Out & Donate" weekends in November to collect donations for its local thrift stores at the participating churches: Nov. 1-2 at St. Gertrude, Madeira, St. Jude, Bridgetown and St. Antoninus, Western Hills; Nov. 8-9 at St. Dominic, Delhi; Nov. 22-23 at St. Maximilian Kolbe, West Chester and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Reading; and Nov. 29-30 at St. Mary, Hyde Park. For more information visit www.svdpcincinnati.org or call (513) 421-2273.

September 30, 2008 - American Towns.com / SVDP Pharmacy Receives Gift From Butler Cty. Pharmacists Assn.

Mike Puccini, R. Ph. of the Butler County Pharmacists Association presents Mike Espel, R. Ph. of the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy with a $1,000 check from the proceeds of BCPA's charity golf outing. Mr. Puccini resides in Ross, Ohio and Mr. Espel lives in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. The SVDP Charitable Pharmacy, which opened in September 2006, is the only pharmacy in southeast Ohio dedicated to providing completely free medication and professional pharmaceutical care to people in need from Hamilton, Butler, Warren and Clermont counties.

September 24, 2008 - Clermont Community Journal / SVDP hosts clean-out, donate weekend

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will host "Clean Out & Donate" Weekends in October to collect donations for its local thrift stores at several Greater Cincinnati churches.

Each location will have a SVDP Thrift Store truck on-site on Saturdays and Sundays. The truck will be attended before and after Sunday church services for donor-convenience.

Donations of gently-used furniture, clothing, shoes, handbags, home décor, toys and household items are urgently needed to stock the new Mason Thrift Store, and SVDP's five other area thrift stores.

The local "Clean Out & Donate" will be Oct. 25 and 26 at St. Veronica in Mount Carmel.

Proceeds from sales at SVDP's local thrift stores support the organization's mission of local neighbors helping neighbors. For all St. Vincent de Paul thrift store locations and hours, visit www.svdpcincinnati.org.

September 11, 2008 - American Towns.com / ST. VINCENT DE PAUL FAN DRIVE EXCEEDS GOAL: NEARLY 650 PEOPLE HELPED WITH FANS & AIR CONDITIONERS

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP), in cooperation with WCPO-TV Channel 9, Huntington Bank, Coney Island, Papa John's Pizza and Cincinnati Firefighters Union Local 48, recently concluded their annual summer fan drive. Thanks to the generosity of the community at large, St. Vincent de Paul distributed 521 fans and 108 air conditioners to those in need throughout the summer through its neighborhood parish organizations, West End ministry center, and a variety of other social service organizations. The fan drive kicked off at Coney Island on June 13 with a goal to collect 500 fans and 75 air conditioners. St. Vincent de Paul's thrift stores and Coney Island acted as drop off sites for fan & air conditioner collection. Monetary donations were also collected at Huntington Banks to purchase fans and air conditioners as needed, and Papa John's Pizza conducted an all-day pizza drive on July 10, donating $1 for every pizza sold that day. "For a second year, we had a waiting list due to the extensive need in the community. There continue to be a significant number of elderly, the very young & people with health issues that are helped as result of the effort," said Liz Carter, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul. About St. Vincent de Paul The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) has been helping Greater Cincinnati and Hamilton County residents in need with the basic necessities of life for nearly 140 years. The organization works personally with those in need, regardless of race or creed, to bridge the spiritual, emotional and financial gaps in their lives through home visits provided by neighborhood-based volunteer groups, and groundbreaking initiatives like the Charitable Pharmacy. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul continues to be a leading community service organization, recently recognized by The CincinnatiUSA Regional Chamber of Commerce as Non-Profit of the Year. For more information, go to www.svdpcincinnati.org.

September 4, 2008 - Cincy Not-for-Profit News / News and Organizationse

The Prescription for Fun Charity Golf Outing to benefit the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy, with nearly 90 golfers and more than 20 corporate sponsors supported the event and raised over $14,000 for the Charitable Pharmacy. This is the only pharmacy in southwest Ohio dedicated to providing completely free medication and professional, pharmaceutical care to people in need from Hamilton, Butler, Warren and Clermont counties.

September 1, 2008 -Express Cincinnati / RetroFittings puts twist on past styles for SVDP

RetroFittings, the popular cutting-edge fundraiser that transforms castoff styles into high fashion, benefits the Society of St. Vincent de Paul on Thursday evening, Oct. 9, at the 20th Century Theatre in Oakley.

The sixth annual event is presented in partnership with the University of Cincinnati fashion program, whose students create styles from items found in St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores.

It features a raffle, music, light food and a cash bar. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets: $25 or $10, with a student ID card, or $30 at the door. For more information, call 562-8841.

Sponsors include Krombholz Jewelers, Huntington Banks, Cristofoli-Keeling, Inc., Deloitte, Integra, and Bang Zoom Design, Ltd.

Last year's event raised over $25,000 for St. Vincent de Paul, up 50 percent from the previous year's total proceeds.

August 28, 2008 - American Towns.com / ST. VINCENT DE PAUL THRIFT STORES ANNOUNCE CONVENIENT "CLEAN-OUT & DONATE" WEEKENDS IN SEPTEMBER

All Donations Benefit Local Neighbors In Need The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will host CLEAN OUT & DONATE Weekends in September to collect donations for its local thrift stores at several Greater Cincinnati churches. Each location will have a SVDP Thrift Store truck on-site on Saturdays and Sundays; the truck will be attended before and after Sunday church services for donor-convenience - donor receipts will also be provided. Donations of gently-used furniture, clothing, shoes, handbags, home décor, toys and household items are urgently needed to stock the new Mason Thrift Store, and SVDP's five other area thrift stores. Donations and thrift store sales help our local neighbors in need.

Clean Out and Donate Weekends for September will be:

September 6 & 7 - Good Shepherd, Montgomery and Nativity, Pleasant Ridge

September 13 & 14 - All Saints, Montgomery, Our Mother of Sorrows, Roselawn, and St. Margaret of York, Loveland

September 20 & 21 - St. James of the Valley, Wyoming, Corpus Christi, New Burlington, and St. Vivian, Finneytown

September 27 & 28 - St. John the Baptist, Dry Ridge, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Anderson Township, and Our Lady of Visitation, Mack

Proceeds from sales at SVDP's local thrift stores support the organization's mission of local neighbors helping neighbors. Staff and volunteers visit people throughout Greater Cincinnati and often see people in the most dire circumstances -- parents needing a crib for a newborn baby, families who have lost everything they own to a fire or foreclosure or children needing school clothes or a coat to stay warm. St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores have been recognized as Best in Cincinnati by Cincinnati Magazine. For all St. Vincent de Paul thrift store locations and hours, visit www.svdpcincinnati.org St. Vincent de Paul accepts donations of gently used clothing, household items, furniture and cars year-round. All six thrift stores offer convenient donation drop-boxes; accept drop-off donations during store hours of operation, or pick-ups can be scheduled by calling 513-421-CARE (2273). Tax receipts will be provided for donated items. About St. Vincent de Paul The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) has been helping Greater Cincinnati and Hamilton County residents in need with the basic necessities of life for nearly 140 years. The organization works personally with those in need, regardless of race or creed, to bridge the spiritual, emotional and financial gaps in their lives through home visits provided by neighborhood-based volunteer groups, and groundbreaking initiatives like the Charitable Pharmacy. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul continues to be a leading community service organization, recently recognized by The CincinnatiUSA Regional Chamber of Commerce as Non-Profit of the Year. For more information, go to www.svdpcincinnati.org.

August 6, 2008 - Forest Hills Journal / Anderson ladies keep Cincinnati cool

The Anderson Hills Women's Club is a little organization with a huge heart, and this summer, they have made a huge difference for a few Cincinnati residents.

This group of 26 women from the Anderson area donated $500 last month to St. Vincent de Paul's annual Fan Drive, which provides air conditioning units to needy families during Cincinnati's sweltering summer months.

The Women's Club donation furnished five air conditioners at $100 apiece and, to their delight, the vendor threw in a sixth for free.

"We were tickled to death about that," said Sharon Perry, four-term co-president of the Anderson Hills Women's Club.

The organization has existed in various incarnations since 1960, and many of the original members, now in their 70s, are still active.

This continuity results in a strong bond of camaraderie among the members. The club's motto is "Friendship With A Cause," an expression that rings especially true for Perry.

"We have fun and we enjoy each other," she said, "but we're really there to serve our community."

And serve they do, contributing money, material goods and service hours to a broad range of organizations such as Meals on Wheels, which delivers hot meals to people in need, and Bridge of Hope, which provides confidential support services to victims of domestic violence.

"We serve our community where we see the need," Perry said.

With efforts like the Fan Drive, though, the Women's Club's service extends beyond the scope of the Anderson Township community, even with the limitations of low membership.

"It can be done, you just have to have the desire," said Perry. "If there's a need.we'll reach out."

Projects like the air conditioning drive highlight the spirit of outreach, as do nationwide efforts like their sponsorship of a friend who needed travel money for a post-Katrina service trip to New Orleans.

Next on the calendar for the Anderson Hills Women's Club is their upcoming fifth-annual charity gala.

This year, the theme is "Sophisticated Lady," and the evening will consist of a catered dinner and a fashion show put on by Coldwater Creek.

Proceeds from the benefit will be divided among three food pantries with which the Women's Club is actively involved: Southeastern Ecumenical Ministries (SEM), Inter-Parish Ministry and Anderson Senior Center Meals on Wheels.

Last year, the event raised more than $9,000 for the three charities.

Perry, chairwoman of the planning committee, hopes to top that this year with help from her fellow "friends with a cause."

"Those girls have joined behind me and given me so much support," she said. "I'm thrilled to death."

August 4, 2008 - Cincinnati.com / Ulmer's partners with SVDP

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Cincinnati Thrift Stores is partnering with Ulmer's Auto Care, with locations in Anderson Township and Milford, on "The Oil Change That Gives Back" program.

Ulmer's will donate $5 from every oil change performed in August to SVDP Thrift Stores.

Both Ulmer's locations also will have SVDP Thrift Store blue donation boxes for anyone who wants to drop off clothing or household items.

Ulmer's Auto Care Centers are in Anderson Township at 6389 Salem Road, on the corner of Salem and Beacon roads, and in Milford at 700 Lila Ave., at the Five Points intersection where Ohio 28 and U.S. 50 connect.

July 31, 2008 - American Towns.com / SVDP Receives $6,200 Gift From Papa John's For Annual Fan Drive

Papa John's Pizza local franchisee Kevin Ellis, a resident of Florence, KY, recently presented a check for $6,200 to St. Vincent de Paul, accepted by Liz Carter, executive director, and a resident of Mt. Washington, to support the organization's annual fan drive helping to provide relief from the heat this summer to those in need. Papa John's raised the funds by conducting an all-day pizza drive on July 10, donating $1 for every pizza purchased. This is the fourth year that Papa John's has partnered with SVDP to support the fan drive, with this year's event raising the most ever. WCPO-TV serves as the drive's media partner. Greater Cincinnati residents can continue to help local families in need by donating a fan or new window air conditioner now through August 10, 2008 at any of the St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores in Hamilton County & Northern Kentucky. Monetary donations are being accepted at any Huntington Bank branch. For SVDP thrift store locations in Hamilton County, more information about the SVDP Fan Drive, or other ways to donate, contact St. Vincent de Paul at 513-562-8841, ext. #225, or go to ww.SVDPcincinnati.org.

July 31, 2008 - American Towns.com / ST. VINCENT DE PAUL THRIFT STORES ANNOUNCE CONVENIENT "CLEAN-OUT & DONATE" WEEKENDS IN AUGUST

All Donations Benefit Local Neighbors In Need

Society of St. Vincent de Paul will host "CLEAN OUT & DONATE" Weekends in August to collect donations for its local thrift stores at several Greater Cincinnati churches. Each location will have a SVDP Thrift Store truck on-site on Saturdays and Sundays; the truck will be attended before and after Sunday church services for donor-convenience - donor receipts will also be provided. Donations of gently-used furniture, clothing, shoes, handbags, home décor, toys and household items are urgently needed to stock the new Mason Thrift Store, and SVDP's five other area thrift stores. Donations and thrift store sales help our local neighbors in need.

"Clean Out & Donate" Weekends for August will be:

August 9 & 10 - St. Gabriel, Glendale and St. Martin of Tours, Cheviot

August 16 & 17 - St. Teresa of Avila, Covedale and St. Clare, College Hill

August 23 & 24 - Our Lady of Victory, Delhi and St. Cecilia, Oakley

Proceeds from sales at SVDP's local thrift stores support the organization's mission of local neighbors helping neighbors. "St. Vincent de Paul Thrift stores are an integral part of the community, providing essential items to people in need - families on tight budgets, the elderly on fixed incomes, the working poor and others. Those who need help most receive no-cost goods at our stores through a voucher system. In addition, every purchase made by bargain hunters supports our local efforts directly. Dollars spent at our thrift stores help needy families keep their lights on, food on the table and a roof over their heads", noted Prentice Carter, Director of Operations, St. Vincent de Paul Stores. St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores have been recognized as 'Best in Cincinnati' by Cincinnati Magazine.

For all St. Vincent de Paul thrift store locations & hours, visit www.svdpcincinnati.org. St. Vincent de Paul accepts donations of gently used clothing, household items, furniture and cars year-round. All six thrift stores offer convenient donation drop-boxes; accept drop-off donations during store hours of operation, or pick-ups can be scheduled by calling 513-421-CARE (2273). Tax receipts will be provided for donated items. About St. Vincent de Paul The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) has been helping Greater Cincinnati and Hamilton County residents in need with the basic necessities of life for nearly 140 years. The organization works personally with those in need, regardless of race or creed, to bridge the spiritual, emotional and financial gaps in their lives through home visits provided by neighborhood-based volunteer groups, and groundbreaking initiatives like the Charitable Pharmacy. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul continues to be a leading community service organization, recently recognized by The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce as Non-Profit of the Year. For more information, go to www.svdpcincinnati.org.

July 17, 2008 - Cincinnati Enquirer / St. Vincent de Paul needs fans

St. Vincent de Paul is getting more than 50 calls a day from people looking for fans or air conditioners to beat the heat, executive director Liz Carter says. The agency wants donations of fans, new air conditioners or money to bolster its annual fan drive. The drive ends Aug. 10. Money can be donated at any Huntington Bank branch. Donors will get 20 percent discount coupons good at any of St. Vincent de Paul's six Hamilton County thrift stores. Fans and air conditioners can be dropped off at any of the agency's thrift stores. For information in Ohio, call 513-562-8841, ext. 225, or visit www.svdpcincinnati.org. In Northern Kentucky, call 859-341-3212.

July 2, 2008 - American Towns.com / St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores Announce Convenient "Clean-Out & Donate" Weekends in July

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will host "CLEAN OUT & DONATE" Weekends in July to collect donations for its local thrift stores at several Greater Cincinnati churches. Each location will have a SVDP Thrift Store truck on-site on Saturdays and Sundays; the truck will be attended before and after Sunday church services for donor-convenience - donor receipts will also be provided. Donations of gently-used furniture, clothing, shoes, handbags, home décor, toys and household items are urgently needed to stock the new Mason Thrift Store, and SVDP's five other area thrift stores. Donations and thrift store sales help our local neighbors in need. "Clean Out & Donate" Weekends for July will be: July 12 & 13 - Assumption, Mt. Healthy and St. Peter & Paul, Reading; July 19 & 20 - St. John Neumann, Pleasant Run and St. Frances de Sales, Lebanon; July 26 & 27 - St. Gertrude, Madeira and St. Bernard, Spring Grove Village. Proceeds from sales at SVDP's local thrift stores support the organization's mission of local neighbors helping neighbors. Staff and volunteers visit people throughout Greater Cincinnati and often see people in the most dire circumstances -- parents needing a crib for a newborn baby, families who have lost everything they own to a fire or foreclosure or children needing school clothes or a coat to stay warm. St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores have been recognized as 'Best in Cincinnati' by Cincinnati Magazine. For all St. Vincent de Paul thrift store locations & hours, visit www.svdpcincinnati.org. St. Vincent de Paul accepts donations of gently used clothing, household items, furniture and cars year-round. All six thrift stores offer convenient donation drop-boxes; accept drop-off donations during store hours of operation, or pick-ups can be scheduled by calling 513-421-CARE (2273). Tax receipts will be provided for donated items.

June 27, 2008 - Business Courier / Helping Out

St. Vincent de Paul has announced the "Prescription for Fun 9-Hole Charity Golf Outing" to benefit the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy will be held Aug. 7, 1:30 p.m. at the Elks Run Golf Course in Batavia. Information, Julie Rack, (513) 562-8841.

June 24, 2008 - Business Courier / AstraZeneca to supply St. Vincent de Paul pharmacy

AstraZeneca PLC announced it will provide free medications to St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy in Cincinnati.

The AZ&Me Prescription Savings program provides medicines free to charitable pharmacies, community free clinics, community health centers, hospitals and other qualifying facilities that serve the uninsured.

"(AstraZeneca) has a strong commitment to ensuring that patients who need our medications have access to them," said Karissa Laur, director of patient assistance programs for the company (NYSE: AZN), whose products include the mental health drug Seroquel, the cholesterol medicine Crestor and the reflux disease pill Nexium.

Last year United Kingdom-based AstraZeneca provided more than $500 million in savings to patients through its charitable programs, helping nearly a half-million patients, Laur said. In Ohio it provided $20 million in savings to nearly 18,000 patients.

St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy, on Bank Street in the West End, helps the working poor, those who have lost their jobs and those experiencing a gap in their coverage. It gets medications from several sources, including long-term care pharmacies, physician samples and purchase of wholesale and generic medications.

AstraZeneca is the only pharmaceutical company so far that has "put us on the ground level and said, 'You're seeing the people we want to help, and we're going to empower you to do that,'" said Liz Carter, executive director of the pharmacy. "I think it will be a very significant resource."

The pharmacy, in partnership with Leadership Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Academy of Medicine, provides free medication to people in need from Hamilton, Butler, Warren and Clermont counties.

Since opening in September 2006, the pharmacy has filled 14,600 prescriptions valued at $1.3 million.

June 19, 2008 - American Towns.com / SVDP Fan Drive Kick Off @ Coney Island

St. Vincent de Paul, in cooperation with WCPO-TV Channel 9, Coney Island, Huntington Bank and Cincinnati Firefighters Union Local 48, recently kicked-off the 2008 Fan Drive at Coney Island. Greater Cincinnati residents are being asked to help local families in need by donating a fan, new window air conditioner or monetary contributions to support the annual fan drive. The goal for this year's fan drive is to collect 500 fans and 100 air conditioners to help provide proper cooling and ventilation to those in need, in the heat of the summer months. Huntington helped kick-off the fundraising effort by making a $1,000 financial contribution. Monetary donations will be accepted at all Huntington Bank branch locations throughout Greater Cincinnati through August 10, 2008. All donors making contributions at Huntington banks will receive 20% discount coupons good at any of the six Hamilton County St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores. For more information about the SVDP Fan Drive, please call 513-562-8841, ext. #225 or visit www.svdpcincinnati.org.

June 13, 2008 - Business Courier / Helping Out

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will host "Clean out & Donate" weekends throughout the month of June to collect donations for its local thrift stores at the following locations: June 14-15, St. Ann in Groesbeck and St. Margaret Mary in North College Hill; June 21-22, St. Phillip in Morrow; and June 28-29, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Bridgetown; St. John the Evangelist, Deer Park; and St. James, White Oak.

June 6, 2008 - Forest Hills Journal/Communitypress.com - Burridge Awarded For Years of Service

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) Council of Cincinnati recently honored volunteers and members who exemplify a spirit of kindness and humility in their service to others at its Annual Fellowship Banquet.

Rev. Jim Bok celebrated the Mass at St. Joseph Church. Cincinnati City Manager Milton Dohoney Jr. was the guest speaker.

Each year SVDP, an organization that's more than 700 volunteers strong, recognizes outstanding work in the Cincinnati community with awards in several categories: Top Hat Award, honoring a St. Vincent de Paul volunteer; the Ozanam Award, honoring a volunteer who is not a member of St. Vincent de Paul but exemplifies the spirit of compassion; and the Fire of Faith Award, which honors a volunteer for his or her spiritual leadership. Service awards are also bestowed for length of service.

Four SVDP volunteers received length of service awards, totaling nearly 200 years of service. They are Dick Deidesheimer of St. Margaret Mary and a resident of North College Hill; Paul Wesseler and Ed Saur from St. James in Wyoming and Charles Burridge of Guardian Angel Church and a resident of Mount Washington.

June 6, 2008 - Eastern Hills Journal/Communitypress.com - Stayton Awarded Ozanam Award

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul(SVDP) Council of Cincinnati recently honored volunteers and members who exemplify the spirit of kindness and humility in their service to others at its Annual Fellowship Banquet.

Rev. Jim Bok celebrated the Mass at St. Joseph Church. Cincinnati City Manager Milton Dohoney Jr. was the guest speaker.

Juanita Stayton of Pleasant Ridge was awarded this year's Ozanam Award for her many years of service in the Pleasant Ridge and Kennedy Heights communities.

For the last 25 years Stayton has worked at the Caring Place helping those in need of clothing and food. She is a frequent visitor at nursing homes playing bingo and providing refreshments.

At Nativity Church she volunteer as a sacristan and a Eucharistic minister. After daily mass she joins other parishioners to pray the rosary. Juanita has taught CCD at Nativity and has been a long time member of the St. Ann's Society. Stayton's life journey exemplifies quiet, humble service to the Gospel.

May 30, 2008 - Communitypress.com / Charity to collect donations in Deer Park

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will conduct a "Clean Out and Donate" weekend Saturday, June 28, and Sunday, June 29, at St. John the Evangelist in Deer Park to collect donations for its local thrift stores.

A Society of St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store truck will be at the church both days to collect donations and a representative of the organization will attend the truck before and after Sunday church services.

Donations of gently used furniture, clothing, shoes, handbags, home décor, toys and household items are needed to stock the new Mason Thrift Store and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's five other area thrift stores.

Proceeds from sales at Society of St. Vincent de Paul's local thrift stores support the organization's mission of local neighbors helping neighbors.

Staff and volunteers visit people throughout Greater Cincinnati and often see people in the most dire circumstances - parents needing a crib for a newborn baby, families who have lost everything they own to a fire or foreclosure or children needing school clothes or coats to stay warm.

For all St. Vincent de Paul thrift store locations & hours, visit www.svdpcincinnati.org.

St. Vincent de Paul accepts donations of gently used clothing, household items, furniture and cars year-round.

All six thrift stores offer convenient donation drop-boxes; accept drop-off donations during store hours of operation, or pick-ups can be scheduled by calling 513-421-2273.

Tax receipts will be provided for donated items.

May 22, 2008 - Cincinnati Enquirer / Reds, St. Vincent de Paul team up for event

The Cincinnati Reds and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul are partnering to host a food drive Tuesday through June 1 during the Reds vs. Pirates and Reds vs. Braves series at Great American Ball Park.

Anyone donating a nonperishable food item will receive a ticket voucher for one ticket, when one ticket Is purchased, to the June 18 Reds vs. Dodgers game. In addition, each fan donating to the food drive can enter a drawing to throw out the first pitch at the June 18 game.

Food collection barrels and St. Vincent de Paul volunteers will be stationed at all ballpark gates before each game. One ticket voucher will be issued per person, per day regardless of the number of items donated.

The food drive goal is to collect 10,000 pounds of food, which will feed 3,500 people in our community for one day.

May 21, 2008 - Communitypress.com / SVDP OPENS IN MASON

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul opened its newest thrift store at 1065 Reading Road, just north of Western Row Road in Mason.

Official grand opening festivities are planned for Memorial Day weekend, and include complimentary refreshments and family entertainment plus an additional 20 percent off everything in the store.

Proceeds from sales at the new location, as well as from SVDP's five other local thrift stores, support the organization's mission of local neighbors helping neighbors.

The store is located in Mason Town Plaza near Tuesday Morning and Harbor Freight and features ample parking and a large selection of apparel and household items. Merchandise selection changes daily.

Store hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

St. Vincent de Paul accepts donations of gently used clothing, household items, furniture and cars. All locations offer donation drop-boxes and accept drop-off donations during business hours, or pick-ups can be scheduled by calling 421-2273. Tax receipts are provided for donated items.

May 15, 2008 - Cincy Not-for-Profit News / News

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul recently began a program to locate large blue metal donation drop-boxes in a variety of locations throughout Greater Cincinnati as a convenience for anyone who may want to donate gently used goods conveniently.

May 8, 2008 - Cincy Not-for-Profit News / News

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is opening its newest thrift store in Mason at 1065 Reading Road, just north of Western Row Road. Donations of gently used furniture, clothing, shoes, handbags, home décor/ toys and household items are urgently needed to stock this new store and help neighbors in need.

April 11, 2008 - Business Courier / Helping Out

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul and WGRR 103.5 have partnered for the sixth annual "Spring Cleaning Day" on April 12, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Tri-County Mall. St. Vincent de Paul will have a truck in the mall parking lot to collect gently used clothing, household items and furniture. All items will go directly to the six St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores. Donors will receive a coupon for a free chicken sandwich, courtesy of Chick-fil-A. Information, (513) 562-8841, ext. 217.

March 7, 2008 - Catholic Telegraph / St. Vincent de Paul work inspires Catholic school students
(by Eileen Connelly, OSU)

The Bank Street headquarters of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) of Greater Cincinnati was the scene for an educational and inspirational social action retreat for high school students on Feb. 22 and 23.

The retreat was conducted in conjunction with the Cincinnati chapter of the Catholic Social Teaching Action Team and was the first partnering of the two organizations.

According to Gary Horton of SVDP, 26 students from schools including St. Ursula, St. Xavier, Moeller, McNicholas and LaSalle took part in the event, which was designed to introduce them to the agency's ministry and expose them to the issue of poverty throughout the city.

The retreat began with the opportunity for the young people, who were divided into three groups, to visit several area homeless shelters - the City Gospel Mission, Salvation Army and Drop-Inn Center - where they served dinner and met with the clients. They then returned to Bank Street to reflect on their experiences and hear a presentation about St. Vincent de Paul himself and the work of the society.

The next day provided the students with the chance to accompany adult volunteers from SVDP on their home visits. During these visits, which emphasize person-to-person contact, the volunteers complete a need assessment and provide emergency assistance, such as food, clothing and help with utility bills, as required.

Upon returning to SVDP headquarters, the students again shared their experiences. They expressed what they had learned by creating posters with the help of Steve Sunderland, a professor in education and peace studies at the University of Cincinnati, whose Posters 4 Peace Project helps people draw out their feelings. The students then presented their posters and they were hung on the wall during a Mass, which concluded the retreat.

Horton believes the young people benefited from the experience in a variety of ways. "They discovered that poverty doesn't just exist in certain areas of the city," he said. "I think they also realized that even if people don't have a lot, they're not necessarily downtrodden. They're positive and grateful to have family and a roof over their heads. The students also realized that it doesn't take a major program to make a difference. Each of us has the ability to impact another person's life."

February 7, 2008 - WKRC-Local 12 News / Tax Value of Charity Donations

If you're working on your taxes you may be wondering about the value of some of those things you donated to charity. If you use tax software some programs suggest a value for old clothes or furniture. Local 12's Paula Toti puts those numbers to the test.

Would you pay $21 for an old jogging suit? I was looking at some Turbo Tax software that placed the value at $21 on the high side and $13 on the low side. A fair market value sheet put out by Goodwill has a woman's suit selling for $25.

As far as the IRS is concerned the value is what it would sell for in a thrift store. So we went shopping at one of several stores run by the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul.

We found formals and wedding dresses selling for about $13. Turbo Tax gives a range on a bridesmaid dress of $22 on the high side and $13 on the low end. Most adult clothes and even a rack of jeans we found selling for $3.99. "So your old Calvin Kleins you can't write off 50 dollars."

Turbo Tax does have a pretty high value on jeans .. $12 to $8 and even this guideline put out by Goodwill Industries values jeans at $6.99. I did find one pair at that price at St. Vincent De Paul where they tell people the IRS just wants taxpayers to be reasonable. "You know if it's a really nice item of clothing you wore once, you may value it higher than something that was your favorite pair of blue jeans."

And the IRS is pickier this year with what it allows in clothing. It has to be in good condition something someone really would wear. So no holes.

This year the IRS also requires a receipt for all deductions. Most charities just give you a receipt that shows you gave something ... it's up to you to place the value. "Where that changes is at the $500 level. So if you donate a single item, like a nice piece of furniture, then you're going to need an appraisal."

CPA'S say you're safe when keeping deductions under $500. In fact many use the guide list put out by Goodwill. so while Turbo Tax may be aggressive by calling a used halter top a $14 value ... it's not likely to get you an audit.

Some CPA's have even told me .. a whole bag stuffed with clothes you might value at $25. And to give you an idea of the thrift prices I saw an old sofa $85 .. and chairs about $15.

The folks at St Vincent De Paul say the items needed most include furniture, basic household items like pots and pans, and nice clothes people could wear to work.

January 18, 2008 - Cincinnati Enquirer / They're here to help, St. Vincent de Paul's Winton Hills office does basic charity, looks beyond to bootstrap aid (by Peggy O'Farrell)

Melinda Crawford and her neighbors, Leah Smiley and Mayciala Tolliver, have some ideas to make Winton Terrace a better place to live.

A day-care center would be nice, the women agreed, and that would make it easier for parents to get to work or attend school.

Some classes would be helpful, and give young parents a chance to learn budgeting, cooking meals and keeping a home clean.

And a youth center, someplace kids could hang out after school "instead of the corner," Crawford said, would be ideal.

Those are the kinds of ideas the staff at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul want to hear.

The agency, which helps poor families with a food pantry, emergency assistance and job training, has opened a satellite office in the subsidized apartment complex to help families there and in the surrounding Winton Hills area.

Executive Director Liz Carter said it is a new direction for the West End agency.

Most of the clients the agency serves from its Bank Street headquarters or through affiliated parishes need short-term help, Carter said: Money to pay the heat bill for a month or two, a week's worth of groceries, just something to tide them over until they get a new job or benefits kick in.

"That's what we do. That's what we're good at," Carter said. "That's what we know about and the people in Winton Terrace need it."

Some families in Winton Terrace and the neighboring apartment complexes of Silver Oaks and Findlater Gardens need longer-term help.

"The people we normally see have some foundation, a job, insurance, something, and they've just hit a rough patch," Carter said.

"Some of the people we'll be working with in Winton Hills don't necessarily have that dimension."

Since September, St. Vincent de Paul has operated in Winton Terrace out of the old Terrace Guild office in the complex's community building. The Terrace Guild closed in September when it ran out of money.

With the Terrace Guild gone, someone had to step in and help the 3,000 or so poor families in the area, Carter said.

For the last few months, LaMonica Sherman has run the satellite office, helping people pay bills, handing out bus tokens for doctor visits and job interviews and praying with families when they need hope as much, or maybe more, than food money or rent.

"It's not just people who are laying back and not trying to do anything with their lives here," Sherman said. "You've got people who are going to school and working and doing what they need to do. You've got grandmothers who are raising their grandchildren. You've got people who are working and living paycheck to paycheck."

Sherman, office receptionist Rochelle Wood and volunteer Bob Mierenfeld have set up a monthly bus trip so families in Winton Terrace and the surrounding neighborhood can visit St. Vincent de Paul's food pantry on Bank Street.

They've worked with Cincinnati Public Schools to keep a GED program open in Winton Terrace - a top priority when the agency moved into the complex.

Now, Mierenfeld said, they want to hear from the neighborhood about what other services they need.

On Feb. 21, St. Vincent de Paul staff will hold an open house in the Winton Terrace office so anyone in Winton Hills can advise them on what kind of long-term services are needed to help make the neighborhood a better, safer place.

They'll also set up advisory committees of apartment residents to guide long-term support services. Possibilities include job training, addiction counseling and programs geared specifically toward helping women become financially independent, Carter said.

"We really don't know what it's going to look like in the end," she said. The agency may team up with other social service organizations to offer programs, she said.

Smiley, who moved to Winton Terrace in September, and Tolliver, a five-year resident, are both enrolled in the GED program.

"It's so convenient to have it right here," Tolliver said. She hopes to attend Cincinnati State Technical and Community College and eventually open her own day-care center.

Smiley, who has two young sons, wants to become a massage therapist after she earns her GED.

"I don't drive," she said. "If I had to go to school somewhere else, it would really be a struggle."

Crawford, who is raising two of her grandchildren, hands out literature about St. Vincent de Paul's services to families as they move into Winton Terrace.

"It's such a positive thing to have them here, and it builds up the community when people know there's something here other than the violence they see on the news," she said. "Winton Hills is what you make of it. It can be a beautiful place to live, if that's what you want to make it."

December 21, 2007 - Business Courier / Bengals shop with kids as part of Adopt-A-Family

Bengals players, including kicker Shayne Graham took kids like DeMarrio Howard, Layona Schueler and Deonjelo Howard on a holiday shopping spree as part of the St. Vincent de Paul Adopt-A-Family program.

December 2007 - WLWT.com / Thanks For Helping The 5 Cares Coat Drive!

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul and WLWT Channel 5 conducted the 7th annual 5 Cares Coat Drive Monday, Oct. 22 through Dec. 7, presented by Cintas Corporation.

Greater Cincinnati residents were asked to donate new or gently-used coats by taking them to participating fire departments, select TriHealth locations, participating Gold Star Chili and Northern Kentucky Domino's Pizza locations -- with the goal of collecting a total of 4,000 coats. 5,890 coats were donated this year!

St. Vincent de Paul distributed the coats to those in need locally throughout the fall. With the support of the coat drive's newest partner, Metro, a public transit service of Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA), warming stations were available at the coat giveaways.

For the sixth year, Cintas donated 1,000 new coats valued at more than $45,000 to jump-start the collection. City Dash will support the effort by providing pick-up and delivery service.

"With the generous support of residents and our corporate partners, we hope to collect more than 4,000 coats to help our neighbors in need stay warm this winter," said Liz Carter, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul.

In 2006, 4,386 coats were donated by the community to the 5 Cares Coat Drive -- many of them brand new. As in past years, St. Vincent de Paul will supply coats to its own clients, as well as to other agencies that also work directly with those in need. There continues to be a greater need for children's coats.

"WLWT helped to create this annual coat drive with St. Vincent de Paul and continues to support the organization in any way possible. Serving people in need right here in our own community is a value our entire station rallies behind," said Richard Dyer, general manager of WLWT Channel 5.

This project is made possible by the firefighters and others who collect the coats, volunteers who transport, sort and distribute the coats, and of course, the generosity of area residents.

Participating fire departments include Anderson, Colerain, Deerfield, Green, Whitewater and Springfield Townships, Harrison, Hamilton, Forest Park, Milford, Blue Ash, Montgomery, Sharonville, Springdale, Fairfax-Madison Place, Loveland, Mariemont, Mt. Healthy, Mason and Little Miami. In Northern Kentucky, the Florence, Hebron, Alexandria, Newport, Ft. Thomas and Covington Fire Departments will accept donated coats. Northern Kentucky Domino's Pizza locations and participating Gold Star Chili locations will also have barrels to collect coats.

For more information about donating or helping with the drive, please call St. Vincent de Paul at 513-562-8841, ext. #26, or to learn how to receive a coat, call 421-0602. Visit St. Vincent de Paul online at www.svdpcincinnati.org.

November 30, 2007 - The New York Times & Nytimes.com / Food Banks, in a Squeeze, Tighten Belts

Food banks around the country are reporting critical shortages that have forced them to ration supplies, distribute staples usually reserved for disaster relief and in some instances close.

"It's one of the most demanding years I've seen in my 30 years" in the field, said Catherine D'Amato, president and chief executive of the Greater Boston Food Bank, comparing the situation to the recession of the late 1970s.

Experts attributed the shortages to an unusual combination of factors, including rising demand, a sharp drop in federal supplies of excess farm products, and tighter inventory controls that are leaving supermarkets and other retailers with less food to donate.

"We don't have nearly what people need, and that's all there is to it," said Greg Bryant, director of the food pantry in Sheffield, Vt.

"We're one step from running out," Mr. Bryant said.

"It kind of spirals," he added. "The people that normally donate to us have less, the retailers are selling to discount stores because people are shopping in those places, and now we have less food and more people. It's a double, triple, hit."

The Vermont Food Bank said its supply of food was down 50 percent from last year. "It's a crisis mode," said Doug O'Brien, the bank's chief executive.

For two weeks this month, the New Hampshire Food Bank distributed supplies reserved for emergency relief. Demand for food here is up 40 percent over last year and supply is down 30 percent, which is striking in the state with the lowest reliance on food banks.

"It's the price of oil, gas, rents and foreclosures," said Melanie Gosselin, executive director of the New Hampshire Food Bank.

Ms. Gosselin said household budget squeezes had led to a drop in donations and greater demand. "This is not the old 'only the homeless are hungry,'" she said. "It's working people."

Lane Kenworthy, a professor of sociology and political science at the University of Arizona, agreed, saying: "The overall picture is that household incomes are kind of stuck. There's very little way to increase income, and most people have a very heavy debt load. Any event that increases your costs is really, really troublesome, because you're already stretched thin."

The food bank in Manchester delivers provisions to a housing project each week, and on a recent Monday, Matthew Whooley, 26, of Manchester, was waiting in line with his wife, Penny, and their four children.

"Every week there's less and less food," Mr. Whooley said. "It used to be potatoes, meat and bread, and last week we got Doritos and flour. The food is getting shorter, and the lines keep getting longer."

In part, food banks are suffering because farmers are doing well. The food banks rely on supplies from the federal Agriculture Department's Bonus Commodity Program, which buys surplus crops like apples and potatoes from farmers.

"Right now, the agricultural economy is very strong and the surpluses aren't available for us to purchase," said Jean Daniel, a department spokeswoman. "Certainly we're empathetic, but unfortunately we cannot count on those bonus commodities every year."

Supplies from the surplus program dropped to $67 million worth last year, from $154.3 million in 2005 and $233 million in 2004. Figures for this year are not available, Ms. Daniel said.

Food bank operators are lobbying for passage of a farm bill currently stalled in the Senate that would raise emergency aid for food banks to $250 million a year, from $140 million. That figure has remained steady since 2002.

Susannah Morgan, executive director of the Food Bank of Alaska said, "The biggest problem is that the federal government's programs are dropping as need is growing."

Ms. Morgan said the decline has affected rural Alaska, where native tribes run most food pantries. She said about 10 percent of the state's rural food banks have closed because there is not enough federal help coming in.

"They don't feel staffing and heating is worth it for the small amount of food," Ms. Morgan said.

Further complicating the picture, Ms. Morgan and others said, is tighter inventory monitoring, which has left many stores with less to donate.

"They know exactly what they have, down to the can," said Darren Hoffman, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, whose supplies are down 11 percent this year. "They can track a lot better and don't order in bulk. Efficiency has kind of been the enemy of the food bank."

Extra food - items that are not selling or seasonal inventory that is no longer needed - is now often sold to low-cost retailers, said Tim Viall, executive director of the Greater Stockton Food Bank in Stockton, Calif.

"We're getting fewer canned goods than last year from retail grocers, because they're selling it to warehouse food stores," Mr. Viall said. "We're putting more reliance on canned food drives, and we're trying to ramp up the fresh fruit and produce. We are in the heart of one of the most productive agriculture areas in the world, and we're trying to take advantage." In places where community donations are down and there are no food manufacturers to solicit, pantries and food banks are making difficult choices. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul food pantry in Cincinnati is giving families less food this year because there is not enough. It has started to ask smaller families to take fewer products.

"Donations are down, and people who need help is up," said Liz Carter, executive director of the food bank. "So what are we going to do. We just made the decision that instead of giving people six or seven days worth of food, we're going to give them three or four days of food, which is a drop in the bucket."

Ginny Hildebrand, executive director of the Association of Arizona Food Banks, said many pantries were facing similar situations.

At a recent conference for food bank employees, Ms. Hildebrand said, "Everybody was saying the same thing. They're all hit by an increase in demand, all hit by the impact of the higher costs of food, and all hit by federal reductions. We just don't have the quantity of products available that we used to."

Ross Fraser, a spokesman for America's Second Harvest, which distributes more than two billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually, said the shortages at food banks were the worst the organization had seen in 26 years.

"Suddenly it's on everyone's radar," Mr. Fraser said. "Food banks are calling us and saying, 'My God, we have to get food.'"

November 28, 2007 - Downtowner Pulse / St. Vincent de Paul and Longworth Hall partner for food drive

This football season, St. Vincent de Paul and Longworth Hall are teaming up to collect food for those in need.

Prior to all remaining Bengals Sunday home games, St. Vincent de Paul volunteers will collect food and cash donations at Longworth Hall, 700 W. Pete Rose Way - the site of one of the largest tailgating parties in Cincinnati.

Collections of non-perishable foods - preferably canned goods - and cash donations will begin on game days from 9 a.m. to noon, Dec. 9 and 23.

Donation barrels will also be located along the Pete Rose Way entrance to Longworth Hall for those who would like to drop off an item. All collected donations will help keep St. Vincent de Paul's Food Pantry stocked during its busiest time of year.

Providing groceries to more than 500 Cincinnati families every month, the Bank Street Food Pantry is located off I-75 in the west end.

For more information about St. Vincent de Paul or the upcoming food drive, contact St. Vincent de Paul at (513) 562-8841 ext. 225, or visit www.svdpcincinnati.org. For information regarding tailgating or directions to Longworth Hall, call (513) 721-6000.

November 15, 2007 - Cincinnati Enquirer / Food pantries dealing with HARD TIMES, Area's relief agencies cutting back to stretch supplies (by Peggy O'Farrell)

Denise Arnold lost her job in July.

Her family helped her as long as it could, but this week, the Roselawn woman found herself at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's food pantry, walking aisle by aisle with volunteer Bob Barry to pick up enough canned vegetables, pasta, bread and cereal to get her through the next few weeks.

She's looking for another job. She's applied for food stamps and other help, but that's been slow in coming.

Since she's lost her job, Arnold has fallen behind on her rent, and she worries she and her disabled son might end up homeless.

"It's really been rough," she said. "I've been so scared."

At St. Vincent de Paul, the FreestoreFoodbank, Northern Kentucky's Brighton Center and other agencies, workers are hearing more stories like Arnold's.

Demand for help is up so much that FreestoreFoodbank and St. Vincent de Paul cut back the amount of food they send home with people so they can stretch their supplies.

"Right now, we're giving clients three or four days' worth of food, where before we gave them six or seven days' worth," said Liz Carter, executive director of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Greater Cincinnati. "It's horrible."

From June through September, 6,604 people went to St. Vincent de Paul's West End food pantry for help - an 18 percent increase from the same period n 2006, Carter said.

At the same time, donations dropped about 30 percent in the last year or so.

Job losses, coupled with higher costs for food, fuel and utilities, push some families over the edge, Carter said.

"Maybe a year or so ago they could make it," she said. "But these families live paycheck to paycheck, and the paycheck just won't stretch. It's like trying to cover up with a blanket that's too small."

At FreestoreFoodbank, clients are going home with six days' worth of food, as opposed to a seven-day supply two years ago, president and CEO John Young said.

Across the Ohio River in Kentucky, 159 new families came to Brighton Center's Family Center food pantry in Newport last month seeking help, said Denise Govan, director of the Family Center.

"These aren't your typical family of four with an income of $17,000," Govan said. "These are more, family of four with an income of $30,000."

Two things are sending more families to seek emergency food assistance, Govan said: "The economy and a crisis."

"You have families that are making ends meet, stretching their dollars, and then one of the breadwinners gets sick or loses a job and they're in a crisis," she said.

Last year, Young said his Over-the-Rhine food pantry distributed 10 million pounds of food in the 20-county region it serves - a 10 percent increase from 2005, he said.

While donations were up 10 percent, demand for food increased 50 percent. "So we're not keeping up with demand," he said.

The picture is not much rosier on a national level.

In 2006, more than 35 million Americans went hungry, the Associated Press reported Wednesday, compared to 35.1 million in 2005.

The report cited data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Census Bureau on people who reported they did not have enough money or resources to get food at some point last year.

FreestoreFoodbank kicked off its "Hunger is Unacceptable" fundraising drive Wednesday, with a goal to raise $1.4 million by the end of January. The Kroger Co. jump-started the drive with a $100,000 donation.

"We're asking the community to help people who are your neighbors, our neighbors, your family, our family, your friends, our friends, to have the basic necessities, the basic sustenance of food," Young said.

During Thanksgiving and Christmas, FreestoreFoodbank will distribute 500,000 pounds of food to provide holiday meals to more than 16,000 families, or some 37,500 individuals. Half of those individuals are children, Young said.

Also on Wednesday, social-service agencies in Northern Kentucky met to discuss how to pool resources and streamline aid, Govan said.

The newly formed Safety Net Alliance is working to identify and fill gaps in services, including food assistance, she said. One issue identified: none of Northern Kentucky's food pantries is open Saturdays.

"Crises happen on Saturday, too," she said.

November 8, 2007 - Catholic Telegraph / St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy grows in first year, Innovative program serves as state model to fill health care services

In the first full year of operation, the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy has cared for 467 people and dispensed a total of 4,521 prescriptions with a retail value of approximately $381,500. Prescription volume is increasing steadily with approximately 20 percent growth each month since the pharmacy opened.

Three years in the making, the SVDP Charitable Pharmacy, in partnership with Leadership Cincinnati and the Academy of Medicine, is the only pharmacy in southwest Ohio dedicated to providing completely free medication and professional pharmaceutical care to people in need from Hamilton, Butler, Warren and Clermont counties.

Those helped by the SVDP Charitable Pharmacy primarily include the working poor who cannot afford prescription insurance, those who have lost their jobs and those with Medicare coverage who have reached a gap in their coverage or have so many prescriptions they cannot afford pharmacy co-pays. Others need temporary assistance as they try to secure coverage or qualify for other assistance programs. Reaching a wide cross-section of those who are uninsured or underinsured, most referrals come from local clinics, private physicians, transitional housing, homeless shelters and hospital emergency rooms. Pharmacy staff members work to assess each individual's need for a "medical home" to receive follow-up and preventive care.

"The St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy is serving as a model for the state and has far exceeded my expectation to help bring free and reduced-cost prescription drugs to Ohio's neediest populations," said State Sen. Bob Schuler, who co-sponsored the legislation that allows charitable pharmacies to receive drug samples and dispense them as prescriptions. "This innovative, private sector initiative is clearly filling a gap in prescription care to those most in need," he added.

The pharmacy drug list has grown substantially since opening, allowing the pharmacy to fill more than 90 percent of prescriptions presented. Eight physician practices are currently donating pharmaceutical samples, which are being used to fill one-third of the prescriptions. Skilled Care and Keysource Medical donate generic drugs, which are being used to fill approximately half of all prescriptions. Limited purchase of wholesale and generic medications is helping to complete the formulary. In addition, students from the University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy are rotating through the Charitable Pharmacy for program credit, while pharmacy alumni, students and even professors are volunteering.

"We could not be this successful without the generosity of our partners, volunteers and donating physicians; however, we need more physician groups and other pharmacy resources involved to continue to serve this population," said Liz Carter, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul. "The Order of Malta provided significant financial support to get the pharmacy open, but as more people struggle to afford prescription medication, the support of the broader community is essential," she added.

Serving as a model for the creation of the SVDP Charitable Pharmacy in Cincinnati, the SVDP Community Pharmacy in Northern Kentucky has been operating for five years and has served 2,300 patients, dispensing more than 123,000 prescriptions with a retail value of more than $7.7 million. Both pharmacies in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are part of a growing national trend with other SVDP pharmacies operating in Louisiana, Florida and Mississippi.

The Charitable Pharmacy is currently accepting financial donations and donations of sample medication from physician offices. For more information or to get involved, contact Mike Espel at the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy, 513-562-8841, ext. 264.

October 2007 - Cincinnati Enquirer / Donate it: Help the needy

From 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. today, Give Back Cincinnati members will be collecting nonperishable food and clothing for St. Vincent de Paul services at Fountain Square, downtown, and Kroger stores in Western Hills, Queen City, and Hyde Park. At Vine and Fifth streets, downtown, members will unload donations from cars. www.givebackcincinnati.org

October 28, 2007 - Cincinnati Enquirer / RetroFittings, The Society of St. Vincent de Paul

RetroFittings, a fashion show fundraiser featuring creations by University of Cincinnati fashion design students from items found at St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores, took place at the 20th Century in Oakley. The fifth annual event featured students showing off their designs created on a $10 budget, as well as raffles of fashion-related merchandise, music and food.

Contributions from the capacity crowd of 450 raised $25,000 (50 percent more than last year) for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which helps Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky residents in need through home visits provided by neighborhood-based volunteer groups and initiatives such as the Charitable Pharmacy.

October 2007 - Fox 19.com / "Food from the Heart 2007"

This year, meteorologists Frank Marzullo and Christie Dutton will serve as co-chairs of the "Food from the Heart" campaign, an ongoing partnership between Kroger, St. Vincent de Paul, and FOX19. In 2006, an amazing 70,000 lbs. of food was collected for needy families in the area.

With your help, we hope to exceed last year and garner 75,000 lbs. in 2007!!! Stay tuned to FOX19 as we will give you weekly reports of the food collected to date.

The 2007 "Food from the Heart" campaign runs from November 12 through December 31. You can help by donating canned or dry goods in the specially marked bins at all Greater Cincinnati Kroger stores.

The items collected will be distributed to individuals in need throughout the holiday season. Almost one in every five families in the greater Cincinnati area regularly went without food in 2006.

It's simple to donate:

Purchase non-perishable food items or bring your own to donate.
Leave your items in the food collection barrels, located at the store entrances.
Log onto St. Vincent de Paul's website, www.svdpcincinnati.org, and click the 'Food From The Heart" icon. Choose a donation amount to help feed a family in need.

Most of the donated food is distributed in the neighborhoods where it is collected. Excess donations will be distributed through St. Vincent de Paul's new Choice Pantry at the newly renovated Bank Street headquarters. The Choice Pantry emphasizes good nutrition and builds community while allowing clients in the West End and Camp Washington areas to select the items they most need for their families. The Choice Pantry, is expected to feed over 18,000 people annually.

Your donations do make a difference. Kroger, St. Vincent de Paul and FOX19 hope you have a wonderful holiday season, and thank you for your support.

FOOD COLLECTED TO DATE: 200.5 BARRELS = 70,147 Pounds

September 14, 2007 - Catholic Telegraph / Furniture and Mattress Drive

Furniture and mattress drive, sponsored by St. Vincent de Paul and Macy's Furniture Gallery, Friday-Sunday, Sept. 14-16, at Macy's Furniture Gallery at Sycamore Plaza, Cincinnati. Information: 513-562-8841. Call 513-421-CARE to schedule a pick-up of furniture or vehicles.