The involvement of the National Council of Brazil (CNB) of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the 13 Houses Project has led to the renovation and/or construction of 17 houses throughout the country. The call for proposals, which ended on February 28, in collaboration with other branches of the Vincentian Family and/or partner organizations, resulted in 26 proposals. The CNB made available R$ 300,000 of investment for the Project (about US$ 65,000), an unprecedented investment in Brazil until then. The funds left over from this campaign will be used to fund future campaigns.

“The families receiving aid were chosen by the Vincentian Units, taking into account their needs and expectations. It must be emphasized that the families also collaborate with the project, strengthening the sense of community and participation”, says Márcia Moresch, representative of the Vincentian Family in the CNB.

The adopted projects belong to the Metropolitan Mayors’ Offices of Olinda and Recife/PE (2), Juiz De Fora/MG (1), Curitiba and Porto Alegre/PR (2), Goiânia/GO (2), Montes Claros/MG (8) and São José dos Campos/SP (2).

In upcoming months, the Vincentian Units will receive the resources to implement the approved projects. Once the projects are finished, an opening ceremony is planned in which the beneficiaries and all the partners of the project will participate. In addition, all the information will be sent to the Vincentian Family International Committee for recognition of the country’s initiative in the Famvin Homeless Alliance.

“The 13 Houses project of the Vincentian Family aims to provide decent housing and promote social inclusion of homeless people in several parts of the world. With the approval of 17 projects and an investment of R$ 270,000, this joint effort between the Vincentian Family and partners demonstrates the commitment to help those who do not have a decent home”, highlights Márcia.

13 Houses Project

As part of the 400th anniversary celebrations of the beginning of the Vincentian charism, Vincentian Family leaders launched the “Famvin Homeless Alliance (FHA)” in 2017. The goal is to bring the Vincentian Family together worldwide to provide practical help and foster systemic change for millions of people around the world who do not have a place to call home.

In 2018, the “13 Houses Campaign” was launched as a concrete response to the plight of the world’s homeless, encompassing people on the streets, refugees, internally displaced persons, and people living in slums or in inadequate housing.

In early 2023, during the Valinhos/SP Plenary Meeting, the Brazilian National Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul announced it would join the project as another way to implement systemic change in the lives of assisted families. “For the first time, the CNB has embraced the cause and financed part of the 13 Houses Project of the Vincentian Family, to build or renovate housing for people who are homeless or on the street, people at risk of becoming homeless or who are in precarious situations or extreme need, as well as refugees or displaced persons. R$ 300,000 were allocated from the Solidarity Fund”, says the first vice-president, sister Elisabete Maria Castro, Bete.

Source: https://ssvpbrasil.org.br/