Fr. Ron Ramson, CM has forward the following press release with deatils of the meeting beginning April 12.THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL COUNCIL OF THE UNITED STATES’ NATIONAL MID-YEAR MEETING WILL BE HELD IN ST. LOUIS, MO FROM TUESDAY, APRIL 12TH THROUGH SATURDAY APRIL 16TH, 2005.
MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES WILL CONVENE AT THE MILLENIUM HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS TO ATTEND TO SEVERAL NEW BUSINESS AND GOVERNANCE ITEMS RELATING TO THE SOCIETY’S CRITICAL WORK ON BEHALF OF THE POOR.
THE APRIL MIDYEAR MEETING WILL ALSO KICK OFF THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE TWO CANDIDATES RUNNING TO ASSUME THE PRESIDENCY OF THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL IN THE UNITED STATES, AN OFFICE WHICH IS ELECTED EVERY SIX YEARS. THE NEW NATIONAL PRESIDENT WILL BE INSTALLED AT THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL’S NATIONAL MEETING IN CHICAGO IN LATE AUGUST OF 2005.
THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL IS A GLOBAL ORGANIZATION CURRENTLY OPERATING IN 135 COUNTRIES WITH A MEMBERSHIP OF OVER 650,000. THERE ARE OVER 120,000 ACTIVE AND SUPPORTING MEMBERS IN THE UNITED STATES–OPERATING IN 5,000 LOCALITIES. IN THE UNITED STATES IN 2003, THE SOCIETY SERVED OVER 13 MILLION PEOPLE WITH A TOTAL OF OVER $392M IN BASIC ASSISTANCE (FOOD, SHELTER, HOMELESS HOUSING), OVER $1M IN DISASTER RELIEF, AND IN VOLUNTEERING AN ESTIMATED $131.2 IN VOLUNTEER TIME.
THE SERVICES OF THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL ROUTINELY INVOLVE “ONE-ON-ONE” MEETINGS WITH THOSE PEOPLE IN SITUATIONS THAT MANY OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEMS WILL NOT TOUCH.
ALSO UNIQUE IS THE SOCIETY’S ATTITUDE OF FLEXIBILITY IN CHARITY—NO SERVICE TO THE POOR IS OUTSIDE
THE SCOPE OF THE SOCIETY’S RESPONSE.
THIS FLEXIBILITY AND SIMPLICITY HAVE RESULTED IN ARGUABLY THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE SYSTEM OF CHARITY AND CHARITABLE SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE WORLD. THE NATIONAL COUNCIL’S HEADQUARTERS IN ST. LOUIS PROVIDES LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT FOR THE ENTIRE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL ORGANIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES. THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ALSO ORGANIZES THE SOCIETY’S RESPONSE TO NEED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD–INCLUDING ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS OF DISASTER.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND SVDP MEETING PRESS PASSES/INTERVIEWS CONTACT:
Victoria White Berger
National Director of
