The Society of St. Vincent de Paul
District Council of Sonoma County
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul District Council of Sonoma County (SVdP-Sonoma), was founded in 1958 and is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. As one of the foremost human services organizations in Sonoma County, SVdP-Sonoma has been providing support to those suffering from hunger and poverty for more than 60 years.
The agency serves anyone in need.
Our Mission
To End Poverty through Systemic Change, One Person, One Family at a Time.
St. Vincent de Paul CommonsNow Open!
Thanks to the efforts of our entire team and the support of scores of others, we have completed conversion of an abandoned motel into some 50 permanent supportive housing units. St. Vincent de Paul Commons will reduce County-wide homelessness by 3%.
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The video shows the transformation of the former motel and celebrates Catherine Diaz, the first Commons resident. If you'd like to learn more or arrange a tour of the Commons, contact Executive Director Jack Tibbetts at 707-495-7438 or jtibbetts@svdp-sonoma.org -- and once again, heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make the Commons happen!
Introducing
Home for
Success
Home for Success provides resources and stability that helps at-risk youth transition successfully from foster care to college and beyond.
Learn more and apply here.
Our Thrift Store Returns!
Great news! Our St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store has reopened!
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Our new business hours are 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Sunday.
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Please Note: just because our brick-and-mortar store has reopened does NOT mean our online ones will close. Our online stores on eBay and Craigslist will continue to be open for business!​
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You now have even more ways to shop and support your favorite local thrift store. Thank you for helping us help others!
The Conference Corner
News from around the region we serve -- and beyond!
St. Vincent de Paul Sonoma County is more than a Santa Rosa-based charity. Our District Council is part of an international organization operating in more than 150 countries. Here is where you'll find information about news and events how we're lending a helping hand to those in need, here in Sonoma County and elsewhere.
In The Spotlight:
Helping to Heal Invisible Wounds
"[S]eek out and find those in need and the forgotten, the victims of exclusion or adversity.” – from the Rule of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Timothy P. Williams is Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's National Council in the U.S. He recently posted a Contemplation well worth reading by every Vincentian and supporter of the Society's efforts everywhere.
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"The parable of the good Samaritan is a favorite among Vincentians, depicting, as it does, the personal encounter between the wounded victim lying by the side of the road and the traveler who stops to personally help. The Samaritan is exactly the model we seek to follow in our vocation, obedient to the words of our Savior, who calls us to 'go and do likewise,'” Williams writes.
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But all who need help are not obviously broken or bleeding. "How does one look, after all, when robbed of the treasure of faith? More importantly, how do we approach this victim?"
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Williams finds the answer in the words of Frédéric Ozanam, founder of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. "For Frédéric, our approach to healing the wounds had to be accompanied by 'words of consolation and peace.'Only our gentleness and love can help him move past the fear that separates him from his neighbors and from hope. Sometimes, those gentle words are all that is really needed."
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Williams' Contemplation reminds us that even if we have nothing material to give or share, we can give time, attention, and conversation to those in need, wherever we are. In the Samaritan parable, "the road beside which the poor lie is the one we walk together; it is our Vincentian Pathway." The piece concludes by reminding each of us that where those in need are concerned, we must contemplate one critical question: "Do I look to the margins, or do I hurry past?"
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To read and share the complete Contemplation in English or Spanish, go online to https://members.ssvpusa.org/formation/contemplation-alongside-the-road/. To turn your contemplations into positive actions, connect with a Vincentialn or a Society of St. Vincent de Paul Conference near you.
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Thanks to Our Most Recent Donors!
We couldn't do it without you!
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Codding Foundation
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Community Foundation Sonoma County
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County of Sonoma Continuum of Care
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Doyle Foundation
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East Bay Community Foundation Kaiser Fund
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Heck Foundation
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Homekey - CA HCD
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Joan Leidy Foundation
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Negley Flinn Foundation
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Raskob Foundation for Catholic Activities
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Robert and Shirley Harris Family Foundation
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Sisters of St. Joseph Foundation
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Sonoma County Vintners Foundation
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St. Joseph/Providence Foundation
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William G. Irwin Charity Foundation
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And if you'd like to join the people and companies that support us, just click on "How You Can Help" at the top of this page -- and thanks!
Feeling Social?
You can like SVdP-Sonoma on Facebook -- from right here!
If you are in an emergency situation and are in immediate need of food, call our food hotline at 707.584.1579 BETWEEN 8:30 am and 5 pm M-F. For other Sonoma County Resources, dial 211 or see this Online Guide to Homeless Services from the Sonoma County Department of Health Services.