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Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha
April 2024 Newsletter
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Supporting our neighbors in need with spirituality, friendship and service; providing emergency food, clothing, material and financial / homeless prevention assistance, since 1868 | |
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FOOD PANTRY | PARISH CONFERENCE OUTREACH | HOMELESS MINISTRIES | THRIFT STORES | |
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IN THIS ISSUE:
- A message from our Executive Director
- Conference Spotlight – St. Bernard’s
- Easter Celebration
- Neighbors' Notes of Appreciation
- Nebraska Catholic Day of Giving
- Pantry "Garden Angel" Volunteers Needed
- Strawberry Brunch - Reserve Your Seat!
- “Food Raiser” at the “B Bar" – Sunday, April 21
- Updates from the SSVP Food Pantry
- Sack Lunch Program Gets a "Little" Help
- Thrift Stores' Sales
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A Message from our Executive Director, Jill Lynch-Sosa
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them.”
Matthew Ch. 6: Verse 1
“Humility is the mother of all virtues. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent.”
Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta
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Dear SSVP Friends,
Quick Question: Who founded the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, way back in 1833? St. Vincent de Paul, right?
Well, actually, no.
Vincent was born in 1581, serving the poor of his native France nearly all of his adult life, and passing away in 1660 – 173 years before the Society of St. Vincent de Paul began! So, if St. Vincent wasn’t the Society’s founder …. Who was?
I presume that some of you may know (or remember from a previous newsletter) that a French college student named Frederic Ozanam founded the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. And, if you weren’t able to come up with Frederic Ozanam’s name, please know that you’re not alone. Frankly, though, I suspect that Frederic wouldn’t have minded so much.
“Why not?”, you might ask…? Read on….
One of the unspoken, underlying tenets of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and its volunteers is to assist the poor and marginalized – without fanfare and without notoriety. Frankly, I know many, many volunteers with our organization who, if given the choice, would prefer to be completely anonymous regarding their service to those in need. Their motivation for volunteering is not for personal recognition but, rather, to grow in their faith and to deepen their relationship with God.
During this Easter Season, I’ve been thinking about the humble nature of our volunteers. Doing so reminds me of the humility that our Creator manifested through the life, death, and resurrection of His son, Jesus. Somehow, someway, our SSVP volunteers are drawn to and are personally inspired and fulfilled by the resurrected Christ, through their service to the poor and homeless of our community – and not by a desire for acknowledgment and acclaim.
From my own (and so many of our volunteers’) perspective, providing a hand up to our neighbors in need is so much easier and authentic if I’m able to put aside my ego, allowing me to more easily see the face of our Suffering Lord in theirs. Doing so also comes with the responsibility of treating such neighbors with the dignity and respect they deserve, as children of God and made in His image. That’s the bar I’m continually trying to clear. And, as I’ve said before, but worth repeating…. Even though I don’t always live up to this standard, I still do my best in striving to do so. And, whatever your connection is to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul – as a volunteer, donor or you are simply interested in and supportive of our organization’s mission – I suspect you may very well have wrestled with similar kinds of questions and challenges, personally.
In closing …. As St. Vincent penned many years ago: Being involved in this endeavor of serving the poor should be done with “humility and patience.” I would encourage you to look for these same self-effacing qualities in the subsequent articles found in this April Newsletter, and especially in the lives of the volunteer Vincentians from St. Bernard Catholic Church – our spotlighted SSVP Conference.
God bless you, and please know that you are in my prayers and in the prayers of the Society during this Easter Season, and beyond.
Gratefully,
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Jill Lynch-Sosa
Executive Director
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“There, but for the grace of God go I.”
This age-old proverb is the humble recognition that others' struggles and life challenges could easily have been one's own if it weren't for the blessings of the Divine. It’s also an implicit nod to the responsibility to help care for neighbors in need – a responsibility shared by so many of the Vincentian volunteers in our 31 SSVP conferences, including those at our “spotlighted” SSVP conference: St. Bernard’s!
After spending time with four of the 19 Vincentians from St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, it is clear that these compassionate, other-centered, and hard-working volunteers are 100% on board with this adage. Over the span of an hour’s conversation, each of these Vincentians – (pictured) Bob & Coreen Miller, Susan Sieczkowski, and Judy Frakes – touched on this theme.
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As background: St. Bernard’s SSVP Conference began in 1939, a time when our nation was continuing to deal with the effects of the economic collapse of the Great Depression. Located just north of 65th & Military Avenue, St. Bernard’s has long been a welcoming source of spiritual renewal and education, as well as a community of faith that truly cares for the basic needs of the surrounding neighborhoods’ families. All of this is summed up very well by the parish’s online welcome:
“For over 100 years, St. Bernard Catholic Community has provided an active, Christian presence in the Benson neighborhood. Our vision is to further the growth of our faith community through meaningful worship, service to others, and Christian fellowship with alumni of our past, members of our present, and the youth of our future. We strive to provide academic excellence and spiritual growth to our students of St. Bernard Catholic School.”
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St. Bernard's SSVP Conference President, Susan Sieczkowski, shares an overview of how their conference lives out this welcome: “The conference’s food pantry and outreach program are ‘open to the public' – in the parish’s 'Clairvaux' Center – from 3:30 until 5:00 pm on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. We also have 6th, 7th, and 8th graders from the school come over to help organize the pantry, sweep up, and learn how to participate in Christian service to people who are struggling. It’s important to note that we never turn away any neighbor in need. So, even though we officially close at 5:00 pm, we keep the Clairvaux doors open until every last neighbor has been helped. And, because some of our elderly neighbors are homebound, Vincentians and other volunteers will also bring food from the pantry to them, in their home.”
St. Bernard’s Vincentian volunteers are deeply passionate about the importance of their work, and how necessary it is for the people seeking assistance. Susan shares a story that illustrates this point: “Right before Christmas, there was a woman sleeping in her car, not far from the church, along with her 9-month-old baby boy! We were very worried about these two. Thankfully, we were able to get them into an apartment, furnish the apartment, and make sure mom and baby had plenty of food and clothes. It felt SO good to know that this little family was getting taken care of.”
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Vincentian, Judy Frakes shares a couple of equally heartfelt stories, which capture how the conference lives out its “faith in action” mentality, as well as the importance of relationships that are central to the Society’s service: “There was an immigrant woman from India who showed up to St. Bernard’s. She was so determined to work hard, in order to make it here in America and in Omaha. Unfortunately, she’d become unemployed and had fallen behind on paying some bills. We were able to pay the remainder of her back rent and utilities’ bills so that she could get caught up and remain in her apartment. Without our help, I just know that she would’ve ended up homeless. I loved being able to come to her aid, and I consider her ‘my sweet friend.’"
Judy continues, “You get so moved by the stories our neighbors share with us. One woman I helped with rent and utilities told me that she had been a foster child and that her parents were real ‘fire and brimstone’ kinds of people, which didn’t really work for her. She later told me that her experience with St. Bernard’s SSVP conference was so amazing and was actually the thing that got her back into her faith. She felt that God had sent her to St. Bernard’s and that she wanted to 'pass it on' to others after she’d gotten back on her feet. She was so grateful, and such a lovely person.”
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St. Bernard Vincentians, Coreen and Bob Miller, are a wife/husband team and mainstays of the conference, especially with the on-site food pantry. Even while both Coreen and Bob are “seasoned veterans” (Coreen since 1984 and Bob joining in 1994), they are quick to deflect any spotlight and recognition, instead focusing on the generosity of supporters of the pantry throughout Omaha. Coreen shares: “The Food Bank of the Heartland is wonderful, providing up to 1,200 pounds of food to our pantry each week. We also work with the nearby Baker’s (grocery store) on a voucher certificate system. If a neighbor visiting our pantry has a particular need of an item that we don’t have – like fresh produce, meat, perhaps diapers, etc – we can issue them a Baker’s certificate, so they would be able to get that item from Baker’s.”
Bob continues: “St. Bernard’s parish and school are also such a help. They conduct periodic food donation drives, and the Knights of Columbus puts on a pancake breakfast, with proceeds going to our conference. And the kids from the school who volunteer are always a big help in the pantry. We are SO well supported by St. Bernard’s!”
Judy reflects on her interactions with neighbors: “I’m grateful that I haven’t had to experience the kinds of challenges that many of these people are dealing with. I could easily have been in their shoes, though, so being able to serve them really touches my heart. I also know that there’s a definite faith component in those who seek assistance, as so many of them say ‘thank you and God bless you,' although we certainly don’t push religion on anyone.”
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Susan picks up on the faith component of her interactions: “I always tell the neighbors I’m serving that I’ll be praying for them, and God bless them, although I never try and impose my own faith or religion. Emphasizing this point, Coreen adds, “I don’t think you’re going to get too far with pushing religion onto someone who’s hungry.”
In closing …. One of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha’s Conference Support Coordinators, Kristina Janousek, offers her thoughts on St. Bernard’s SSVP Conference: “St. Bernard’s Vincentians are SO committed to serving the families and individuals who come to them, requesting assistance. And they serve with such grace and humility. The neighbors in need are pretty much always in crisis, and distraught about not wanting to lose their housing and/or utilities – or about how they’re going to feed and clothe their families. St. Bernard’s volunteers have such a calm, warm, and welcoming way of interacting with their neighbors. This definitely puts the neighbors at ease and they leave St. Bernard’s with the hope that things are going to get better. And, the caring and compassionate Vincentian volunteers at St. Bernard’s make sure that they do!”
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We hope the holiest of days of the Christian calendar was blessed for you and your family.
You may know that the Church actually celebrates 50 days of the Easter Season – beginning on the Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and culminating in His Ascension to the Father and sending of the Holy Spirit upon the Church on Pentecost Sunday. Here at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, we join fellow Catholics and Christians from across the world in celebrating the joy of glorified life and the victory over death.
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We are currently in the “Octave of Easter”, which spans the days between the first and second Sundays. And, earlier this week, we held our organization’s Easter celebration, where we offered prayers of petition for anyone who had contacted us, requesting a specific intention. We also asked for a special blessing for all friends, volunteers, and donors to the Society.
We certainly consider holding these kinds of prayerful gatherings a natural extension of the mission of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha, and we are grateful for the opportunity to pray for all those who support this important mission.
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Your Neighbors Who’ve Been Helped Say Thanks! | |
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Because of your support, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha helps many thousands of families and individuals each year remain in their homes with their utilities “on." On your behalf, we are able to help these neighbors from our community with financial support, clothing, food, and other material assistance.
From time to time, our Conference Support staff will receive a thank you note from these neighbors, expressing their gratitude to the Society. Frankly though, these words of appreciation are truly meant for you, friends of, and donors to SSVP Omaha. Below are just a few of the notes we’ve recently received:
“I had tears in my eyes while reading that you could help. Being a single mom dealing with my son's medical issues is very hard and stressful. Sometimes I believe prayers don't work but other times it's a miracle and God truly hears my prayers & answers them just like he did this time, along with you guys! Thank you sooo much! It means the world to me! Thank you for keeping me & my son and family in your prayers. This is such a blessing!” – Dolores M.
“I prayed for this. I put in applications at other agencies and hadn’t heard anything back. I didn’t expect anyone to help me. Then just within hours of submitting someone from the Society called me back and said that you could help me get my lights on. My babies and I are crying happy tears!” – Ana Maria V.
“I want to say thank you very much for the help. This is great for my family. With all the negative things happening I was praying for something good to happen to let me know everything will be okay. This means so much to us. I appreciate you for rescuing our family. May God bless you!” – Christian S.
“Thank you so much! You have no idea how you’re going to make a house a HOME for me and my kids. Thanks for helping us get a fresh start.” – Nina T.
“When I went to bed last night, I thought we would be homeless the next day. I had nearly lost hope, but then (you) came through with not only help for rent, but utilities, food, even a job so I could have steady income to care for my wife and child. God is good. I can never repay the kindness and true caring SSVP has shown my family.” – Javier S.
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Please join SSVP Omaha as we participate in the first-ever Nebraska Catholic Day of Giving on Wednesday, May 1st!
This day of giving, created with the combined efforts of the Archdiocese of Omaha, and the Dioceses of Lincoln and Grand Island, will be a wonderful opportunity to help Catholic organizations - like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha - in serving our community's poor and struggling neighbors in need.
For more information about the Nebraska Catholic Day of Giving, check out the official website HERE. Stay tuned for more information regarding this day of giving!
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Do angels really keep watch over our Pantry Garden? Yep, they’re real! They have first and last names and are known as our “Garden Angels” – volunteers who plant, tend to, and harvest produce from our pantry garden, located at 2101 Leavenworth Street. And, we’re hoping YOU might consider becoming a Garden Angel, too!
The Pantry Garden was started over 10 years ago, as a way to offer fresh produce to our neighbors in need who visit our Food Pantry. With a good deal of imagination and hard work, over this past decade, our Garden Angel volunteers have helped the Pantry Garden to grow and flourish.
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The Pantry Garden is operational beginning mid-April, with the garden closing down in mid-October. In between, our Garden Angel volunteers plant, water, remove weeds, and harvest the vegetables that are then given away in our adjacent food pantry.
So....Our SSVP Pantry Garden volunteer leaders are asking YOU to consider lending YOUR hand to this important endeavor - even if you have no previous experience in gardening. On each volunteer shift, there will always be a more “seasoned” pantry garden volunteer paired up with a volunteer who has less experience. Garden tools will be provided.
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Group volunteering is also welcomed, especially as we start the garden in mid-April. And, no problem if you want to bring your kids along; we’ll put them to work as well!
The Pantry Garden volunteer schedule is from 8:30 am until no later than 11:00 am on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, from mid-April through mid-October.
You can choose when you want to volunteer - and as little or as much as you like!
So, if you're thinking about becoming a “Garden Angel” volunteer, please contact Pat Slaven at mpslaven035@gmail.com. Pat can answer any questions you may have.
We will also be in need of compost and soil to lay the foundation of the pantry garden this spring. If you or anyone you may know would be able to donate compost, please contact Pat.
Thank You!
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As our 15th Annual Strawberry Brunch draws near, table and guest reservations are filling up fast - be sure to complete your reservation soon to secure a spot! As a reminder, the Strawberry Brunch serves as a fundraiser for our SSVP Omaha Food Pantry and will be held in Cain Hall at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church on Saturday, June 1st from 11 AM to 1 PM. | | |
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For $45 per person, the Strawberry Brunch provides refreshments (coffee, lemonade, and mimosas!), a brunch of a delicious chicken salad on a croissant, and the chance to participate in our raffle and silent auction.
While you enjoy your refreshments, you can marvel at the beautiful and creative themes for each table of eight! This Brunch has seen some truly amazing themes in previous years, like "Hawaiian Vacation" and "Fiesta." We can't wait to see all the fun and unique ideas everyone comes up with for their table!
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To reserve your seat, or for more information about the Strawberry Brunch, please visit our webpage HERE. On our webpage, you can make your reservation through our online form or download and print out your reservation to send to our District Office. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, June 1st!
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Join us for a very fun evening of music and giving at our upcoming 'Food Raiser' event at the B-Bar on Sunday, April 21st, from 3-7 PM!
The B-Bar, located at 4322 Leavenworth Street, is known for its cozy atmosphere and amazing live jazz and blues performers - and this event will be no exception! You can expect to hear the rockin' sounds of Lou DeLuca and the Delta 88s (along with a few special guests!) all evening long.
Please bring as many items as you can for our food pantry. Rice, canned food, and diapers all make fantastic donations that can truly ease our neighbors' lives, as they face financial struggles. We ask that you please consider bringing one or all of these items!
We would love to see a full crowd on the 21st, so please invite friends and family to enjoy this bluesy event - all for the noble cause of helping those in need from right here in Omaha.
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Food Pantry in Need of Rice & Bags | |
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The SSVP Omaha Food Pantry is no stranger to heavy traffic. In March, the pantry served an average of 98 visitors each pantry day. With 98 households being served twice a week, the pantry is now running low on white rice and bags to provide to our neighbors. For many pantry visitors, rice fills a critical role in their households, due to its shelf-stable nature, and ability to provide an easy source of calories and fiber for their families.
We ask you to please consider donating white rice and any paper or canvas bags you may have to the SSVP Omaha Food Pantry. Canvas bags are particularly useful since they are reusable and our neighbors can bring them back to use again. You can also click here for more information about our food panty, including the complete list of food items we appreciate receiving as donations.
Thank you for your support of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's Food Pantry and the neighbors in need that we serve!
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Food Pantry Volunteers Serve, Form Friendships | |
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As many of our Vincentians and other volunteers will tell you - there is a very real joy that accompanies the act of volunteering one's time in the service of those who are struggling. In the act of helping to provide basic life necessities to those in need, volunteers often describe their sense that this is the kind of work that Jesus was about, as well as how doing so helps them grow in their relationship with God.
Beyond this, volunteering creates a community of like-minded people who dedicate themselves to the service of others. The Vincentians and volunteers at our SSVP Omaha Food Pantry continue to demonstrate how strong of a connection this can become.
Every Tuesday and Thursday mornings, this community works hard to prepare the pantry for our neighbors. Just before the pantry opens to the public, this group gathers in prayer, asking for the grace to emulate the Good Samaritan and our namesake - St. Vincent de Paul. Some of these volunteers have given their time and effort to our pantry for over a decade - true dedication to our collaborative mission of service to others.
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Over the years, the members of this large group of volunteers - Vincentians and non-Vincentians, alike - have become close friends. And, from time to time, after they finish their service at the pantry, these friends will share a meal - as a group - at a local restaurant.
It is truly a blessing to have such incredibly dedicated food pantry volunteers. We also appreciate the fact that these volunteers have been able to form such a close-knit community of friends - all while growing their spirituality and helping the underserved of Omaha.
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SSVP volunteers for the Sack Lunch Program at Holy Family prepare around 250 lunches lunches, daily. They then distribute the lunches to the many homeless who rely on Holy Family for basic needs, as well as to seniors who live in low-income apartments on the eastern edge of Omaha.
This program happily received a "little" additional help, recently. A few weeks ago, long-time Thursday Sack Lunch volunteer, Eileen McBride, brought two grandkids with her to help make sack lunches - Ethan and Alice. Though they are still quite young, these two worked hard and provided a BIG help to the sack lunch program that day - for which the Society is truly grateful!
THANK YOU, ETHAN & ALICE!
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Check out these special weekly discounts at our Thrift Stores! | |
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12301 W Center Road
Mon-Sat, 10 AM-8 PM
Sun, 12 PM-5 PM
(402) 933-8242
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2101 Leavenworth St
Mon-Sat, 9 AM-6 PM
(402) 341-1689
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5505 N. 90th St
Mon-Fri, 10 AM-6 PM
Sat, 10 AM-4 PM
(402) 502-7837
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807 Tara Plaza
Mon-Sat, 9 AM-6 PM
(402) 593-4055
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