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Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha
November 2023 Newsletter
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Supporting our neighbors in need through spirituality, friendship and service;
providing emergency food, clothing, material and financial / homeless prevention assistance, since 1868
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IN THIS ISSUE:
- A message from our Executive Director
- Vincentian Spotlight
- Donor Shares Her Reasons for Supporting SSVP Omaha
- Thanksgiving Donations
- Unique Volunteer Service Opportunities
- SSVP Helpline Could Use Your Help!
- SSVP Thrift Stores
- Pantry Garden Season Wrap-Up
- Winter Coat & Apparel Giveaway – Tomorrow!
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Message from our Executive Director, Jill Lynch-Sosa
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
-Prayer of St. Francis
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Dear SSVP Friends,
I’ve always appreciated the Prayer of St. Francis, above, and perhaps especially during my six years volunteering in Guatemala and Mexico. What truly intrigues me about this reflection – and which I absolutely can relate to – is what I've highlighted:
“For it is in giving that we receive.”
Why is that line relevant to me…and to the many Vincentians and other volunteers who have given their time and talent to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha over the years? The answer is this: Volunteering is a two-way street.
In my position with the Society, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from our amazingly generous volunteers something to this effect: “I get more out of volunteering than I can ever give.” That’s an extraordinary statement, although it’s also one that I’ve said enough times to myself to know how true it is.
But, what exactly is it that volunteers get out of all of this?
Two common denominators shared by our 450+ Vincentians and other SSVP volunteers is that they have compassionate hearts for those in need in our community, along with a continual desire to deepen their spirituality and to grow in holiness. Frankly, according to so many volunteers I’ve spoken to, these two ideas are intertwined together and inseparable, as the service they offer to our neighbors in need blesses them with a deeper connection with their Maker. Engrained in the very act of serving the poorest, the least of our brothers and sisters, is both the volunteers’ knowledge that their service is something that God recognizes as His own AND which simultaneously enhances the volunteers’ relationship with God. A living example of such blessings that our volunteers receive is found in the next newsletter article, spotlighting a Vincentian volunteer from St. Margaret Mary’s SSVP Conference – Margie Chartrand. I invite you to read it from this “two-way street” perspective.
In closing, during this time of Thanksgiving, I want to share with you some messages of gratitude offered by neighbors from the Omaha community whom the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has helped. These reflections of appreciation were unsolicited and sent to the Society from such neighbors in need, expressing their thanks to everyone who supports our mission through their time, talent, or treasure – which is you!
“Thanks so much! Things have been pretty tough lately. Thank you for lightening my load. I’m very grateful.” – Becky S.
“Your generosity is greatly appreciated.” – Temera M.
“Without St. Vincent de Paul coming through for us, my family would be out on the streets. Thank you!” – Laura K.
“What would I have done if you didn’t respond to my email? Many thanks to your organization. I would like to volunteer there when I get back on my feet.” – DeShawn T.
“You will never know how much your support and kindness means to me.”
– Markus A.
“God bless you for keeping my lights on.” – Nicole P.
“You were my light in my darkest hour. Words can’t express how grateful I am.” – Shantee L.
“With the holiday coming up I didn’t know how I would afford to stay in my house with the water running to provide a decent Christmas for my kids. Your organization came through for me when no one else would even answer the phone.” – Chuck S.
“I didn’t know how I was going to afford power to run my oxygen tank and SVdP understood how important it is. You even hooked me up with the VA to get more assistance when I didn’t know who to contact. Thank you so much.” – Lawrence B.
I hope you enjoyed reading these words of appreciation from our
neighbors in need as much as I did. On their behalf, and on behalf of the
thousands of Omaha families and individuals that the Society assists each year, thank you, and may God bless you during this upcoming holiday season.
Gratefully,
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Jill Lynch-Sosa
Executive Director
P.S. As Thanksgiving approaches, I would be grateful if you would please consider making a generous gift to the Society. Your gift will help families in need from right here in our own Omaha community. You can make your gift right now, HERE.
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VINCENTIAN SPOTLIGHT
MARGIE CHARTRAND
Margie Chartrand truly has a caring heart for people in need.
In 2021, Margie, a longtime parishioner at St. Margaret Mary, retired from her position as coordinator of heart transplants at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. And, when she retired, she thought to herself, “What in the world am I going to do with my life now?” However, that wasn’t the first time that Margie had asked herself such a question.
A mother of five (now adult) children, in 2001, Margie’s husband, Steve passed away suddenly from a rare autoimmune disease. When that “unthinkable” event happened, Margie found herself a single mom .... and completely devastated. Understandably, at that time, Margie turned to God and to friends, asking, “What do I do now?” A nurse by training, Margie decided to go “all in” on caring for people with heart troubles and accepted UNMC’s offer to work with heart transplants and coordinate care for the hospital’s burgeoning heart transplant program.
Fast forward twenty years, upon her retirement, Margie found herself at a crossroads of sorts, wondering what the next step in her life might look like. A convert to Catholicism, Margie loved learning about the Church, including exploring how she might become more involved at St. Margaret Mary. “I knew I wanted to do volunteer/service work and help others," shares Margie, “although I didn’t know how to go about doing that. I also knew nothing about the Society of St. Vincent DePaul, except that they had thrift stores and that we had a conference at St. Margaret Mary.”
SMM Vincentian volunteers invited Margie to consider getting involved with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Helpline, taking calls from Omaha-area neighbors in need who are facing a financial crisis. After attending a meeting and learning about how the Society helps keep poor Omaha families fed, clothed, and able to remain in their homes with utilities on, Margie once again found herself “all in."
Margie continues, “The mission and work of the Society was exactly the kind of thing that I felt I needed to be doing. I began to learn about just how complex life is for poorer families in Omaha who are facing a financial crisis, and began to learn how to connect them with available resources.”
Currently, Margie staffs the SSVP Helpline from noon until 9 pm on Wednesdays. However, with the Society moving to online requests for assistance, Margie finds herself following up with neighbors in need sometimes throughout the week. But, that’s okay with her, though. “The need I have seen is part of what sustains me,” states Margie. “I recognize these individuals see no other way out. And there is SO much need out there.”
Margie continues: “I remember helping a mother with five children – from teenagers down to a 1-year-old – with one who was autistic, needing full-time care. There was no income from the dad. This mom was just trying to make ends meet. My heart just went out to her.”
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“In addition to connecting neighbors with the assistance they need, I’ve also found that I can be a source of care for them. Sometimes, I can be the avenue through which they can get resources, and funds to resolve their crisis; other times, I can’t. However, I can show honest concern and compassion and give honest potential options to help them see what steps they can take. That is more rewarding than anything. That is what is exciting for me.”
Margie shares some final heartfelt reflections: “I’ve long felt that my work as a Vincentian is simply where God has been leading me, My Wednesdays can be exhausting, going through 30-40 online assistance requests and getting back to each of these people. Frankly, I can’t do this by myself. I know I need God’s strength to be able to do this work. I also appreciate the fellowship of the SMM Conference and the others who serve on the Helpline. Knowing that there are others involved and that I’m not alone in all of this truly sustains me. There’s joy in knowing that people can reach out and that I (and we) can help. I’m very blessed to be able to do this. I truly believe that finding the opportunity to serve with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has been completely guided by the Holy Spirit.”
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Rose Berkey has been a financial donor to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha since 2010, although has been a volunteer since 2002. Rose shares, “Supporting the Society has been in my heart for a very long time. When my husband and I had very young children, we often put them in clothing from the Society’s thrift stores. So, when I learned that my church (St. Wenceslaus) was having an SSVP meeting, I was curious and decided to go.”
“After attending the meeting, I found out that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul did SO much more than provide thrift stores – as they also help people with rent, utilities, food, and other services. I came home and told my husband that I MUST get involved with this organization! In my mind…we had once been helped by SSVP, and now we must help others. I’ve been involved with the Society ever since, volunteering whenever I can, and also donating financially.”
Continues Rose: “The mission of the Society – and the reason I support SSVP – is because I believe God wants me to be of assistance to others who are struggling, helping prevent them from being evicted from their homes, keeping their utilities on, and making sure they have food on their tables. I enjoy helping others and I feel so blessed that I can do so. I also encourage everyone to support the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha …. with your time, talent, and treasure. There’s no better way to have a good feeling inside of you when you do any of the above. God will bless you abundantly for whatever you can do to help the least of our brothers and sisters in Christ!”
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At this time of Thanksgiving, please know that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha could really use your support, as we offer a “hand up” to those most in need from our community. Please consider sending a check, cash or money order to: Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha, 1715 Izard Street, Omaha, NE 68102. Or you can make an online gift right now – using a credit or debit card – at ssvpomaha.org.
The last two months of the year are the most important time for charitable giving for the Society. Please know that all financial gifts made to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law, and are greatly appreciated.
For more information regarding making a financial gift in support of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha, please contact our Development Director, Tim Sully at (402) 779-8499, extension 103, or at development@svdpomaha.com.
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Beyond the incredible support we receive through donations, dedicated Vincentians, and volunteers, we want to highlight another invaluable way you can contribute to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha: by sharing your special skills.
Our community is filled with talented individuals in various trades, such as electrical services, carpentry, plumbing, and more. If you are proficient in any of these areas, consider volunteering to use these special skills as needed. Occasionally volunteering your time and expertise could be a game-changer, as we can continue to focus our time and funds on our neighbors in need.
Whether it's repairing facilities, or enhancing our outreach efforts, your skills can make a world of difference. Your involvement ensures that we can keep providing essential support to our community.
If you would like to share your skills and join the SSVP team, we encourage you to contact our office at 402-779-8499, or at info@svdpomaha.com to see how your unique abilities can contribute to our programs.
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What would you do if you were about to be evicted from your home…or you’d received notice that your gas, water, or electric utility service was going to be shut off? What if you had no savings and no safety net to help you through these difficult times? What if the prospect of falling into homelessness seemed like your only “choice."
That scenario describes the “demographic” that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha serves every day of the year… which is why we offer our helpline. The SSVP Helpline is an easy-to-use, one-stop online service for neighbors in need. Here, they can inquire into, and request financial assistance from our organization.
Our helpline is staffed by knowledgeable and compassionate Vincentian volunteers, like Margie, who was highlighted above. We could always use even more Vincentian volunteers as the demand for our services continues to grow. Please consider volunteering as a Helpline volunteer - you would get hands-on interactions helping those in need in Omaha and would allow the Society to provide our services to as many of our neighbors as possible. Our staff would ensure that all volunteers have the skills and resources necessary to handle a variety of different situations. If you are interested in volunteering, please click here to learn more.
SSVP Omaha’s Helpline can be found here. Neighbors who do not have internet access can call our organization’s main phone number at 402-779-8499 and leave a voice mail at extension 107.
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Check out the upcoming sales colors for our SSVP Thrift Stores! With four stores around Omaha, there is always an SSVP Thrift Store nearby.
The SSVP Thrift Store staff extends their gratitude to all our shoppers during this Thanksgiving season!
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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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The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha’s “Pantry Garden” is officially closed for the season! Run exclusively by SSVP volunteers, the Society’s Pantry Garden grows produce throughout the spring and summer – which is then given away to neighbors in need who visit the pantry, requesting food for their families.
On Saturday morning, October 7th, the final volunteer group helped close up the garden. Four girls from St. Wenceslaus’ American Heritage Girls troop, ages 9 through 14 – along with their leader, Danielle Rozmus – worked hard in closing up the garden. States Danielle: “We really had a lot of fun cleaning up the tomato plants, pulling down ivy and driving wheelbarrows. We’re hoping to continue coming out for garden cleanup day in the future. “
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Many thanks to ALL of the 2023 SSVP Pantry Garden volunteers who helped out this past growing season, planting, weeding, and watering. The results of the collective effort of these committed volunteers made a real and meaningful difference to the neighbors who benefitted from receiving the garden’s produce this year.”
SSVP Food Pantry Manager, Gayle Reyes offers a final reflection: “Thank you to all who helped make the garden successful again this year! I saw pounds and pounds of beautiful tomatoes, peppers, eggplant,s and other vegetables given to our grateful neighbors over this Summer/Fall. It was so helpful, as we don't always receive these items from anywhere else. And to have them be "homegrown" is even better. Hope to see you all next year!”
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The SSVP coat drives are done! And, just a reminder that the Society's 19th Annual Winter Coat & Apparel Giveaway will take place from 8 am until 1 pm tomorrow, Saturday, November 4th at the Omaha Home for Boys, 4343 North 52nd Street. This giveaway is open to the public and serves ALL parts of our city!
There are STILL volunteer slots open, if you’re thinking of helping out your neighbors in need. Just click HERE to grab your spot! Giving your time to others is always a blessing and we are wholeheartedly grateful to everyone who volunteers.
If you have any questions about the giveaway, please contact Diane Mead at diane.mead@rdmead.com.
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