Conference News and Notes
for Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Sent to all Vincentians & Staff
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Vincentian Reflection for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 31, 2022
Gospel: (Luke 12:13-21) Jesus said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” Then he told them a parable: “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink and be merry!’” But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?” Thus it will be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.”
Reflection: The rich man in the parable would have had enough in his present storehouses; seeking more, he builds more storehouses only to die and not enjoy his abundance anyway. We work hard for what we think is important to us, but we may end up with nothing because we have missed the whole point: life. We tend to think we can provide for our own future, but the gospel reminds us that the future is God’s. What we struggle all our lives to learn is that life does not consist of possessions nor our perceived security, but of being possessed by God. We belong to God and God can demand an accounting of us at any time. The only security we truly possess is a loving relationship with God. (Living Liturgy, p.184)
Vincentian Reflection: “We as followers of St. Vincent must not forget the emphasis which he put on the virtue of simplicity. Simplicity is speaking and acting always with God alone in view. God is touching our lives at every moment of the day, and we are touching Him. He is particularly close to us in the Church, in the Sacraments and in the poor. If we wish to be sensitive to the presence of God in our lives, we have to recall His presence frequently. We have to give ourselves moments of stillness and reflection in the midst of our work and our lives, so that we can become more conscious that it is in God that we live and move and have our being at all times.” (McCullen, Deep Down Things, p. 427)
How have you learned that life does not consist of possessions but in knowing that it is in God that we live and move and have our being?
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Your Formation and Training Opportunities & Tips
NEW Workshop! Inspiring our Community to Vincentian Service – Our newest workshop is being offered on Saturday, August 20th,at St James the Greater (White Oak), 9 - 11am. This workshop is focused on recruiting prospective Vincentians, providing fulfilling engagement, and retaining members. We'll collaborate to generate a concrete plan for recruiting new members and for empowering the ones you already have engaged. We'll explore the central reasons why people join our ranks and how to enthuse them so they never leave. We encourage each Family of Parishes to send at least one Vincentian member. Please RSVP via Signup Genius here .
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First Friday Fellowship: Next Friday, August 5th, noon - 1pm via Zoom. Ever wondered what goes into our immediate reactions to something, whether that is an event, a person, or some other encounter? We all hold different understandings and views. Please join us as we explore how they impact our own perceptions of ourselves, as well as the world around us in this interactive, supportive discussion. Meeting ID: 898 9553 7287; Passcode: 291833 or follow the ZOOM link here when you are ready to join this session. Want a separate reminder a few days before about First Friday Fellowship? Then click here for our Signup Genius .
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Bi-Monthly Formation Newsletter this week! The Bi-Monthly Formation Newsletter will be coming out this Friday containing many more details regarding opportunities throughout August and September, including our new workshop and an upcoming Ozanam Orientation! Stay tuned!
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Upcoming Resource Spotlight to Feature our Becky Catino Women's Self-Sufficiency, Employment, and Empowerment Program
Program Manager Tara Kerrigan will explain what systemic change is, why it is impactful, and what this Becky Catino Women’s Program is doing to help our neighbors. Information will include an overview of the acceptance process, indicators of quality referrals, and how you can be involved. Please use this link on Thursday, August 11th,at 2pm to join us via Zoom to learn more about this innovative program:
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Hope to Dream
St. Vincent de Paul is again partnering with Morris Home Furniture and WCPO to provide beds to kids in need in Cincinnati. Hope to Dream (formerly Day to Dream) will be hosted on Saturday, 8/27, at the Reds Youth Academy (2026 E Seymour Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45237). In celebration of their 75th anniversary as a company, Morris has committed to providing 75 beds this year.
Children who participate in the program will receive a twin bed (mattress, box spring, and frame) as well as bedding, a pillow, and an assortment of other goodies. After a short program on 8/27, the beds will be delivered to the family’s home. We do require that the families attend the 8/27 event.
We're currently seeking your help in finding children to participate in this program.
Please follow this link https://form.jotform.com/221945170220042 for eligibility information and to complete an online registration form for each family. Conferences may request up to five beds each to start. (if we still have space available, we may reach out for additional families).
Please submit forms by next Friday, 8/5, so we can begin working on scheduling and logistics. Any questions, contact Erin at rahebedfund@svdpcincinnati.org.
Thanks for your help in connecting children in Cincinnati with brand new beds!
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Archdiocese of Cincinnati Beacons of Light Initiative
Yes, Beacons of Light went "live" on 7/1. New pastors have arrived.
We encourage you to seize this opportunity for your Conference and you to:
- Connect with fellow Vincentians within your Family of Parishes
- Nurture relationship with your Family of Parishes pastor and parochial vicars
- Participate in the leadership process as your Family of Parishes creates and realizes your collective vision of vibrant parish life
- Partake in determining how your Conference is best positioned to live this Vincentian vocation for your members, Family of Parishes, neighbors, & community
- Attract potential Vincentians to join you in this vocation - for today and a multitude of tomorrows
You can learn more about Beacons as our Archdiocese continues to post fresh content at BeaconsAOC.org , including the Pathway Platform created to guide our journey.
Sharing news from our Conferences & Families of Parishes:
St. Gertrude Conference gathered this past Friday for a social evening of friendship, food, and drink.
Eleven members of St. Dominic Conference assembled yesterday in our NOC Community Room to deepen their understanding of our CMS tool, facilitated by John Wessel.
Does your Conference or Family of Parishes have news to share?
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Our 2022 Vincentian Member Survey Update
Repeated this Week for Emphasis
Our Conference Life Committee (CLC) would like to again thank each of the 181 Vincentians representing 42 Conferences who submitted a Member Survey. Analysis of the perspective shared began at our quarterly CLC meeting on Thursday evening, 7/14. Your insight will help shape future programs and workshops...and will inform our District Council's development of our next strategic plan, targeted for FY2024 implementation.
While your input was mostly complimentary, we have noted your candid suggestions for how we can live our mission even better. You can find a summary of your survey responses and a summary of the opportunities for improvement you cited on the member support and forms page of our website. Just enter: member when prompted for a password, then look for 2022 Vincentian Member Survey.
Special thanks to CLC members Jim Gerwe (St James of the Valley), John Ceddia (St Bartholomew), & Alec Jewell (St Jude YA & Conferences Manager) for their leadership on this survey.
Please watch for further development in future weeks.
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Prescription Fore Fun Golf Outing and Wine & Bourbon Tasting to Benefit our Charitable Pharmacy |
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You’re invited to join SVDP at this year’s Wine & Bourbon Tasting this coming Monday, August 1st,at 5pm, at Western Hills Country Club. Tickets are $50 and include wine and bourbon tastings along with food pairings. The evening also includes a silent auction, raffle, and short program. Proceeds from this event benefit SVDP’s Charitable Pharmacy.
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Two COVID Facts to Share
First, Hamilton County’s current COVID-19 community level of variant transmission has risen to “High”. As a result of this change to "High", we have reinstituted mandatory mask wearing for all staff at our Neyer Outreach Center (NOC), Liz Carter Center (LCC), and our thrift stores. We are also recommending wearing masks to our neighbors and visitors to our facilities - and making masks available.
Second, you or your neighbor can order free at-home COVID-19 tests. Each order contains 8 individual tests. Limit of 3 orders per household. Orders are delivered to your home by USPS. Google COVID.gov/tests to learn more and place an order.
We care about your health!
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Summer Heat Relief Program Update
Our walk-in fan program has now ended. The final number of fans distributed is 1,522 – that’s a lot of neighbors that are feeling cooler!
Our AC waitlist is also closed. We are continuing to contact neighbors currently on our waitlist if/when we are able to assist them. To-date, we’ve distributed 876 ACs.
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We partnered with the Cincinnati Reds this past weekend (at Friday & Saturday evening games) to help Strike Out Hunger across Greater Cincinnati. We harvested donations of non-perishable food items which filled 14 barrels - totaling 3,500 lbs of food, or approx 2,900 meals for our neighbors. This food collected will be distributed through our Becky & Ted Catino Choice Food Pantry and our Pantry Network. Fans who donated 3 or more food items received a voucher redeemable for a ticket to a future 2022 Reds game. We thank our event partners - the Cincinnati Reds, WLWT 5, & 700 WLW; our generous donors; and our cohort of smiling volunteers who accepted food donations, distributed ticket vouchers, sorted the donations, and will ultimately steward the food to our neighbors as the need for food assistance is growing this summer.
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Haircuts from the Heart Returns to our NOC
Haircuts from the Heart, courtesy of Franciscan Ministries, will be restarting their free haircut program, beginning this Monday, August 1. Stylist Margarita will be in our NOC on the first and second Monday of each month, 9am - noon, cutting hair in a room on the 2nd floor. Neighbors are accepted on a walk-in basis, and should sign in at our NOC reception desk upon arrival.
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CMS Tips & Tricks
John Wessel, our Resource Analyst, has created a series of over 30 easily viewed and absorbed videos that are available to you 24/7 on our CMS Support Page, https://www.svdpcincinnati.org/cms-support-page/. Password, if you are prompted: member .
Here's this week's CMS Tip: When entering the city for a neighbor's record, please fully spell out Cincinnati, rather than entering some abbreviated form. This will facilitate searching, filtering, and sorting functions as we utilize our data to better serve our neighbors.
Great news:
- Our Cathedral/St Francis Xavier joint Conference & our St Jude Conference implemented CMS this month
- St Saviour & St Teresa of Avila Conferences are committed to implement CMS in August
- St Antoninus, St Dominic, & St John the Baptist (Harrison) Conferences target September to implement CMS
- Our Lady of Lourdes, St Mary (Hyde Park), & St Boniface Conferences are also in our active pipeline
John Wessel is creating new ways to harvest & present the data you are capturing in CMS, when he's not engaging current & soon-to-be users.
Still holding out? Ask a Treasurer of a Conference utilizing CMS how much easier a monthly or quarterly close is in CMS. Act now - your Conference could start FY2023 on 10/1/2022 with CMS in your toolkit!
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More Resources for our Conferences and Neighbors
Conference Assistance Fund (CAF)
We, together, have extended $581,008 in total FY2022 CAF assistance for the 9 months ended 6/30/2022, including $78,885 to 180 households in June.
Our July activity to-date:
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You've submitted 154 applications
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We've approved 138 applications; 2 were transferred for ERA 1 processing; 7 have been declined; and 1 was withdrawn
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We currently have 48 applications in progress toward approval
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We have already extended nearly all of our augmented total of $60,000 of July CAF funding; we have been blessed with special authorization to extend up to $80,000 this month
We again call attention to the high volume of CAF applications in these most recent 5 months.
We offer thanks to those Conferences & their donors who have recently twinned through CAF. We also appreciate the direct twinning activity between Conferences with surplus funds and those experiencing more need than the funding they organically attract. If your Conference is currently blessed with funds exceeding 2-3 months of your normal operating outflow, please know that we have fellow Conferences in search of funds to invest in lifting neighbors right now. We invite your Conference to discern if twinning is your best available act of faithful stewardship.
Thanks to our volunteers who are processing applications so promptly, and to Olivia & Alec.
CAF Spreadsheet Reminder:
Publicly-Funded Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERA1)
We are now extending ERA assistance - working in conjunction with Community Action Agency (CAA) who has been extending assistance through this program for months. Our Council will be extending this assistance to selected, eligible Hamilton County residents until 9/30/2022. This deeply-funded program can provide substantial rent & utilities assistance for neighbors who have been directly or indirectly impacted by COVID. Your Conference & you have the opportunity to identify neighbors who are eligible prospective recipients and actively participate in the process leading to assistance extended. This program does have mandated specs and significant documentation requirements.
Over 30 Vincentians participated in our Resource Spotlight - ERA1 for Conferences - via Zoom on Thurs, 7/7. For those who could not join us - and for ongoing reference for all - we have posted links to the recording of this Zoom session, the embedded PowerPoint presentation, and other relevant documents to our member support and forms page of our website. Just enter: member when prompted for a password, then look for Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) and click on the resource you desire. You can also reach out to Olivia Scheper & Alec Jewell of our Conferences Support team for further clarity. Finally, please reach out to Olivia if you are interested in volunteering to help process applications.
Our Conferences' ERA1 activity to-date: 2 applications submitted, approved, and assistance extended; 2 more submitted and currently in process; and 2 more applications in the pipeline, nearing full completion to begin processing.
Metro Bus Passes (Everybody Rides Metro)
Your Conference has access to Metro bus passes to be extended to neighbors for use for any of 3 defined purposes:
- Commute to/from new employment
- Commute to/from our Bank St services hub or other community social services
- Commute to/from medical appointments
Please understand that these passes are sourced through the Everybody Rides Metro program and our Council is required to comply with the above-referenced usages and submit reports of passes distributed. Please also understand that your Conference will need to record bus passes extended in CMS for the neighbors receiving this assistance. Our Bus Pass Guidelines sheet for Conferences is available to you on the Members Support page of our website https://www.svdpcincinnati.org/conferences-members/member-support/
or use this link to go directly to this document
If your Conference wants to learn more about this program or request passes, please contact Alec Jewell, Conferences Manager, at ajewell@svdpcincinnati.org or 513.345.4983.
Our Charitable Pharmacy is Still Providing COVID Vaccinations
The CDC has recently released new guidance on boosters for those most susceptible to severe COVID complications. We have the Pfizer vaccine. Want more info? Our Charitable Pharmacy staff is available to answer any questions. You can contact Dr. Rusty Curington at rcurington@svdpcincinnati.org and a Pharmacy team member will respond.
Our Re-Entry Program
Our Re-Entry Program Manager, Dion Crockett, is eager to work with you to assist neighbors you are serving who have been affected by the criminal justice system. If you would like to host Dion at a Conference meeting, get together with him in another way, or discuss a particular situation, Dion can be reached at 513.562.8851 or dcrockett@svdpcincinnati.org .
Rahe Beds Fund & Program
We look forward to accepting six requests per Conference beginning this Monday, 8/1. We are debuting our brand-new online Conference bed request form for the August bed requests. You can find the form here. The purpose of this form is to make it easier for Conferences to submit their requests; we know that many of you have found the PDF/Word version of the form difficult to interact with. The form also has some automation on the back end that will allow us to process requests more quickly and easily communicate their status with you. As you fill out the form, you’ll notice that questions will appear and disappear depending on your answers to other questions. This is to ensure that the form is as simple as possible for you to fill out, while still providing us with all the information you need. If you experience any difficulties or have questions or suggestions about the form, please reach out to Erin at rahebedfund@svdpcincinnati.org or 513.562.8857.
If your Conference is considering purchasing beds to extend as assistance, you can get info, including current pricing, or purchase by contacting Dave Chidlow, Stores Retail Resource Manager, at dchidlow@svdpcincinnati.org or 513.853.1002. Your purchased beds will be picked up at our CHRC within our Liz Carter Center. Please be aware that our beds cost and resale pricing have risen significantly.
We still have cribs & pack ‘n’ plays available for neighbors with children too young for beds (under age two). These do not count against the limit of two Rahe beds per household per lifetime. If you have a neighbor who is in need of a crib or pack ‘n’ play, please contact Erin at rahebedfund@svdpcincinnati.org. We will provide the neighbor with a voucher that can be redeemed at our CHRC.
Do you have questions about our Rahe Beds Fund & Program?
You can find the most updated Bed Fund Conference Guide in the Members section of the SVDP website, which includes some updates to the way beds assistance should be entered in CMS.
Cooking Improv with La Soupe
Our partner La Soupe teams with our Catino Choice Pantry to present monthly Cooking Improv demonstrations in the Teaching Kitchen at our NOC. Instructors from La Soupe and volunteers engage participants on basic cooking principles and how to use what you have to create delicious, nutritious meals. All recipes are based off ingredients found daily in our Catino Choice Pantry. The demonstrations are on the first Wednesday of every month, 11am-1pm. Neighbors are encouraged to sample the delicious dishes and discuss preparation and ingredients with our staff, volunteers, and resident La Soupe instructor Chef Mona!
The next event is this coming Wed, 8/3. No pre-registration is required.
Feel free to share this information with your neighbors, or if you’re interested in getting involved in our Teaching Kitchen programming, please reach out to Demi Schoenherr at dschoenherr@svdpcincinnati.org for more information.
Education Center Within Our Neyer Outreach Center
Our NOC Education Center is available for neighbors to use during our operating hours: Monday - Friday, 8am - 4pm, and Saturday, 8am - noon.
Christ Church Plumb Line
Olivia Scheper, Conferences Support Coordinator, is our central contact point-person. Plumb Line only accepts assistance referrals from this single SVDP point-person.
As a reminder, Plumb Line can assist with $400 of past due rent for neighbors who are currently working.
All referrals to Plumb Line should be sent to:
Olivia Scheper
Phone: 513.345.4986, ext 239
Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW)
GCWW's Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Program provides funds for assistance for eligible tenants residing in the City of Cincinnati. There are eligibility stipulations. Tenants must qualify by completing an online application at assistance.mygcww.org .
Renters can also call 513.591.7700 to receive assistance from the call center to complete an application. There is also a flexible payment plan through the PromisePay Portal. GCWW customers can visit GCWW.promise-pay.com for details about the program and how to enroll. Renters not residing in Cincinnati city limits but living in Hamilton County can visit https://erap.hcjfs.org/ for utility assistance. If you need additional materials or information, please contact GCWW at GCWWCares@gcww.cincinnati-oh.gov .
Duke Energy
The combination of high temperatures and elevated fuel prices will impact summer bills.
Duke Energy recently implemented a new billing and payment system - and had suspended disconnections for nonpayment as they fine-tuned this new system. They have now advised that they have resumed standard billing and credit policies, including disconnections for non-payment. Customers may have begun receiving disconnection notifications and actual disconnections will begin taking place this month.
Duke encourages us to follow our standard steps for processing pledges on customer accounts. For questions on accounts or pledges for neighbors requesting utility assistance, please contact Duke Energy's Centralized Agency Team at 800.241.3194. Advocates are currently available Monday through Friday, 7:30am - 5:30pm.
Duke also encourages us to direct customers to their summer bills page and to these helpful fact sheets to find helpful programs, tips and tools. Should a customer not meet their qualifications for assistance, please refer them to Duke's customer care organization at 800.544.6900 where they may find assistance through a flexible installment plan.
Additional info on public assistance resources can be found at energyhelp.ohio.gov .
State of Ohio Program for Struggling Homeowners
Save the Dream Ohio helps eligible Ohio homeowners facing foreclosure and/or who cannot afford to pay their mortgage payments, utility payments or other related housing costs as a result of economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The state of Ohio was awarded $280 million from the U.S. Department of Treasury through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for the program. Click here for more information:
City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County COVID Assistance
Cincinnati Eye Institute Foundation (CEIF) Vision Clinic in our Neyer Outreach Center
The Vision Clinic operates by appointment on certain Thursdays as designated by CEIF. Our Vision Clinic is open tomorrow (7/28), 8:30am - 11am (no pm hours). Looking forward to August, our Vision Clinic will be open all 4 Thursdays, 8:30am - 3pm. A limited number of walk-in exams can also be accommodated. To schedule an appointment, or to inquire for additional info, please call 513.207.6140.
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Call to Prayer
Lord, keep our hearts clean and our vision clear,
as you mold us into authentic witnesses of your love.
Lord, keep our hearts clean and our vision clear,
so that we may be free from greed and selfishness.
Lord, keep our hearts clean and our vision clear,
as you renew us with the truth of your Gospel.
Amen.
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