South District Report: February 2025

LOCATION OF MEETING:
St. Jude

PRESENT AT MEETING:
Craig Blandford – St. Barnabas
Shannon Carter – Our Lady of Greenwood
Charlie Gardner – Nativity
Rosemary Gliem – Holy Name of Jesus
Wayne Heisig – Good Shepherd
Paul Matheis – St. Jude
Gary Steigerwald – President
Lori Tobin – St. Roch

GUEST:
Jan Teipen – Sacred Heart
Gary opened the meeting at 6:35pm.

OPENING PRAYER:
Wayne led the opening prayer.

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION:
Wayne led the spiritual reflection.  The gospel reading and reflection focused on the Beatitudes.  Blessed are the poor – those who we help.  The Beatitudes are a call to action.

Agenda was distributed.

The minutes from the December 2024 meeting were approved.

40 DAYS 40 BEDS (Adult Beds)
The money collected will go to the Council and then a bed can be requested from the Warehouse.  If a conference keeps the money collected, the conference cannot request a bed.  A conference can make a donation to this program. This program is for adult beds only; twin size beds are in the regular budget and will be available as supplies last.  Information about this program will be sent to some of our big donors.  Our CFO will track those conferences that are participating.

OZANAM ORIENTATION
Nativity will host an orientation on April 12.

CHANGING LIVES FOREVER PROGRAM
Andrea Leadford passed away.  The program is looking for a new leader.

MISSION 27 – STORE #3
A third Mission 27 store is being considered to be located in the Avon, Brownsburg, or Center City (38^th St.) northeast side areas.

LYNC (Love Your Neighbor Center)
Twenty-five men have successfully completed the program in about one year’s time and some of these men have found jobs.

SERVWARE
ServWare was suppose to replace what was done before the information was sent to the conferences.  ServWare is currently being used after the Help Line receives a call. The information is entered into ServWare and is then sent to the correct conference. Referrals should be kept for 3 years.

ANNUAL MEETING REVIEW
The slides are difficult to read.  The Beggars for the Poor program was not a part of the annual meeting.  A handout of the slides could be provided so the attendees could read the information.  If a handout of all the slides can’t be provided, then a handout of the financial information should be provided.

AWARDS SUGGESTION
A statue was suggested as a possible award.  A certificate was not supported as an award for volunteering.

OPEN DISCUSSION

• St. Vincent de Paul has approximately $2 million in reserve.
• Gary provided the following handouts at the meeting:
• Updated Ozanam Orientation Dates, 40 Days for 40 Beds, Client Visit Summary,
• Operations Report (January 28), and Volunteer Updates (January 13, 2025).
• Beds – The adult bed order form is at the SVDP website.  A conference does not need to participate in the 40 days 40 beds to order a bed. The conference is invoiced after placing the order.  The client can have it delivered.  It is about $200.00 for a frame and a bed.

Conference Updates (unedited)

OUR LADY OF GREENWOOD

DECEMBER  2024
FOOD PANTRY HELPED 575 FAMILIES TTL IN FAMILY 2,465
HELPLINE ASSISTANCE $2,465.00 FOR 22 FAMILIES
HOMELESS $805.00
GIVING TREE $266.00

JANUARY 2025
FOOD PANTRY HELPED 756 FAMILIES TTL IN FAMILY 3,270
HELPLINE ASSISTANCE $6,111.00 FOR 34 FAMILIES
HOMELESS $2,278
GIVING TREE $79.00

ST. ROCH
For the months of December 2024 and January 2025, the St. Roch conference answered many warehouse calls and utility assistance calls.  We continue to also answer the needs and wants for the homeless ministry with gloves, bars of soap, hygiene products, coats, and warm items.  We have completed our annual report to the parish and published it within our January bulletin and acknowledged all 2024 monetary donations.  Our spiritual meeting continues to meet on the first Sunday of each month.

SACRED HEART
Continuing to handle need calls.  Planning the next visit to Bethany Village Nursing home.

ST. JUDE
St. Jude – December 2024 and January 2025 Update:

• During December and January the St. Jude Conference accomplished the following:
• Our Conference made 17 Home Visits and coordinated Warehouse, Christmas and food assistance for 137 Neighbors.
• We provided rent or utility assistance to  14 families made up of  40 Neighbors.
• All combined, we provided direct assistance to 177 Neighbors who reside in St. Jude Parish.
• Our monetary assistance including rent, utilities, and gift cards totaled $5,093.
• We contacted and provided the names of 23 families who received Christmas gifts through our Parish Giving Tree Program.
• We also provided direct help with Christmas food and Walmart gift cards to 57 Neighbors.

ST. MARK 

Updates for the St. Mark Conference for Jan-Feb 2025:

1) St Mark assisted 64 clients and family members this reporting period

2) Completed 4 home visits and 4 Distribution Center requests

3) Collected furniture and household items from parishioners to assist with need requests

4) Hosted Coffee and Donuts after 2 Masses to promote SVdP and recruit more members

 

HOLY ROSARY

December 2024 and January 2025

Home visits     17
Warehouse       8
Utilities           $813
Gas cards       $50
Beds               $544.58
Christmas assistance  11 families

 

GOOD SHEPHERD

• During December and January Good Shepherd Conference received 68 requests from neighbors.
• Good Shepherd conference made 45 Home visits serving 173 neighbors and 24 telephone visits impacting 68 neighbors.
• 115 hours and 1083 miles were required to help our neighbors.
• A Parish blanket Sunday drive for SVDP was held in January.
• 73 blanket/sheet sets were delivered to the Distribution Center.

 

NATIVITY

Nativity Conference Report – December 2024–January 2025 

• We obtained gifts from the Catholic Charities Christmas Store and delivered them to 20 of the households that we had assisted during 2024.
• We also distributed $1,350 in Christmas gift cards to 14 additional neighbors in need.
• We visited and assisted 26 households with rent, utilities, appliances, food, and DC referrals.
• We continue to support Good Shepherd conference with a monthly contribution.
• Our conference will host an Ozanam Training on April 12.

 

HOLY NAME

December 2024 – January 2025

• Continuing to provide financial help for utilities.
• Conducting home visits and making referrals to the warehouse.
• Providing financial help for food assistance.
• Volunteering hours in answering help line calls.
• Volunteering and supporting the Love Your Neighbor Center.

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Wayne led the closing prayer.

The next regular meeting is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, April 10, 6:30pm at St. Roch.

Meeting adjourned at 7:58pm.

Minutes submitted by: Rosemary