By Paul Ainslie, President, SVdP Indy
Recently we released our most recent Impact Report (English and Spanish). This two-sided document summarizes all the numbers for the food we serve, household goods we distribute, our store sales, and the number of volunteer hours given. And these numbers are truly amazing! This news should be shared far and wide.
Almost 250,000 neighbors received food from our seven food pantries. Each person shopping at our 30th Street Food Pantry could take home about $160 worth of groceries each week, providing both nutritional meals and budget relief for the higher bills they need to pay. For the 19,000+ we helped with furniture and household goods—including about 1,400 beds—their homes are a bit more comfortable. And for the 10,000 unsheltered neighbors we helped with a warm meal, coats, boots, and socks, their lives have been touched by the love we give freely.
Over 8,000 volunteers gave 328,000 hours of their time to help. With volunteers doing about 95% of all the work we do, we cannot overstate the importance of their commitment. Our volunteers truly are the hands and heart of Jesus.
Our annual reports and impact reports, however, tend to be a bit too transactional. Numbers of people helped, dollars collected and spent, hours volunteered, etc. This is, of course, the work we do every day. But it is the personal encounters where the true spirituality of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul comes through. Each time we greet a neighbor at the pantry, visit a home to help, or meet a donor dropping off clothes or other items at the Distribution Center, we share the love of Christ for all.
So, a heartfelt “Thank you” to all the donors, volunteers and staff who make this work possible. We need every head, hand and heart to make the impact we see. We know that there is always more to do.
