Category: giving

Poverty doesn’t take a break. Neither does our mission.

At the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Chicago, we walk alongside individuals and families facing crisis every day. Whether it’s a neighbor struggling to pay rent, a family choosing between food and medicine, or someone simply trying to keep the lights on, these challenges happen all year long.

That’s why monthly giving is one of the most impactful ways you can support our work. It provides a dependable stream of funding that allows us to:

• Respond quickly in times of emergency
• Provide consistent aid through rent, utility, and food assistance
• Offer dignity through our thrift store voucher program
• Sustain vital outreach efforts in underserved communities

Your monthly gift of $10, $25, $50, $100 or more ensures that help is always within reach for those in need. It is more than a donation. It is a commitment to bringing hope, stability, and compassion to our neighbors every single month.

When you join our community of Faithful Supporters, you become part of a mission that stretches across Cook and Lake Counties, rooted in faith and powered by generosity.

Please consider starting your monthly gift today. Together, we can ensure that no one faces hardship alone.

As summer settles over Chicago, many families look forward to sunshine, backyard barbecues, and a slower pace. But for too many of our neighbors, summer brings no such relief. Rising electric bills, inflated grocery prices, and ongoing housing insecurity make this season one of the most difficult times of the year.

At the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Chicago, we know that poverty doesn’t take a summer vacation.

Since 1857, SVdP Chicago has been serving individuals and families in crisis throughout Cook and Lake counties. Our mission is grounded in compassion and personal connection. When someone reaches out for help, two of our Vincentian volunteers visit them in their home to understand their needs and offer meaningful support. It’s a ministry of presence, meeting people where they are, with dignity and respect.

That first year, our founding Conference at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church made 4,650 home visits and helped 650 families, distributing over $5,000, which is more than $180,000 in today’s dollars. Today, with 77 Conferences and 1,400 Vincentians, we carry that legacy forward. In 2024, we made nearly 25,000 visits and helped over 72,000 individuals in need, distributing more than $1.5 million in aid.

And the need continues to grow.

Each summer, requests for assistance increase as families struggle with high utility costs, rising food prices, and urgent rent payments. Eviction is a constant threat for many. Others face impossible choices, like whether to keep the lights on or put food on the table.

We need your help to meet these growing needs.

Your generosity allows us to respond to each plea for help with compassion and action. Every dollar you give goes directly toward supporting individuals and families through crisis, helping them stay housed, fed, and safe.