FOCUS AREA: BASIC NEEDS

In 2016, SVDP Rhode Island assisted an estimated 25,000 Rhode Islanders with over $2.5 Million in direct aid. Virtually all of this was in the form of basic needs assistance, including food, clothing, rent, furniture, security deposits, gas and electric bills, and help paying medical bills.

The Rhode Island Foundation provides a significant annual grant for basic needs assistance, and the RI Food Bank contributes tens of thousands of dollars in food to our pantries and meal sites. The rest of our funding comes from small donations at the parish level, and revenue from our clothing bin operation.

The Home Visit

At the heart of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s unique ministry is the “home visit,” where our experienced volunteers, known as “Vincentians,” work in teams of two to visit those in need on their schedule to determine the exact nature of assistance required.

Vincentians make thousands of in-home person-to-person visits each year and are able to see first-hand, the exact situation in which a person is living. SVdP assistance is tailored to each person’s or family’s needs and may include food, clothing, furniture, rent, utility, transportation, medical, emotional or spiritual support.

When those in need are visited in their homes, they are assured that information collected will be kept in confidence. The home visit allows SVdP to offer immediate assistance and determine if those in need would benefit from other programs offered by the Society. The home visit preserves the dignity of the individual/family in need while making it convenient.

If You Need Help

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