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    Giving Tree

     

     

    "The Giving Tree program was a great success! Thanks to the generosity of you, St. Charles parishioners, we were able to distribute gifts to:
    • Families in San Carlos
    • Families in East Palo Alto and Menlo Park, through St. Francis of Assisi Conference
    • Catherine's Center
    • Homeless Help Center
    • Rosalie Rendu Center (through Daughters of Charity)"

     

  • The Archdiocesan Council of San Francisco is composed of three separate county councils: Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo. These in turn are formed and governed by much smaller--usually parish-based--groups known as conferences. Most Vincentians work within these conferences to provide assistance. Last year, 40,000 distinct individuals were served in San Mateo County, including 17,800 children.

    The first San Mateo County St. Vincent de Paul Conference was founded in 1931 at Holy Angels Parish in Colma. Currently, there are 32 parish-based Conferences and 3 Homeless Help Center Conferences.  Approximately 1,100 Vincentian volunteers offer emergency aid to all areas of San MateoCounty, working within their parish locations.

    Aid is given regardless of age, gender, race or creed.  

    Who does St. Charles’ SVdP serve?

    • We primarily serve people living in San Carlos who are having difficulty meeting basic needs such as food, housing, utilities, and clothing.
    • We support our sister parish, St. Francis, in East Palo Alto
    • We support the San Mateo County SVdP Voice of the Poor(VoP) committee’s efforts.

    How do we serve the needy in San Carlos?

    • We provide food and or food vouchers. We also provide vouchers for clothing and/or furniture from our local SVdP stores
    • We assist in obtaining bus (SamTrans) tokens
    • We provide rental assistance and utility payment assistance
    • We refer the homeless to county and non-profit homeless providers

    How does the conference get funds?

    • Every fifth Sunday at St Charles, there is a second collection. The funds from this collection are used to stock the SVdP pantry and/or provide monetary assistance to the local needy. Food is also supplemented by Second Harvest.

  • Become a SVdP member at St. Charles

    • To become a member of St. Charles SVdP, simply contact the president of our conference via the parish secretary. See the church bulletin for details.  Meetings are held the 2nd Thursday of each month at Borromeo Hall, St. Charles meeting room at 7:30 p.m., year-round.
    • You don’t have to be a member to participate. You can volunteer for most of the activities simply by notifying the conference that you are interested.

  • Additional SVdP Activities

    • Four thrift stores in S. San Francisco, San Bruno, San Mateo and Redwood City
    • Help Centers where meals, clothing, sundry items, mail, phone and laundry services are provided.
    • Jail Ministry, providing a chaplain and volunteers to assist prisoners and their families
    • Peninsula Interfaith Action (PIA) and the Bay Area Organizing Committee (BAOC) collaboration on local social action strategies.