Caring for the poorest of our Omaha community is what the Society of St. Vincent de Paul does. It’s what Jesus and the Gospel message call us all to do, collectively, and I’m so grateful for your caring support that allows our organization to carry out this critical mission.
Every Christmas season, my family puts up an old wooden Nativity set onto a bookcase in our dining room. We add baby Jesus to the scene on Christmas morning. This is the same aging Nativity set my parents had. As a very young child, I remember gazing at this set, trying to understand how it was possible that the Holy Family didn’t have a better place to stay. I also remember wondering whether they had enough food … as well as clothes to keep the Christ child warm. Here at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha, we receive requests for assistance from very poor and struggling families in the midst of a crisis so challenging that I’m often reminded of those same nativity questions I had as a child.
Every Christmas season, my family puts up an old wooden Nativity set onto a bookcase in our dining room. We add baby Jesus to the scene on Christmas morning. This is the same aging Nativity set my parents had. As a very young child, I remember gazing at this set, trying to understand how it was possible that the Holy Family didn’t have a better place to stay. I also remember wondering whether they had enough food … as well as clothes to keep the Christ child warm. Here at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha, we receive requests for assistance from very poor and struggling families in the midst of a crisis so challenging that I’m often reminded of those same nativity questions I had as a child.
Recently, I helped deliver a couple of large boxes of food to a mom – “Theresa” – who has two young boys and a 12-year-old daughter who were living in a terribly rundown one-bedroom apartment. In my conversations with Theresa, l learned that she had fled from a physically abusive husband who had told her he would (literally) end her life if she ever left him. Exhausted from the abuse and living in fear, she left anyway, moving to Omaha from a nearby state. And, on top of all of her difficulties, I learned that Theresa also had a teenage daughter who passed away four weeks prior, after contracting a fast-moving bacterial meningitis.
Theresa and her kids had endured SO much life devastation. My heart truly went out to them all. Understandably, Theresa was distraught, bewildered about life, and grieving more than I could ever comprehend. And, as she had little savings and absolutely no family support to assist her, Theresa had contacted the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha, asking for whatever help we might be able to provide. In addition to the food we brought over, the Society provided Theresa with thrift store vouchers to purchase used clothing for her family. We have also been able to help Theresa get current on her delinquent rent and ensure her utilities will remain on during these cold winter months.
The Christmas season is the most important time of the year for financial donations to non-profit organizations, like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha. The Society is dedicated to extending the support we are blessed to receive, which allows us to meet the basic human needs of poor and struggling Omaha families, like Theresa and her kids. Frankly, absolutely NONE of our organization’s outreach, services, and ministries would be possible without the financial contributions we receive from caring people in our community, like you.
These accompanying photos are just a few of the people and families we serve. On your behalf, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is able to provide our life-giving assistance and hope to Omaha’s poor and homeless individuals and families when they have nowhere else to turn. Will you please consider making your Christmas gift to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha at this time? Your support this Christmas will make a real and meaningful difference in our mission of serving poor and struggling families and individuals from right here in our Omaha community.
Thank you and may God bless you and your family. Please know that you are in my prayers and in the prayers of the Society this Christmas, and beyond.
Jill Lynch-Sosa
Executive Director
P.S. Please know that all gifts made in the month of December will be matched – dollar-for-dollar – up to $140,000 – essentially doubling your gift!
Theresa and her kids had endured SO much life devastation. My heart truly went out to them all. Understandably, Theresa was distraught, bewildered about life, and grieving more than I could ever comprehend. And, as she had little savings and absolutely no family support to assist her, Theresa had contacted the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha, asking for whatever help we might be able to provide. In addition to the food we brought over, the Society provided Theresa with thrift store vouchers to purchase used clothing for her family. We have also been able to help Theresa get current on her delinquent rent and ensure her utilities will remain on during these cold winter months.
The Christmas season is the most important time of the year for financial donations to non-profit organizations, like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha. The Society is dedicated to extending the support we are blessed to receive, which allows us to meet the basic human needs of poor and struggling Omaha families, like Theresa and her kids. Frankly, absolutely NONE of our organization’s outreach, services, and ministries would be possible without the financial contributions we receive from caring people in our community, like you.
These accompanying photos are just a few of the people and families we serve. On your behalf, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is able to provide our life-giving assistance and hope to Omaha’s poor and homeless individuals and families when they have nowhere else to turn. Will you please consider making your Christmas gift to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha at this time? Your support this Christmas will make a real and meaningful difference in our mission of serving poor and struggling families and individuals from right here in our Omaha community.
Thank you and may God bless you and your family. Please know that you are in my prayers and in the prayers of the Society this Christmas, and beyond.
Jill Lynch-Sosa
Executive Director
P.S. Please know that all gifts made in the month of December will be matched – dollar-for-dollar – up to $140,000 – essentially doubling your gift!
"The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a network of friends, inspired by Gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need."
|
|
|
|
Food Pantry
2101 Leavenworth St. | Tuesdays and Thursdays 9 AM-12:30 PM Thrift Stores West Center Store: 12301 W Center Rd | (402) 933-8242 Mon-Sat: 10 AM - 8 PM | Sun: 12 PM - 5 PM Donation Hours: Mon-Sat, 10 AM-4 PM, Sun 12 PM-4 PM Downtown Store: 2101 Leavenworth St | (402) 341-1689 Mon-Sat: 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM Donation Hours: Mon-Fri, 9:30 AM-3 PM Northwest Store: 5505 N 90th St | (402) 502-7837 Mon-Fri: 10 AM - 6 PM | Sat: 10 AM - 4 PM Donation Hours: Tues-Fri, 10 AM-5 PM, Sat 10 AM-3 PM Papillion Store: 807 Tara Pl | (402) 593-4055 Mon-Sat 9 AM - 6 PM Donation Hours: Mon-Sat, 10 AM-4:30 PM |
District Office
at Holy Family Center 1715 Izard St. Omaha NE 68102 (402) 779-8499 [email protected] Helpline: ssvpomaha.org/get-help Society of St. Vincent de PaulSSVP Thrift StoresCopyright SSVP Omaha ©2023
|