Members of St. Vincent de Paul, called Vincentians, seek to grow spiritually by helping people in need. Our primary work is helping people in Norman and Noble with one-time emergency rent or utility assistance. Home visits are scheduled with persons who call our helpline, (405) 329-5372, so we can meet and talk with individuals and families and see if there might be other needs and share information about additional resources. We go out in pairs, just as Jesus sent his disciples, on our home visits, usually one or two visits a week per Vincentian. The typical case involves helping with utilities or rent but may also include furniture, food, communicating with a landlord, or contacting other agencies who may also be able to help. Information is provided to these neighbors in need on the many organizations in Norman that may also help them with both their immediate and longer range challenges. People are helped regardless of faith, race, age, ethnicity or background. Note: Due to COVID, our home visits are currently suspended but we contact those who call for assistance by phone.
We often help families with furniture and household items when we find them living without basic items. We have a secure storage building in central Norman and rely on donations of beds, couches and loveseats, dressers, dishes, pots and pans, glassware, towels, sheets, pillows, blankets, tables, chairs, floor and table lamps and other basics. Most of the people we help live in fairly small spaces so we don't usually accept large entertainment centers, king size beds or older televisions. Please call the Helpline if you have furniture to donate or contact a member of St. Vincent de Paul.
We also support Cottage 8 in McKown Village . St. Thomas More hosts one of several cottages built in Norman in 2017 to provide temporary housing (usually about a year or 18 months) for individuals and families who are homeless. In addition to housing they receive case worker support from Food and Shelter staff and help with finding employment or medical help or whatever it is that contributed to their being without a home. Parishioners help furnish the one-room house and when the resident finds a permanent home, they are invited to take anything they need for their new home and we start again.
We meet weekly on Thursdays at 5:50 p.m., after Daily Mass, in the Parish Library, to pray together, participate in spiritual reflection, review current cases and conduct conference business. New members, or people who just interested in learning more about SVdP, are always welcome. Our Society has had significant growth since it started at St. Thomas More in 1990 when the total assistance provided in one year was about $9,000. This compares to $75,000 in assistance provided in 2019. (Annual report for FY 2019 available here) The financial assistance we share comes from donations to the Poor Box, the annual Friends of the Poor Walk and Soup Supper, faithful weekly and monthly supporters, memorial gifts and fundraisers. Note: Due to COVID, SVdP meets on Thursdays at 6:30pm by Zoom until further notice. Also, the 2020 Friends of the Poor Walk and Soup Supper has been cancelled.Our current Resource Sheet listing other agencies in Norman and Noble that provide assistance can be found here.