New Vincentian Services Center opens its doors to Houston’s needy, plans for growth
December 21, 2010
HOUSTON — The Society of St. Vincent de Paul's sprawling new services center threw open its doors earlier this month to serve those in need in Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. The center offers a new thrift store, massive donation center and food depot.
But the Vincentians, members of the Catholic lay organization that have served Houston's poor since 1871, say they're not done yet. More plans are in the works over the coming year to transform the facility into a marquee assistance hub for residents.
The Vincentian Services Center, which celebrated its grand opening Dec. 2, represents 50,000 square-feet of possibilities, including space for job and life skills training, group activities and a community garden to grow fresh produce which will be distributed in the food depot. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo officially blessed the center Dec. 16, inaugurating a new chapter of ministry for the Society and its 2,000 local volunteers. The Society's main purpose is to help members develop spiritually through service to the poor.
Over the past year, SVdP in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston has provided 440,000 services and distributed $6 million in food, financial assistance, goods and other aid.
The new center, which will help expand the group's reach, is housed in a former Superior Waterbeds showroom and warehouse on the Gulf Freeway near Broad Street — an ample facility that also bridges a service gap in an area with few other social service agencies.
"We can grow into this place," said Earnest Dyer, assistant executive director of SVdP. "We're also located in a community with great need."
Future plans include using now empty office space for community activities, GED courses and other training, said Ann Schorno, SVdP executive director. The community garden will be sown this spring, if funds are available.
The facility should also become a key staging area for emergency response and relief distribution in the event of a hurricane due to its easy access to coastal areas, Schorno said.
For now, though, the Vincentians are busy settling in, drumming up business for the thrift store — profits are used to provide financial and medical assistance to others — accepting and sorting through donations, and putting the final touches on the food pantry.
The John L. Food Depot is designed to allow families to shop for food much like they would in a grocery store, rather than receiving the typical bag of predetermined goods containing things they may not want or need.
The depot will also serve as a hub connecting families with one of 61 parishbased Vincentian councils that coordinate home visits and arrange for longer-term support, Schorno said.
Last year, Vincentians made 9,000 home visits, a pillar of their Christian outreach. "By person to person service to the needy, we bring the love and peace of Christ to those who are suffering," Schorno said. "We are there to serve them following the example of Jesus Christ and finding Christ in the person of those we serve." †
tch@archgh.org