Let Us Go To the Poor:
Throughout the year volunteers of our parish conference make over 520 home visits to individuals and families (including about 300 children) providing emergency food, food vouchers, clothing and furniture.

We also pay visits to people in hospitals, nursing homes and prisons.

At Christmas we provide extra help to more than 125 needy families by delivering food baskets, clothing and toys to small children.

Annually we hold a Christmas dinner/party for the less fortunate. More than 50 adults and 90 children attend this event.

In the Toronto area over 65,000 people are visited in their homes each year by 1168 volunteer members organized in 120 working groups known as “Conferences’ (generally parish based, but autonomous from the church.) In 2003 they distributed $2.6 million in emergency aid through the Home Visitation Program and an additional $375,000 for Christmas Assistance Programs.

A basic principle of the society is that after local needs are met, any excess funds are spent where the needs are greatest. (Ex. If an area experiences a natural disaster, in Canada or elsewhere, our national office forwards funds to local St Vincent de Paul volunteers in order to assist with these emergencies.)

Special Works:
Our Toronto Central Council operates many charitable programs including Community Homes, Care Homes, Addiction Recovery Facilities, Women Shelters, Community Stores, Camps and New Bed Program.

A Global Network of Charity:
Founded by Frederic Ozanam in 1833, today the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has a total of 589,589 volunteer members, all “ Helping the Poor World Wide.” There are currently 47,461 conferences in 133 countries.

“Twinning” of more affluent conferences with needier conferences and “Internationally Funded Emergency Relief” are among two of the many special projects of the society.