DUNEDIN — For 60 years, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Conference at Our Lady of Lourdes Church has been providing food and other assistance to people in need.
Last year, the SVDP conference distributed more than $70,000 in food and financial aid to more than 800 families.
Joan Hughes, president of the conference at the church since October, has been a volunteer for three years.
"I'm constantly amazed at the generosity of the parish and the support," Hughes said.
A large percentage of the organization's funding comes from donations provided by the parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Though the conference is celebrating its 60th anniversary, Hughes thinks it's too much of a “well-kept secret” in the community.
“I wanted people to be aware of the services we provide because we are more than just a food pantry. People come in know us and have a history with us," Hughes said.
The Dunedin conference also provides those in need and living in poverty with utility assistance emergency shelter assistance, clothing, furniture and household goods, and referrals to community social service organizations.
The conference's guidelines stipulate that patrons can come in once a month, but they never turn anybody away who needs food, Hughes said.
"A lot of times they'll leverage what we can provide to them with what Dunedin Cares has. So, it's wonderful that we have multiple food pantries in our community," Hughes said.
Phyllis Davis, a former conference president who has been a volunteer for 18 years for the service, said she got involved because she is a fast typist and the conference was converting from paper to computers and they needed somebody to do the data entry.
She volunteers three or four hours a week, not as much as she used to, "because Joan stepped up."
The generosity of the parish and the fact that the conference can help so many people that she never would have encountered in her daily life gives her the most satisfaction.
"We have met some great people. I think I get more out of it than maybe they do," Davis said. "It's very rewarding that we can help them."
Hughes said her parents volunteered for soup kitchens.
"I was raised Catholic, so I think it was part of our tradition," Hughes said. "Even though it's a lot of hours and lot of service. Growing up I always thought it to be fun. I really did."
When she retired, she pursued the opportunity to volunteer. She lives about three blocks away from Our Lady of Lourdes, which is located at 750 San Salvador Drive. The conference has about 15 volunteers and is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to noon.
"I have been fortunate to have the time. The first thing I wanted to do when we made that decision, I reached out to Vincent de Paul. It was very fortunate there was a conference in my parish," she said, "and actually it brings me a lot of joy."
The conference serves people living in Dunedin, Palm Harbor and Tarpon Springs. People who live in other nearby areas seeking food or services are referred to other conferences. There are several in the Clearwater area. They all collaborate with each other, Hughes said.
Hughes said the patrons aren't asked a lot of questions.
“We figure that if people are humble enough to come in and ask for help then we do as much as we can.”
As far as food donations are concerned, condiments are needed most right now, Hughes said, because they are so rarely donated. The conference also needs cereal and breakfast items for kids, such as juice boxes, breakfast bars and Pop Tarts.
"I would like to add to this list canned meats (chicken, corn beef, ham). We stock frozen hamburger and ground turkey, but we expect all meat prices to rise quickly and for a sustained period of time so nonperishable canned meats will be very important for our food pantry to continue to provide healthy protein options for our neighbors," Hughes wrote in an email.
Recently, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Conference and the conference at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Dunedin helped a woman who had been living in her car for three years. She will move into an apartment in about three months.
"We're called as Catholics to help people. But we often don't know what that looks like or how to do it. This is just such a real tangible way to do it. And then the people that you meet — it's hard not to be inspired by their perseverance,” Hughes said.
To donate online, select St. Vincent de Paul at www.osvhub.com/ourladydunedin/giving/funds. It is not a direct link but a link to a fund page that lists SVDP and several church ministries. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international voluntary Catholic organization founded in Paris in 1833.
Davis said people come into the conference office in tears.
"Nine times out of 10 they walk out of here feeling so much better about themselves," she said. "We have them laughing. God knows it could happen to anyone of us."
Hughes was asked what would be optimum for conference. She would like for patrons to live in dignity and have productive lives.
"I would like for us to go out of business," she said.
