Blessed Frédéric Ozanam
Founder of the Society Worldwide
St. Vincent de Paul
Our Patron Saint (the Patron Saint of Charity)
St. Louise de Marillac
A contemporary of Vincent and his collaborator in founding the Daughters for Charity
Blessed Rosalie Rendu
A Daughter of Charity who helped shape SVDP by guiding its initial members to the tradition of home visits teaching them to serve the poor with respect and dignity.
“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.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a Catholic lay organization that encourages people to join together in spiritual growth by offering person-to-person services to the needy and suffering in the tradition of its founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul. Our volunteers serve as advocates for the poor, seeking to discover the root causes of poverty and to remedy its effects.
“Need, not creed” determines who is helped, and how.
Although affiliated with the Catholic Church, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul helps anyone in need regardless of their race, religion, age, citizenship status. Likewise, no work of charity is foreign to the Society. Consequently, we provide financial and material assistance, along with emotional and spiritual comfort to help people facing all sorts of challenges.
Frédéric Ozanam founded the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in 1833 while he was a student at the Sorbonne School of Law. During that time, France was undergoing a social and economic upheaval caused by the migration of farmers to the cities. Poverty and disease were rampant as the agrarian population learned to adapt to an urban environment, adjust to a new way of living and find a way to support their families.
The first American Council was established in 1845 in St. Louis, MO. Today, St. Vincent de Paul internationally consists of over 800,000 members spread across 6 Continents in 150 Countries.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Long Island was founded in 1948 and is comprised of 63 Conferences (parish-based volunteer groups), 2 thrift stores, several parish-based food pantries, and a transitional housing program. We serve thousands of people annually through a myriad of direct services that help people overcome hardship.
The Diocesan Central Council (LI headquarters) supports the charitable works of its Conferences in Nassau and Suffolk County, and also links Conferences with the National and International Councils to learn from each other and to allow Society members to respond to worldwide needs.
