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John Berry, Executive Director & CEO of St. Vincent de Paul Atlanta accepts a $25,000 check from Nancy Coveny, Executive Director of the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia, Inc. for the SVdP Fresh Food Project.
SVDP Receives the Largest Grant Awarded by the Catholic Foundation in this Grant Cycle
For Immediate Release
June 25, 2010
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Atlanta has received a $25,000 grant from The Catholic Foundation of North Georgia. The grant was the largest awarded by the Catholic Foundation in this grant cycle and will help to fund a new food distribution program St. Vincent de Paul is launching in collaboration with the Kroger Co.
In early spring, Kroger approached SVdP about accepting large monthly donations of meat and other perishable foods. St. Vincent de Paul Atlanta gratefully entered into this new partnership in order to be able to expand the selection and nutritional balance of the food its food pantries offer to the thousands of people it serves each year. This project will require that SVdP acquire commercial grade freezers for its central office Family Support Center in Chamblee, Georgia, as well as, acquiring freezers for each of the SVdP local food pantries participating in the program. Additionally the volume of food and the logistics of getting it to the local food pantries require that SVdP obtain a second refrigerated truck to assist with distributing the food to the outlying areas. SVdP has budgeted $150,000 for startup of this new program and the Catholic Foundation is the first foundation to provide funding for the program.
“When Kroger first approached us with this opportunity, we knew being able to provide good quality protein and other fresh foods would make a huge difference in the health of our clients, especially the children,” said John Berry, Executive Director and CEO of SVdP Atlanta. “We are grateful to the Catholic Foundation for giving our campaign the initial funding to launch the program and allow us to begin the pilot phase. We are confident the other grants we are seeking will come through and allow us to fully implement the program this fall.” Berry added.
“We are pleased to help St. Vincent de Paul with this project. During these difficult economic times, helping to get nutritious food to those people in need is imperative. I wish we could do more as the project is an important one,” said Nancy Coveny, executive director of the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia, Inc.
Thanks to the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia, SVdP is on its way to funding the fresh food program. SVdP has applied for other grants for the remaining amount needed.
About the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia
The mission of The Catholic Foundation of North Georgia is to support the ministries of the Catholic community through the effective long-term financial management of endowment funds and the encouragement of stewardship.
About the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Atlanta
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Atlanta provides financial, material, educational and spiritual support to those in need regardless of background or faith and collaborates with other organizations to empower people to achieve self-sufficiency. SVdP is part of an international organization and has operated in North Georgia since 1903.
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Contact:
John A. Berry
CEO & Executive Director
Society of St. Vincent de Paul Atlanta
jberry@svdpatl.org
678-892-6180
Nancy D. Coveny
Executive Director Monday
The Catholic Foundation of North Georgia
ncoveny@cfnga.org
404-497-9440
Fighting Hunger, Feeding Hope
April 1, 2010
To meet the increasing need for food and other assistance, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Atlanta Council will open its newest Family Support Center at 951 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd., SW Atlanta, near St. Anthony Catholic Church. All are invited to the dedication and blessing by Archbishop Wilton Gregory, 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 27.
“Through these tough economic times St. Vincent de Paul is committed to establishing new opportunities to move food to people who need it the most,” said John Berry, CEO and Executive Director of SVdP Atlanta Council. “No one should have to choose between having water, heat and light for their home and putting food on the table.”
Along with Berry, Bill Bolling, President Atlanta Community Food Bank; Joe Krygiel, CEO of Catholic Charities Atlanta; Major Jim Seiler, Metro Atlanta Area Commander Salvation Army; and Tom Andrews, President of St. Joseph Hospital Mercy Care Services will offer remarks at the dedication. Also invited to speak, is Milton Little, President of United Way of Greater Atlanta.
The West End Family Support center is overseen by the SVdP Conference Support Center in Atlanta and will be operated as a collaborative effort of three SVdP conferences in the area; those located at St. Anthony, Our Lady of Lourdes, and St. Paul of the Cross. A generous grant of $10,000 by the John and Wilhelmina D. Harland Charitable Foundation helped St. Vincent de Paul Atlanta to open a new Family FSC. The grant covered preparatory expenditures like fixtures, communications set-up, computers, and initial food pantry supply. The Harland Foundation was the sole patron of this project. These local SVdP Conferences and partnering agencies will provide a wide variety of services, making it easier for individuals and families in need to get the most information and service in one place. These services fall into three categories: education, benefits and nutrition.
Visitors, or those referred to the FSC, are interviewed to assess their situation and determine how the FSC can best respond. The FSC’s goal is to provide long-lasting solutions that will help clients move beyond their current crisis or continuous cycle. A primary focus of the Support Center is to provide food. After the initial interview, clients are invited to shop in the Client-Choice Food Pantry with a volunteer’s help and obtain food that is determined by a “point system” that uses a formula based on the number of adults and children in the family, spread across the food groups of the USDA Food Pyramid Guidelines.
Food is selected by the clients based on the results of the “point system” calculation. Because the food is organized and color coded according to the USDA Food Pyramid, clients are able to select foods they like from among all the choices in the Food Pyramid Categories. Having some choices in what foods they will take home, shows respect for the clients and helps them to retain dignity.
In order to help clients keep as much of their monthly funds as possible, the FSC screens individuals for government or community benefits, determines eligibility, and advances the application more quickly through the process. Once qualified, the new benefits allow clients’ money to be used for other budgetary needs.
According to the newest data from Feeding America’s report, Hunger in America 2010, 54 percent of surveyed clients reported choosing between paying for food and paying for utilities. Nearly 55 percent of the people who seek help with food assistance pay other bills rather than buy food. Also, 40 percent of the members of households served are children under the age of 18, and 13 percent of the members of client households are elderly. Some 38 percent choose between paying for food and paying their rent or mortgage; 45 percent choose between paying for food and paying for medicine or medical care, and 42 percent choose between paying for food and paying for transportation.
SVdP works to ensure that individuals and families have access to nutritious food by securing donations from a variety of sources. The food goes right back into the community where it is needed the most.
Since 1903, SVdP has continuously developed centers to support the growing number of people living at or near the poverty line in Georgia. With food requests up 100 percent over this time last year and an unemployment rate that has just topped 10 percent, SVdP is responding to the ever-increasing needs.
To donate, food, funds or to volunteer contact Director of Support Programs Jim Verrecchia at 678-892-6175 or jverrecchia@svdpatl.org.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Atlanta provides financial, material, educational and spiritual support to those in need regardless of background or faith and collaborates with other organizations to empower people to achieve self-sufficiency. We are part of an international organization and have operated in North Georgia since 1903.
Golf Tournament to Raise Money
March1, 2010
This year’s Tee Off for Hope promises to be the best fundraising Golf Tournament of the Year! Join the Society of St. Vincent de Paul along with WXIA 11 Alive Sports News Anchor, Fred Kalil; UGA Legend Vince Dooley and other Atlanta Dignitaries at the beautiful Achasta Golf and Country Club in Dahlonega, Georgia for our Third Annual Tee Off for Hope Golf Tournament on Monday, May17, 2010.
This amazing course is set by Linger Longer Communities, the creator of Reynolds Plantation and Reynolds Landing—award-winning communities on Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Ga. The course offers players 18 holes on a 6,995-yard, par-72 Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course and proceeds from the event will raise critically needed funds to help people in need throughout North and Middle Georgia.
“This year’s Golf Tournament and our other fundraising efforts are extremely important to our ability to meet increasing needs within our community,” says John Berry, Executive Director. “During these difficult economic times, unemployment is rising, and we’re seeing a change in the faces of people in need. No longer are the faces of those in need ones of anonymous strangers. Increasingly, we are realizing the people who need help can be our own family, friends, and neighbors.”
The Golf Tournament will raise money to continue SVdP’s efforts to provide assistance, educational services and training to those struggling with poverty, language and cultural barriers, mental health and other challenges.
Participants will complete for top golfer prizes, door prizes and raffle items. Tee Off for Hope is a perfect way to reward employees and entertain clients and special guests. Make your plans now! Registration is limited. Your participation in this worthy event will help to raise the hope of thousands of people in need in our community.
To register and get a complete listing of the Tournament information, go to http://www.svdpatl.org/2009/06/24/tee-off-for-hope or contact cstofko@svdpatl.org.
You won’t want to miss this year’s event!
For over 100 years, people in need throughout North and Middle Georgia have turned to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for help. SVdP is one of the nation’s most effective and fiscally responsible charities. More than 92 percent of funds received go directly to programs and services.
St.Vincent de Paul and Payless Partner to Give Shoes to Children
Dec.1, 2009
St. Vincent de Paul Society – Atlanta has been selected from more than 2,800 nonprofits as a partner in the Payless Shoes 4 Kids program – a grass roots effort to deliver $1.2 million of free shoes to children of families in need this holiday season. Shoe gift coupons valued at $15 will be distributed to clients. The coupons are redeemable for, or toward, a pair of children’s shoes at any Payless ShoeSource store in your community.
“We are thrilled to have Payless Shoes 4 Kids as our partner in our effort to meet the immediate and basic needs for children’s shoes among families across North and Middle Georgia, said John Berry, SVdP executive director. “We know that a great pair of shoes can lift spirits, bolster self confidence and bring a huge smile to a child’s face, especially when they get to pick the shoes out themselves.”
Gift coupons will be distributed to families with children in need served by SVdP before December 24, 2009.
Together, Payless ShoeSource and SVdP are pleased to provide this amazing holiday gift for so many families and children.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Atlanta provides financial, material, educational, and spiritual support to those in need regardless of background or faith and collaborates with other organizations to empower people to achieve self-sufficiency. We are part of an international organization and have operated in North Georgia since 1903.[/DDET]
Contact: John Berry, Executive Director Direct line: 678-892-6180 jberry@svdpatl.org Caryn Stofko, Communication & Marketing Coordinator Phone: 678-892-6172 cstofko@svdpatl.orgGENERAL INFORMATION
SVDP Quick Facts – download a facts sheet about the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.