Food for Thought

Can you help me pick out the warmest gloves?

2009-12-28T10:03:00.000-08:00

The St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Catholic Herald collaborate to operate a Kids Caps and Mitten Drive each year. This year hundreds of children received hats, mittens, and gloves. Thank you to the many generous donors. Donations are still coming in so we don’t have a final count.
I was looking forward to volunteering at one of St. Vincent de Paul Society’s Christmas events. My job was going to be helping to pass out the gloves and mittens. I arrived early. Watching the party, my heart filled with Christmas spirit marveling at the generosity of SVdP volunteers. I admit I was thinking about all the things I had left to do.
St. Jude’s group in Wauwatosa served the meal. They were followed by St. Leonard’s group who literally brought in carts of gifts and Christmas treats. Every kind of Christmas cookie was made and festively displayed. The kids played games and made crafts. The adults played Bingo.
As the party was nearing the end, a boy who looked about ten-years old, approached me asking if it was too late to get a cap and gloves. Then he looked up at me with a shy look and asked “Can you help me find the gloves with the thickest material," he fingered several pairs, finally settling on a pair that were very thick and warm. “Now it won’t be so bad waiting so long for the bus." He gave me a great big smile telling me it was THE best party he ever went to. He gave me another smile and was gone. Suddenly, all the items on my to-do list did not seem important. Merry Christmas to one and all.
Mary

Here is an Inspiration

2009-11-10T07:55:00.000-08:00

Sunday, Oct. 24, 2009

He was sitting alone, and I wanted some company.
“Mind if I sit next to you?” I asked.
“Not at all, please, sit down”, he insisted.

Side by side we shared a casual conversation over Sunday’s pasta dinner at the Southside Meal Center. Through our conversation I was able to see how God changes people, for the better.

He confessed that he used to be living homeless and using drugs and alcohol, like many people here are. But not anymore, thanks to his decision to read the Bible and believe it.

Reflecting upon how he once lived; addicted to heroine and alcohol for nearly 20 years, makes it possible for him to see how God changes us, when we submit to his call. “It’s not easy to turn away, but it is possible once you decide to quit. It’s like a sickness in your mind, where you rely on using drugs instead of relying on God”. Once he walked away from his habit, he realized much of his pain and suffering came from a combination of using drugs and alcohol and negative thinking.

“When we are young we don’t want to listen to our parents because often times we don’t agree with the way they communicate with us; they are too hard on us and we don’t understand. So we choose our own way and do the opposite of what they warn against.

“We all have a hardship to endure”, he said.
“Like a cross to bear”, I replied.
“Yes, he said. “And through our hardship, whatever that may be, we learn a lesson and can choose a better way, if we decide to”.

His transformation began 12 years ago with reading the Bible and believing the message. It helped him steer away from using heroine and alcohol. “What is sad is that some people don’t want to believe the message and would rather stay stuck doing the same things over and over again”, he said.

Today he’s an older and wiser man who feels great! Better than he ever felt when he was using. “God wanted and me”, he humbly admits, “but I had to choose Him first”.

“Thank you Tito, for sharing your success with me, over dinner. You truly are an inspiration to others.”

Christy Sneide - “Food for Thought” freelance blogger

Friends of the Poor Walk

2009-08-21T11:06:00.001-07:00

St. Vincent de Paul Milwaukee has many "arms" to its organization. The Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program utilizes about 900 Vincentian volunteers who go out into the community and visit those who have called asking for help. These Vincentians are grouped by location into 58 conferences which each work within the surrounding neighborhoods. They provide emergency aid, connect to additional community resources, and support for those facing tough economic choices. The Friends of the Poor Walk raises funds which are funnelled directly into this outreach effort. Join us on September 26 to show our support for those battling poverty in Milwaukee.

Happy Birthday Casey!

2009-07-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

JULY 21, 2009

Christy Wrote:

This past Sunday was Casey’s 50th birthday! He is a 20 year veteran volunteer of SVDP from Blessed Savior parish in Milwaukee, WI. His posse of volunteers gathered together to sing him a “Happy Birthday” and presented him with a sheet cake lit with two candles with the numerals “50”.

Two young girls and first time volunteers from St. Thomas Aquinas in Waterford, WI. innocently remarked, “50 is old!” At age 12 they couldn’t imagine being 50 — what’s really ironic is that at 50 you can remember being 12 like it was yesterday!

The more I volunteer at the south side meal center I notice many repeat guests appear. Whether I am serving on the food line or pouring beverages at the tables I make a conscious effort to treat all the guests that come to dine with a Four Star attitude. Good service and a positive attitude are priceless; and even though the meal is free and without options, I believe the way the volunteers present themselves to the guests holds the most value.

Still no home......

2009-07-20T08:59:00.001-07:00

Gerry wrote:

Over the past year, we have written several times on the possible relocation of our South Meal Program. The building which housed the Society’s largest meal program will be put up for sale, and our continued occupancy of the facility is questionable. The Society has limited interest in purchasing the 100 year old building which required massive repairs. This important program serving on average 400 people per night is indeed in jeopardy. The Society has been unable to find another suitable facility in the nearby area, and it has expanded its search to adjacent neighborhoods.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could build a facility to the specifications required for our feeding operation? Is it wrong to dream of a one story, ground level, handicapped accessible facility with a volunteer entrance and a meal guest entrance? Something energy efficient with parking for our volunteers and staff? Could we raise the funds needed for such a site? Could we persuade the City to issue the permits needed at a time when the attitude prevails that the poor should just go away and hide somewhere (not in my backyard)?

These are some of the many questions requiring prayer and reflection. Share your ideas with us—this is a critical time in the continuation of this 26-year old ministry. Can you open any doors for us?

First Day

2009-06-26T12:37:00.001-07:00

St. Vincent De Paul, Southside Meal Center:

I didn’t really know what my first experience would be like; feeding the hungry and homeless at a meal site on Milwaukee’s Southside. The square grey building stands like a monument in the middle of a neighborhood. In earlier years it was a community library.

People stand in line outside from the sidewalk and up to a side door waiting to be escorted inside. The majority is men, but women and children are intertwined in the crowd. I am told from the volunteers that not everyone who comes here is homeless. Some are struggling families that live in the neighborhood and others live in group homes nearby. The people who do come travel on foot and attend regularly.

Inside trays are stacked at the end of a table. Guests hold the trays upright and shuffle sideways through a food line where volunteers serve a meal that changes daily. Volunteers exchange pleasantries with the guests and give generous portions of food. Afterwards, guests sit at tables in a cafeteria like setting.

Efficient and organized; this place runs like a fast-paced restaurant! Volunteers attend to their stations and Smiley, the site coordinator, orchestrates the cafeteria floor like a conductor, strategically positioning volunteers to service the floor.

Tonight, St. Augustine’s parish provides the meal, and the volunteers are a mix of ages; teenagers to seniors. They are a friendly group, focused on their mission.

Standing behind the serving line, I observe the faces of the people receiving this evening’s tonight’s meal. Many appear rugged, worn and tired, but others not. They are gentle souls with various expressions; some happy, some solemn, and others blank. Regardless, the people receiving are appreciative of the meal.

Running through my mind is, what are all the unique reasons bringing these people here and what marvelous stories to behold! I found an opportunity to sit and talk with a mother and daughter at a table where they were eating alone. I approached them with a female volunteer and asked if we could eat with them. They were approachable, and said, “Sure, come sit down and join us”.

The mother had and exuberant personality and was very easy to talk with, as was her nine year old daughter. She shared with us the fact that she gave to birth to her daughter at age forty-two, and that is why she calls her, my miracle baby.

Her daughter is a petit girl with wire rimmed glasses that give her a studious appearance. She has a beautiful smile, and when she speaks, her intelligence shines through. She is very bright. She exclaims how anxious she is to attend the fourth grade in the fall.

Both mom and daughter are looking forward to warm summer weather so they can swim at the pool in Kosciusko Park. Both love the water.

When I asked the mother how she came to know about the meal center, she said heard about the program through the offices on the floor above that help low income families prepare taxes and file for government assistance. The employees invited her to eat downstairs at the center, and she has been coming ever since. She and her daughter come on a regular basis. They live in the neighborhood and like the fact that they can eat with people they know.

One Women's Experience Will Unfold

2009-06-23T17:15:00.000-07:00

In an effort to supply regular content for this blog, we will follow the ongoing experiences and revelations of a new volunteer at the South Side meal site named Christy. She will combine her own changing perceptions with the stories that are a part of the meal site culture and population.
Visit regularly to read Christy's stories. The first appears today.

Facebook | Videos Posted by Kellogg Cares: Fighting to End Hunger#/video/video.php?v=202686285719

2009-06-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

Follow this link to the thought provoking video:
Facebook | Videos Posted by Kellogg Cares: Fighting to End Hunger#/video/video.php?v=202686285719: "The following video, produced by Katalyst in partnership with Kellogg and directed by Demi Moore, features user-generated content submitted by people moved to end hunger following requests that @aplusk (Ashton Kutcher) and @mrskutcher (Demi Moore) posted on their respective Twitter feeds and Facebook Pages. Kellogg is a proud supporter of Feeding America. Please help support this incredible cause"

Catholic Knights Board Serves at North Meal Program

2009-06-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

Last night the Board of Directors for Catholic Knights came as a group to serve meals at our Martin Luther King Meal Site. Often, the task of serving either food or drinks becomes a new volunteer's central focus. Yet, it's the socialization that is most often remembered. The Catholic Knights Board of Directors went beyond serving and offered jokes and smiles and little pieces of themselves. That's what made the event so special - that glimpse into the persona of those who choose to serve others.
To find more pictures visit our Flickr page at: http://bit.ly/hUxxg .

2009-05-20T10:16:00.001-07:00

2009-05-20T10:15:00.001-07:00

Who We Are

2009-03-13T13:38:00.000-07:00

The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Milwaukee is a leading provider of social services in the metropolitan Milwaukee area. We offer numerous programs through 5 locations, each one focused on fulfilling a specific mission. This blog is intended to offer insight into the experiences of the volunteers at our Vincent Meal Program sites.

Vincent Meal Programs
North: 2628 North Martin Luther King Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53212
South: 931 W. Madison Street
Milwaukee, WI 53204
Phone: 414-649-9555

St. Vincent de Paul Society of Milwaukee
Central Office & Neighbors Helping Neighbors Donations
9601 W. Silver Spring Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53225
414-462-7837

Vincent Family Resource Center
2610 North Martin Luther King Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53212
Phone: 414-374-0109

St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store
2320 W. Lincoln Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53215
Phone: 414-672-2040