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The Society is an international organization founded in 1833 in Paris, France. It was locally established in 1871 in Galveston, TX. History In 1833, a 20-year-old college student and his friends began serving the poor in Paris, France. This was the beginning of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Today, there are more than 777,000 members serving in 149 countries around the globe. The Society arrived in the United States in 1845, where the first conference was formed in St. Louis, Missouri. The first presence of the Society in the Galveston-Houston area was in 1871 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Galveston. Today, there are 58 Conferences in the Galveston-Houston Council with more than 1,900 members growing spiritually through friendship and service to those in need. Timeline (1871-2021) Our Patrons & Founders The Society's Patron Saint St. Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) was the founder of the Congregation of the Mission, Daughters of Charity, Confraternities of Charity, and Ladies of Charity. He was a man of deep faith, keen intellect, and enormous creativity, he has become known as the "The Apostle of Charity" and "Father of the Poor." His contributions to the training of priests and organizing parish missions and other services for the poor shaped our Church's role in the modern world. St. Vincent de Paul Feast day is September 27th. The Society's Sister St. Louise de Marillac (1591-1660) had St. Vincent de Paul as her spiritual director. Her inherent desire to know and accomplish God's will blossomed into a life of ministry to those who were sick and destitute. Her contagious spirituality and strong, organizational ability led her to co-found with Vincent the Daughters of Charity, a group of sisters who serve the poor and who inspire our Society. St. Louise de Marillac Feast day is May 9th. The Society's Founder Blessed Frederic Ozanam (1813-1853) founded the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. He was a young Sorbonne student who met regularly with his fellow Catholic students to discuss the issues of their time. At one of their public meetings, a challenger admitted the Catholic Church, at one time, had been a great source of good, but asked, “What is your Church doing now?… Show us your works and we will believe you.” Unable to respond, Frédéric conceded. Shortly afterward, Frédéric and six friends created the Conference of Charity, with the purpose of serving the poor of Paris. Frédéric and his friends provided food, clothing, shelter, financial, and spiritual help. They also established tutoring programs and libraries. Blessed Frederic's Feast day is September 9th. The Society's Mentor Blessed Rosalie Rendu, DC (1786 - 1856) was a Daughter of Charity who served for 54 years in the Mouffetard area, the most impoverished district of Paris. Emmanuel Bailly, the President of the Society, sent the founding members of the Society to Sister Rosalie for guidance and direction. Sending them on home visits, she formed them in the spirit of St. Vincent, teaching them how to serve the poor with respect and compassion. Blessed Rosalie's Feast day is February 7th.

Unleash the Power of Catholic Giving through the annual Black Bag Collection benefiting the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston 2025 Black Bag Collection WEEKEND OF JULY 12-13, 2025 MEDIA KIT FOR PARISHES & CONFERENCES THANK YOU! We are truly grateful for your generosity during our 2025 Black Bag Collection. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! DONATE NOW History FlockNote Graphics DOWNLOAD PDF GUIDE Bulletins Social Media Contact Us What is the Black Bag Collection? The Black Bag Collection is an annual opportunity for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to reach more than 1.7 million Catholics in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and ask for their help to support the poor and vulnerable in our community. The collection is a symbol of ONE SOCIETY coming together to help those in need. We rely heavily on this major source of funds for the Society to continue to accommodate the needs of our brothers and sisters who are without basic life essentials—most of which we so often take for granted. In 1833, our founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and the original members realized they needed money to fund their good works of charity. Because the giving capacity of the members varied, they decided to pass around a simple black bag so that each member could give what they could afford to give. Today, we continue this tradition. This year's Black Bag Collection will be a special or 2nd collection at all parishes during the weekend of JULY 12-13, 2025 . We ask for your generosity to continue serving our neighbors in need. Bulletin Announcements ENGLISH Please support the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Annual Black Bag Collection the weekend of July 12-13, 2025 . Donations will help the Society provide food and financial assistance to families struggling to make ends meet. With the increasing cost of living, your support can make a difference. SPANISH La Sociedad de San Vicente de Paul los invita a participar en la Colecta Anual de la Bolsa Negra el 12-13 de Julio del 2025 . Sus donaciones ayudaran la misión de proveer necesidades básicas, como comida, ayuda financiera, a familias con escasos recursos. VIETNAMESE Xin hỗ trợ chương trình gây quỹ hằng năm của Hội Thánh Vinh Sơn Phaolô vào cuối tuần ngày 12-13, Tháng Bảy năm 2025 . Mọi đóng góp sẽ được dùng vào việc mua thực phẩm, quần áo, yểm trợ tài chính cho những gia đình gặp hoàn cảnh khó khăn. Với lạm phát đang gia tăng, sự đóng góp của quý vị có thể thay đổi cuộc sống của họ. Flocknote/Email Messages Email #1 Send around July 1, 2025 (Subject Line) July 12-13, 2025: Annual Black Bag Collection The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will be holding their Annual Black Bag Collection the weekend of July 20-21, 2024. Our parish needs your help to support one of the oldest Catholic organizations serving the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. There are more than 1.7 million Catholics in our Archdiocese. With your help, we can strengthen our network of charity programs that provide food, clothing, and financial assistance to the struggling working-poor in our area. Donate or learn more about the Black Bag collection at: www.svdphouston.org/blackbag . Email #2 Send around July 10, 2025 (Subject Line) July 12-13, 2025: Support the Society of St. Vincent de Paul The Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Annual Black Bag Collection is the organization’s single, largest fundraiser. The funds raised are used towards program support and general operations support to keep the programs running. Please consider making a gift this weekend July 20-21, 2024 , in support of the Society. Last year, your support helped over 98,000 people! Learn more about the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s community impact at www.svdphouston.org/blackbag . . Social Media Posts The parish social media coordinator can use these posts to help the Society of St. Vincent de Paul spread the word about the Black Bag Collection. Please make sure to tag the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in your social media posts! Find us on social media using the accounts below or look for us under Society of St. Vincent de Paul Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. If you cannot find us, please use #SVDPHouston. Post #1 Publish the week of June 8, 2025 Mark your calendar! JULY 12-13, 2025. Join your fellow parishioners in donating to the Annual Black Bag Collection of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Unlike many of our local Catholic organizations, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul does not receive DSF funding. Your generosity will help their programs serve people in our community with food, financial assistance, and other much needed basic needs. Visit their website for more information: www.svdphouston.org/blackbag #SVDPHouston Post #4 Publish the week of July 6, 2025 The Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Annual Black Bag Collection will be active between JULY 12-13, 2025. Please be generous in your giving during this weekend's special collection. Thank you for all your support in ensuring the success of the Society’s largest fundraiser of the year. #SVDPHouston Post #2 Publish the week of June 15 , 2025 Join your fellow parishioners this month in supporting the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, one of Houston’s oldest Catholic organizations serving the needs of the poor through their unique Home Visit Ministry. A 2nd collection will be held JULY 12-13, 2025. In 2024, SVdP Houston helped 6,300 families with rental assistance. The average assistance provided was $486 per household. Check out their 2024 Impact Report to learn more about their mission: www.svdphouston.org/blackbag. #SVDPHouston Post #3 Publish the week of Ju ne 30 , 2025 Please consider donating to the Annual Black Bag Collection next weekend, JULY 12-13, 2025, to continue fueling the services provided by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Last year, volunteers of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul spent 132,000 hours serving our friends and neighbors in need across the Greater Houston area. Our communities are stronger because of these amazing volunteers. Their contributions are a critical component of SVdP Houston's core mission of providing person-to-person service to all in need. Learn more at www.svdphouston.org/blackbag. #SVDPHouston Downloadable Graphics to Share Please feel free to download any or all of these graphics to share via Flocknote, social media posts or in your parish bulletin. Questions? If you have any questions, please email development@svdphouston.org or call 832-538-0325. Thank you for your active participation and partnership in this annual campaign!

← back to homepage Thank you to supporters like you! Your generosity has allowed the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to help families and neighbors in need across the greater Galveston-Houston area since 1871. Thank you for helping us continue this vital work. Donate today.

← back to homepage SUPPORT OUR MISSION. We are a community actively living our faith by loving and providing hope to our neighbors in need. We envision a future where access to financial and social resources is not limited by where one lives. Donate JOIN US. MAKE AN IMPACT. Volunteers are not official members, known as Vincentians, but help provide assistance to those in need. Vincentians are active or associate members of the Society who are called by God to grow in spirituality through friendships and service. Apply Here

The Society provides immediate relief to families during crisis and aims to lift people out of poverty by addressing the conditions that cause it. Programas SVdP La Sociedad de San Vicente de Paúl se preocupa no sólo por aliviar la angustia sino también por identificar las condiciones que la causan. Iniciativa de comunidades desatendidas 01 01 01 This initiative includes a grant program that enables financially limited Conferences to offer financial assistance to neighbors in underserved areas during crisis and disaster. Vincentians commit to building healthy, vibrant Conferences to continuously serve the Greater Houston area when these communities face hardships. Underserved Communties Home Visits Alivio de desastres Programa Salir Adelante Getting Ahead Graduate Program Getting Ahead Alumni Program Sistémico Cambiar Iniciativa Después de recibir el pescado durante la crisis, la Sociedad se centra en enseñar a las personas a pescar para alimentar a sus familias durante toda la vida. La Iniciativa de Cambio Sistémico incluye tres programas de desarrollo de resiliencia diseñados para cambiar la respuesta conductual a la pobreza. Los participantes examinan los recursos necesarios para lograr los objetivos de sostenibilidad y luego diseñan la hoja de ruta para construir un futuro mejor y salir de la pobreza. 02 02 02 Alimento Red 03 03 03 Despensas vecinales en todo el área metropolitana de Houston. Food Pantries

The Society has a responsibility to the community. Learn about our sources of funds and how we use them. Financial Stewardship Prudent stewardship and accountability is the Board's top priority. Careful management of operational resources in a business-like manner is necessary to continuously fulfill the mission of the Society. 501c3 Letter Form 990 Audit Report 2023 Annual Report 2023 Impact Report

Donate your truck, motorcycle, or trailer to the Society. If it has a motor, it is a vehicle. Working or not working. FREE PICK-UP. Vehicle Donations Frequently Asked Questions 1. Why should you donate your unwanted car? The income generated from your vehicle donation is used to help those in need. 2. In what condition should my vehicle be in? No matter what condition your vehicle is in, the Society can use the value proceeds to help an individual or family get closer to self-sufficiency. 3. Where do I drop off my vehicle? You don’t. We pick it up for you – for FREE. 5. How will my vehicle donation help? The proceeds help our programs – Home Visit, Food Network, Voucher, and Disaster Relief. 6. Is my vehicle donation tax deductible? YES! Our National Vehicle Donation Program will send you a tax-deductible receipt. 7. What kind of vehicles do you accept? Cars, trucks, motorcycles, trailers, boats, and more. Ready to donate a vehicle? Start Process

When disaster strikes, the Society responds with a coordinated network of Parish Recovery Assistance Centers ready to help. HURRICANE BERYL DISASTER RELIEF Hurricane Beryl has left significant damage in our area, and we understand many are still without power, making communication difficult. Although we are not first responders, our network synergistically collaborates with other organizations in disaster areas to ensure comprehensive support for all affected communities. We encourage you to utilize the resources provided below to assist in your efforts. Together, we can make a meaningful impact in times of crisis. Donate to Emergency Relief Fund Attention! Those needing assistance after the recent disasters from Hurricane Beryl and recent weather changes, including severe storms, derecho winds , tornadoes, and flooding events, call the 211 Texas United Way HELPLINE. Texas/United Way 211 provides callers with the most updated information on assistance with utilities, housing or rental assistance, crisis counseling, senior services, food pantries, and more. This is the community’s 24/7 information source during times of disaster. Assistance through 211 can also be accessed through the following methods in the event of long wait times due to periods of heavy call volume: 211texas.org to search resources online or chat online with a specialist. help@unitedwayhouston.org 211 helpline 211 helpline 211 helpline 211 helpline Hurricane Beryl Resources See resources The Texas Division of Emergency Management iSTAT Damage Assessment Connective Connective Needs Assessment Registry Crisis Cleanup Www.crisiscleanup.org Road Conditions Houston Transtar Incident/Traffic Map Cooling Centers Please take a look at the cooling centers available: Cooling Centers Point of Distribution Sites Please take a look at the distribution sites available: Distribution Sites FEMA Individual Assistance (IA) Individuals and business owners who sustained losses to Derecho winds, recent storms and Hurricane Beryl in the seven designated Texas counties, including Harris and Montgomery, can apply for assistance by visiting www.disasterassistance.org , calling 1-800-621-3362 , or using the FEMA App . If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service, or others, give FEMA the number for that service. FEMA Assistance Disaster Distress National Hotline The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is a national hotline that provides disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 to all residents in the U.S. and its territories experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. DDH Helpline Want to help when a disaster strikes? Volunteer Give Financially

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