Who We Serve
The St Vincent de Paul Society provides basic assistance and serves free meals to people from all walks of life, including senior citizens, single parent families, veterans, those working two jobs to make ends meet, the unemployed and the homeless. The vast majority of those we serve are employed in Marin County.
Our county's statistics highlight the overwhelming need for our programs:
According to the Marin County 2005 Nutrition Profile, there are 16,158 people living in poverty in Marin. 1
- 22.3% of Marin’s citizens have incomes too low to pay for housing, food, health care, transportation, child care, miscellaneous costs, and taxes. Approximately 17, 486 households cannot meet basic needs. 2
- Over two years [1999-2000], 21,856 people in Marin County were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. 33% of these individuals were children. 3
- It is estimated that there will be more than 4,500 homeless people in Marin this year; approximately 1,600 on any given day. 4
- Despite the high per-capita income in Marin, many employment opportunities in the county are in the lower-paying retail trade, food service and accommodation, or personal services sectors. 5
Often, the people we help have encountered unexpected life obstacles: an auto accident that kept them from working, a sudden illness, an increase in rent, a divorce, or a large car repair bill. Others suffer from debilitating mental illness, substance abuse, or chronic medical conditions, and they rely on the Society to help them get through each day. Still others simply don't earn enough wages to survive in Marin's County. How many of us are one paycheck or one illness away from homelessness?
No matter what a person's history or circumstance, the mission of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County is to treat each person who comes to us with dignity, respect and an open heart.
Some of our stories here at the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin:
Kathleen is five years old and has been diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. Kathleen’s mom had to quit her nursing job to provide the constant care Kathleen needs. The family is surviving on Kathleen's SSI benefits, but could not afford the rental deposit they needed to secure an apartment. The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County provided funds for the rental deposit, giving this five year old the wonderful security of a home and a bedroom to call her own.
Saleemah and her family lost their apartment when her parents could no longer afford the rent. They are staying at a local campground. Saleemah is 14; her brothers are 10 and 7. The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County filled their gas tank, paid their camp fees for a few days and gave them food, providing a few more days of security in which to plan their next step.
Davin's mom delivers food for a local restaurant while he is at daycare. She needs her car to be able to keep her job, but her alternator needed replacement. The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County paid for the car repair and provided diapers and formula for Davin.
Baby Mariah is three weeks old and living with her parents in their car. The only shelter in Marin had a one-week wait time. The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County provided diapers and a week’s hotel stay for the family, until the shelter space was available. Thanks to the Society, Baby Mariah will have a roof over her head for the first time in her short life.
1 California Food Policy Advocates, Marin County Nutrition Profile, 2005.
2 The Bottom Line: Setting the Real Standard for Bay Area Working Families, United Way of the Bay Area, 2004.
3 An Update to A Clear and Present Crisis, A Profile of New Cases of Homelessness and Near-Homelessness in Marin County 2000, Community Inter-Action Partnership, Marin Continuum of Housing and Services.
4 Marin County 10-Year Homeless Plan Website.
5 Marin Profile: A Survey of Economic, Social Equity, and Environmental Indicators, Marin Economic Commission, October 2003.
