Who We Are
Because we believe in the dignity of all people regardless of income level or life experience, the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin offers compassionate, individualized assistance to help our neediest neighbors obtain nutritious food, affordable housing, meaningful employment and a voice in their own community.Here at the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County, our goal is straightforward: to provide services to those in Marin County who are struggling to make ends meet and might not otherwise receive help.
Our trained volunteers meet with individuals and/or families in order to develop a trusting relationship and to ascertain how they can best be served. The assistance we provide may take the form of direct aid, intervention, advocacy or moral support. This "neighbor helping neighbor" model holds "respect" as our dearest attribute: we respect those we serve for their many experiences, their struggles, their talents and their humanity.
Our Free Dining Room uses this same volunteer-driven model. In the dining room, neighbors provide neighbors with hot food, a place for respite and a listening heart. We serve all who enter our doors, 365 days of the year.
We are part of an international faith-based organization providing services and assistance to those in need. The Marin Council is independently incorporated, governed by its own volunteer board of directors and responsible for its own fundraising and programs. All donations to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin stay in Marin County.
One of the oldest and most effective charitable organizations in the world, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (http://www.svdpusa.org) is a Catholic lay organization of more than 690,000 men and women throughout the world who voluntarily join together to grow spiritually and offer person-to-person service to the needy and people living in poverty in 142 countries on five continents. With the U.S. headquarters in St. Louis, Mo., membership in the United States totals more than 172,000 in 4,600 communities. Programs include home visits, housing assistance, disaster relief, job training and placement, food pantries, dining halls, clothing, transportation and utility costs, care for the elderly and medicine. Providing more than $595 million in tangible and in-kind services, SVdP serves more than 14 million people in need each year, performs more than 648,000 visits to people in their homes, and delivers more than seven million service hours to those in need, regardless of age, religion, creed, nationality or ethnic background.
For more information on the history of the Society and its work around the world, visit our national website at http://www.svdpusa.org/
The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County is committed to ensuring that all individuals have equal access to our assistance, programs, facilities, and employment opportunities. We do not discriminate against any person with regard to race, religion, color, creed, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age, national origin, political affiliation, immigration status, mental or physical disability, income level, or medical condition.
