Saint Vincent De Paul – Official Landing Page

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international voluntary organization in the Catholic Church

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a Society which focuses on the teachings of St. Vincent de Paul. They serve those who are in need and give preference to the poor and vulnerable of our community.

Address:
9807 N. 56th Street
Temple Terrace, FL 33617
Directly behind Wells Fargo Bank

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St. Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent de Paul was a French priest who dedicated himself to serving the poor. Born in 1581, he is known as the Patron Saint of Charitable Works.

After his ordination, he was assigned to work in Paris among imprisoned galley slaves, later founding the Congregation of the Mission, known now as the “Vincentians.” Vincent’s mission was to minister to the people in smaller towns and villages. He was also a pioneer in seminary education, holding rural priests accountable at a time when the local clergy’s morals were being questioned. After his death in 1660, he was remembered for his compassion, humility, and generosity and later canonized in 1737, venerated as a saint by both Catholics and Anglicans.

Founded in 1833, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a worldwide organization of lay Catholics, perpetuating St. Vincent’s call to serve the poor, the suffering, and the deprived. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is “a network of friends, inspired by gospel values… building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need.”

Today, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul boasts 800,000 members in more than 150 countries with 1,500,000 volunteers. The National Council of the United States is part of that global organization, providing Vincentians throughout the US with training, education, spiritual structure, and financial support as they assist more than 5 million of our neighbors in need each year.

The Corpus Christi Church

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Like many Catholic parishes throughout the US, Corpus Christi Church, in the bustling Tampa Bay community of Temple Terrace, operates an active St. Vincent de Paul mission outreach. Cornerstones of The Society’s mission are:

Members of the parish’s Society of St. Vincent de Paul are men and women who strive to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to neighbors in need. Members represent all ages, every race, and all incomes, and all are gifted with awareness that the blessings of time, talent, and treasure are to be shared with neighbors in need.

In Temple Terrace, Vincentians uphold the tradition of offering personalized assistance to those in need in their community (in the 33617 and 33637 zip codes). People who meet eligibility criteria can receive food assistance, healthcare, and financial aid from the church’s mission.

Food distribution from the St. Vincent de Paul Pantry takes place every Saturday morning from 9am – 11am. Fresh produce from the church’s organic garden is included along with the shelf-stable pantry food, providing extra nutritional quality. (The pantry is closed on the last Saturday of any month with 5 Saturdays. In 2023, those dates are: April 29, July 29, Sept 30, November 25, and December 23 & 30.)

Nurses from the Faith Community Nursing (FCN) Ministry, supported through the Bay Care Health Systems, are also present each Saturday morning during Pantry hours. They meet with clients, assess their health needs, determine resources, educate, and make referrals as warranted.

Direct financial assistance is also available on a limited basis. People in the Temple Terrace zip codes may call 813-899-4603 to inquire about eligibility.

Schedule Volunteer Date and Times

Charity Begins at Home…

To operate a consistent schedule of meaningful service, a steady supply of donations and volunteers are needed. The parish itself supports the St. Vincent de Paul Society in a number of ways. On the 1st Sunday of the month, there is a financial collection at all Corpus Christi masses. On the 3rd Saturday of each month, parishioners bring food donations to the pantry.

To keep the pantry stocked, a Food Drive is held at the church from 9 – 11 am on the 1st Saturday of each month. Donations of non-perishable food items are gratefully accepted from church and community members at the Joe Latina Food Pantry located behind the Wells Fargo Bank on North 56th Street. Suggested food donations include:

(Please do not donate rice larger than 5-pound bags – we do not have the ability to re-package.)

** Monetary donations are also accepted.

This site does not accept clothing or furniture donations. Donations of these types can be taken
to the St. Vincent de Paul Society Thrift Store at 12310 N. Nebraska, Tampa, 33612. Please call
813-977-7057 for information on store operating hours.

MANY HANDS…

Volunteers are the key to maintaining a robust community assistance program that truly offers tangible support to those in need on a person-to-person basis. The St. Vincent de Paul Society at Joe Latina Center is making a special appeal to the community to help bring new energy to the ministry. There are many opportunities to fit some volunteer work into your schedule.

Volunteer Coordinator

The most pressing need is for additional volunteer leadership. Tasks include:

[Volunteers for the busy Christmas season start in October with an extra orientation the last week of October.]

Pantry Volunteers

Receiving, Sorting, and Shelving food donations in the Pantry is an ongoing need. Some qualities that make a great pantry volunteer are:

Selfless passion for helping others
Reliability & Commitment
Ability to be a good Team Player who works well with others
Good organizational skills
Ability to assist in light housekeeping tasks
Clerical skills helpful

Please click on the calendar to schedule volunteer dates and times.

Phone Volunteers

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings 9 – 11:30am

Bilingual Phone Volunteers are a pressing need to respond to voice messages. Phone interviews are conducted with clients seeking financial assistance. In addition to being bilingual, the ideal volunteer would be a good listener, patient, and compassionate as well as comfortable talking on phone.

Prayer Warrior Volunteers

Saturday 8:30 - 11 am

St. Vincent de Paul at Corpus Christi Church remains true to the teachings of its patron saint, emphasizing a core spiritual mission. We are always looking for Christian men and women willing and able to pray with and for our neighbors. These attributes are important for Prayer Warriors:

Nursing Volunteers

1 Saturday morning per month 9 – 11 am

Faith Community Nursing (FCN) Ministry is supported through the Bay Care Health Systems.

Our mission is to promote the whole person health of their members through education, preventive care and improved access to appropriate health services.

The intent of the FCN Ministry is to assist faith communities in the development and growth of health ministries through education programs, networking and increased awareness of community resources.

FCN Ministry at Corpus Christi Catholic Church is actively involved in the St. Vincent de Paul pantry on Saturday mornings, meeting, assessing, and making client referrals.

We welcome nurses to join our ministry in volunteer service to our community. We seek nurses who are committed to improving the physical, social, and spiritual health of our community.

Bilingual nurses are always needed. Qualifications include:

If interested in joining our nursing ministry, please contact Mary Kay Foody, RN, MS at marykay.foody@aol.com

Garden Volunteers

Gardening: Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday 9 - 11:30 am
Harvest and Distribution: Saturday 8 -11 am

The St. Vincent de Paul Society at Corpus Christi Church operates a Community Garden – teaching, empowering, and growing together as we share the bounty of God. Our vision is to grow real food and harvest wellness through an organic, nutrient-dense whole food garden; healing the mind, body and spirit.

Volunteers with the following qualifications are needed to help:

Schedule Volunteer Date and Times

A COMMUNITY OF CARING

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is informed and guided by intentional spirituality, advocating for those who are marginalized or voiceless, and providing critical assistance while conscientiously maintaining client confidentiality and dignity.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society Joe Latina Center is grateful to Tampa philanthropist, Steve Cuculich, owner of Car Credit, for his generous support of their neighborhood outreach.

If you are interested in participating within this ministry, or are a person in need, please call 813-899-4603.

To quote St. Vincent de Paul himself, “Charity is infinitely inventive.”