St. Vincent's continuing a tradition of giving

The homeless day center, located at 50 N. B St. provides meals for 75 to 80 people every weekday, said Loretta Pehanich, director of development and public relations for the St. Vincent de Paul society.

"We also provide homeless prevention to families and individuals in crisis situations. We help with utility bills people can't afford or rental assistance," Pehanich said. "We've found it's easier to keep a family housed and avoid an eviction."

The society has over 800 volunteers throughout the county organized into "conferences" which cover all areas in the county. Two volunteers go to the homes of needy people and bring food to first assess the needs of the family or individual.

Clients of St. Vincent de Paul are usually referred by other services in the county like the Samaritan House or the Shelter Network, non-profit organizations which help needy and homeless people.

"They come to us when there is no other channel to use, we provide emergency service," Pehanich said. "We go back and forth with the core agencies in the county."

Liz Titus, a volunteer for about three years said the services of the St. Vincent de Paul Society are vital to San Mateo County.

"The people start out at the core agency and if they are told they can't be helped they come to us. St Vincent works as a second tier," she said. "If we weren't here I don't know where they would go. I've only known this since working here -- just how much these services are needed in the community."

The society also provides a jail ministry program for people incarcerated. "We visit them and help them make life-changing decisions," Pehanich said.

The society also provides an after-care program to help people make the transition out of jail and into society. In addition, the society often helps the families of people in jail.

St. Vincent de Paul's motto is : "no work of charity is foreign to us," Pehanich said. "Whether it's burial of a child or parent that someone cannot afford or bus money to send someone home, we help people in real emergencies."

People in San Mateo were extremely generous this holiday season, Pehanich said. Just before Christmas, the society asked people to donate sleeping bags and they received over 200.

And although the holiday season has just passed, Pehanich said they still need many items. The most needed items are clean socks and underwear she said, as well as knit caps, hand muffs, sleeping bags, backpacks and school supplies. More than 40 percent of the society's clients are children.

"We also need beds, tables, dressers and gift certificates to grocery stores," Pehanich added, saying that many people spend all their income on rent and are left without the basic goods for a home.

Eight year volunteer Michael Socash witnesses this first hand. "I go into homes and since this is such a high priced area, there are kids with nothing to eat. People are sleeping on the floors without any blankets," he said.

All the funding for the society comes from individual donations, Pehanich said, adding that they take the profits from their four thrift stores and put the money into their services. "We also give away about 20 percent of what we have in the stores," she said.

"San Mateo is blessed with such a strong St. Vincent Paul Society. People are so generous with their time," Pehanich said. "Need knows no season and the volunteers work 24/7. They drop whatever they're doing and help people."

For information regarding a financial donation call 650-373-0622.