Society of St Vincent de Paul St Therese Conference

Provision of transitional housing for families in need has been a focus of St. Vincent de Paul Society of juneau for over 20 years. In that time, we have built 15 transitional housing apartments for homeless families and 11 apartments for single homeless, disabled adults, and 29 apartments for low income households. In addition we operate 24 apartments for low income seniors at smith hall and 22 apartments for low income families and recently homeless at channelview. More than 100 families are housed or kept from eviction by the Society every year. Significant income is going into a capital campaign to address deferred maintenance concerns in our transitional housing buildings, including siding, insulation, gutters, drainage, and parking lot improvements over the next several years.

Provision of basic needs comes in the form of many services we provide as well as clothing, food, shelter, and monetary aid to the indigent population of juneau and southeast Alaska. St. Vincent de Paul operated an emergency cold weather shelter during the covid crisis. That facility closed on august 1, 2021, when a new redesigned shelter re-opened. We provide space for community navigators, individuals who help those in need find the correct resources, complete the necessary paperwork, and apply for housing and financial assistance. The sobering center at St. Vincent de Paul provides low-cost medical services and a sleep off area to those on the street who would otherwise be sent to the emergency room. This program serves up to ten individuals a day and houses an average of 4 people a day. We also proved cash stipends to those who are unable to make ends meet by paying rental support, money for utility bills, money for medical and dental needs, and local transportation. We also provide clothing and emergency food free of charge to around forty individuals a week. These services help our household in properties owned or managed by St. Vincent de Paul and an additional 300 to 400 households. During thanksgiving and christmas holidays, we provided holiday food baskets to 450 households, and gifts under our adopt-a-family program to over 250 children and disabled adults in our community.

Costs associated with the operation of the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store that sells donated items such as clothing, household goods, books, furniture, and provisions. The thrift store is the economic engine that makes possible all the charitable work of St. Vincent de Paul. It provides a channel for the community to donate and recycle clothing, and used goods for resale at modest prices. It also provides our organization with clothing and household items to give free of charge to those in need. The thrift store is operated with a dedicated pool of workers, a combination of volunteers and employees, many of whom are working their way out of poverty into sustainable employment and housing.