St. Vincent de Paul Society St. John Church & Student Center
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St. Vincent de Paul Society -
St. John Church and Student Center
Providing Assistance to Lansing-Area Neighbors in Need
The St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. John’s, with the involvement of members of the parish family, helps neighbors in need through a variety of ministries. We welcome all members of the St. Thomas-St John parish community to join us in serving others - as an occasional or frequent volunteer, as a member of our conference, or by way of supporting us through in-kind or financial contributions.
We invite you to volunteer. Several of our ministries are well suited for young families, and others are well suited for those who work from home or who are retired. Contact us to learn how you can be involved. (College-age and older members of the parish always are welcome to attend our twice monthly St. Vincent de Paul Society meetings. We gather to pray, share, and plan on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month from 7:00 to 8:45pm Questions? Emails us at [email protected].
Food Cupboard:
The St. John Food Cupboard operates 40 Saturdays annually and offers those in need a selection of fresh produce, canned-and dry-good items, personal care products, and bread and pastries. The Food Cupboard is made possible by the generous support of St. John and St. Thomas parishioners, the Simply Give program coordinated by the Lake Lansing Meijer, and the Greater Lansing Food Bank. Each year, we distribute approximately 5,000 bags of items to area residents who are in need, regardless of background or beliefs. The Food Cupboard has many volunteer opportunities, from sorting and stocking donations to shopping and transporting items, to volunteering on Saturday mornings.
Friends of Returning Citizens:
This ministry prepares and delivers food, personal care items, and a Meijer card to men and women on the day of their release from prison. The goal of this ministry is to communicate to these neighbors that we want to support them in their goal of successfully re-entering society. This ministry also includes support for the Stepping Stones Housing Re-entry program for Returning Citizens. This is a local initiative that provides no-cost housing and wraparound services.
Christmas Adopt-a-Family:
This ministry coordinates gift giving each December for twenty needy families in the area. We organize the parish sign-up for gift giving, collect and organize donations, assemble food baskets, and distribute items to each family.Food on the Move:
This ministry is focused on transporting free food and other items that can be re-directed to Lansing-area neighbors who face food insecurity.
PB+J with Love Snack Sacks:
This new ministry provides nutritious snack sacks each week to 50 homeless men and women who visit Advent House Ministries in Lansing. Each Monday volunteers from the parish (individuals, groups of friends, or families) take turns preparing snack sacks for distribution on Tuesday mornings. The St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. John provides all items needed for the snack sacks.Cristo Rey Community Center:
Our ministry in support of Cristo Rey Community Center involves coordinating parishioners to staff the clothing closet, personal needs pantry, food cupboard and kitchen. Volunteer shifts are Monday-Friday, usually in the morning and early afternoon. Cristo Rey Community Center serves vulnerable populations in three zip codes in L
ansing.Advent House Monthly Meals:
On the third Saturday of each month, a group of our volunteers prepares and serve a chicken dinner for as many as one hundred homeless neighbors who come to Advent House in downtown Lansing.MSU International Support:
We are in the process of exploring ways we can foster friendship with newly arrived MSU international students, perhaps organizing home dinners and serving as English conversation partners.About St. Vincent de Paul Society.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in 1833 by Blessed Frederic Ozanam in Paris, France. Today, there are thousands of St. Vincent de Paul Society conferences in parishes across the world. Membership involves an annual commitment to the founding principles of the Society as laid out in The Rule, 1.2: The vocation of the Society’s members, who are called Vincentians, is to follow Christ through service to those in need and so bear witness to His compassionate and liberating love.