The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) is a direct service non-profit organization whose work primarily involves person-to-person contact with people who have a variety of needs. In addition to direct assistance, we try to promote self-sufficiency, enabling people to help themselves. Any assistance offered by the Society is given in a non-judgmental spirit of compassion, based on the need of the individual or family.
A key strength of SVdP is in the personalized delivery of help which makes it unique in its role as a charitable organization. We accept people as they are and try to create a caring, non-threatening environment, respecting the dignity of those who seek our help. We only offer advice when it is asked for, and do not believe in telling people what they should do. Our aim is to maintain the dignity of the individual and to promote long-term self-sufficiency. We do so by treating people with respect, while endeavoring to build a relationship of friendship, trust and confidentiality.
While we act as a short-term safety net for those who fall outside the care of the Welfare State or need emergency financial support, we try to embrace those who are marginalized by helping them to rekindle their self-respect and sense of worth. The Charity's Mission is also to rectify the causes of poverty which perpetuate the problems faced by those we work with.