13 Oct Society of St. Vincent de Paul Council of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Inc.

Posted at 20:55h in 2024, Family, Nonprofit, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Council of Pensacola-Tallahassee by

Society of st. vincent de paul council of pensacola-tallahassee, inc.

From Paris to Pensacola: "Let Us Go to the Poor"

Grant Year: 2024 | Focus Area: Family | Grant Amount: $100,670 | Grant Status: In progress

Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in France in 1833 as a society of lay people who would seek out the poor to serve them. The Society was locally chartered in Escambia County in 1933, where Vincentians joined together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to neighbors in need. Their mission is to be a network of friends, inspired by Gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need. The Society owns and operates a retail store, food pantry, laundry facilities, and a business office across multiple locations. Outreach efforts include food; clothing; prescription drug assistance; denture assistance; financial assistance with rent, utilities, deposits, and insurance; vouchers for furniture; and spiritual communion to build relationships with those served. Vincentians have a concentrated presence in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, but also serve in Walton, Bay, and Leon Counties. The Society provides aid to people of all ages, races, ethnicities, and backgrounds.

OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT

In the Brownsville neighborhood of Pensacola, a once state-of-the-art, two-story warehouse stands, built by the Society in 1978. Serving as the organization’s primary headquarters, the building has had only minor improvements since its purchase and requires frequent outdoor maintenance to help control property and street flooding after heavy rainfalls. The Society owns and manages other outdated facilities as well, including a food pantry. To address these concerns and enhance operations, IMPACT 100 funds will be used to purchase a new 16-foot box truck to assist with food deliveries, retail drop-offs, and home visits; to make improvements to the warehouse, including a lockable yard building to store outdoor maintenance equipment, new fencing, a new yard trimmer and trencher; outdoor video surveillance to monitor the property; upgrade the food pantry equipment with the purchase of a new refrigerator to keep perishable food items from spoiling; laptops for volunteer staff to efficiently check people into the pantry; and an aluminum ramp to improve handicap access.

 

EXPECTED IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY

Of the more than 71,000 children living in Escambia County, 16,000 live in poverty. The Society’s food pantry statistics show that most regular patrons come from the pantry’s West Pensacola neighborhood where the median household income is $39,000 and 36% of the population have children. Many grandparents here have stepped into the parenting role as well, with 48% of the food pantry’s client base over the age of 65 with 70% of them raising grandchildren. These families have an increased need for food, clothing, and financial assistance. With two retail stores and a food pantry in operation, a new box truck would enable the Society to ensure that their storefronts maintain sufficient inventory to serve patrons. With new laptops food pantry volunteers will be able to efficiently process and assist more people, and with the purchase of Energy Star-rated refrigeration more perishable food will be available for distribution. The new shed, fence, and outdoor maintenance equipment would provide the resources to routinely and properly maintain the warehouse grounds to prevent flooding issues.

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