SVDP in Louisville

More than food distribution

The operations of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Louisville are quite extensive. Before, I showed photos of the twice-weekly food distribution. There is more.

This is the old St. Paul Church building. Now it is a dining room for the meals served to the poor and homeless.
The building’s origins are obvious. In addition to the stained glass windows, the old altar and tabernacle are still present at the front of the dining room. Lunch and dinner are served to about 290 persons every day, seven days a week. Above, volunteers are preparing to serve a lunch.
The building on the left (where the man is seated) is the old St. Paul school. Next to it is the former rectory where the priests lived. And on the far right is one of five or six residential buildings. The SVDP compound now covers an entire city block.
Two more residential buildings for the homeless. Some of them are for homeless veterans or single mothers with children or people with disabilities.
Another residence for the poor and homeless.

SVDP in Louisville

Last October, when I was in California visiting Jim and Roberta McLaughlin, returned Maryknoll Lay Missioners who had worked with me in Cambodia, Jim introduced me to the workings of the St. Vincent de Paul Society food pantry in their home parish of St. Columba. I learned a lot in my time at St. Columba.

Today I had the opportunity to visit a comparable SVDP operation in Louisville at the invitation of Ken and Diane Golliher who volunteer there. And again I learned a lot.

I was surprised to learn that while I was in Cambodia, the archdiocese had made a closed downtown parish campus available to the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Open Hand Kitchen.
The Louisville SVDP food pantry distributes food on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Some of the food comes from businesses and food services in the area. Here a group of volunteers unloads a van of donated food.
The food is first placed on shelves or in a refrigerator or freezer until it is bagged for distribution.
Some food is donated by USDA (Department of Agriculture).
Recipients of the food distribution come on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and receive two bags, one of food from USDA and another from the private sources. In addition to the food, detergents, personal care items, and other necessities are available. Approximately 130 individuals and families are served each distribution day.