On Monday, I was fortunate to hear a special lecture from Fr. Ron Ramson, a dear friend of St. Vincent de Paul and currently a priest in the Congregation of the Mission Order. While visiting Arizona and joining us at the General Membership Meeting, Fr. Ron graciously agreed to stay an extra and speak to our staff, volunteers and Vincentians on his experience with the Society and how it came to be.

To this day, I marvel at Fr. Ron’s longstanding history with the Society and his expertise in so many areas, particularly the lives of St. Vincent de Paul and Frederic Ozanam. He probably knows more than anyone in the world about these historical figures! It’s as if we have our own personal historian at our fingertips.

It was incredible to hear about the Society’s humble beginnings of 6 college students in Paris who knew nothing of starting an organization. They were just kids eager to be in a group and discuss their passions of helping others. But their passions could not be contained to a student organization; something bigger than them was calling out to extend their services to other towns and cities in France. Years later, their ministry of service eventually crossed the ocean to St. Louis, Missouri (currently location of the Society’s national headquarters) and continued to spread throughout the United States.

Now, the Society operates in 139 countries with over 700,000 members worldwide, and over 57,000 active members in the United States. That’s quite an impressive boost from 6 college kids! What’s more impressive is the immense dedication and love that the Society was founded on. A love, like Fr. Ron said, from people of all faiths and backgrounds who still come together after all these years to help others. The thousands of employees, volunteers and supporters of St. Vincent de Paul make all of this possible, and for that, we are eternally grateful.

I invite you to watch the two-part video of Fr. Ron’s speech that we’ve included below. Please feel free to share it with your family and friends.

Click here to watch Part 1 of Fr. Ron’s speech
Click here to watch Part 2 of Fr. Ron’s speech

One of the most important aspects of the mission statement of St. Vincent de Paul is to provide others with an opportunity to serve. I am reminded of that credo everyday thanks to the thousands of individuals who chose to volunteer their time with us. But I am still amazed at the unwavering dedication of one individual who started out as an athletic role model to me as a child, and eventually grew to be a very dear friend. Nick Lowery is truly a living example of our mission statement.

I remember as a young man watching Nick in the NFL and admiring him as one of the greatest kickers of all-time. There was no question that he had a true gift of athleticism.  All the fame and fortune from his days of pro-football would be enough for anyone to retire comfortably and spend their remaining days doing commercials for product endorsements. But Nick isn’t your typical athlete, and I am not talking about the fact that he was recently elected as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame, or that he attended both Dartmouth and Harvard.  Not only did he want to give back to the community, but he also wanted to rally his fellow star athletes and provide them with the opportunity to get involved in public service as well. A very noble feat, and you certainly can’t get more “Vincentian” than that.

For years I’ve watched Nick engross himself in every aspect of St. Vincent de Paul and act as a bridge between our organization and retired athletes. Whether he’s encouraging our guests to “Never Give Up,” serving food at one of our dining rooms, participating in a volunteer event or even digging into his own pockets, Nick has contributed to the homeless and working poor one way or another. I truly admire his sense of obligation to the community and tireless effort to get the word out about St. Vincent de Paul. Every time I walk through our downtown dining room and see the beautiful print of a LeRoy Neiman painting of Nick in his Kansas City Chief’s uniform (the only painting that Mr. Neiman did of a kicker) I see not only a great athlete, I see the portrait of a great man.  I thank you, Nick, from the bottom of my heart for your generous heart and spirit.

It’s my pleasure to share with you a special video Nick put together about St. Vincent de Paul and the importance of philanthropy. You may recognize the familiar Valley faces of James Quiñones of 12 News and Javier Soto of 3TV News! We thank you both for being involved in Champions for the Homeless. Enjoy and God bless.

Click to play the Champions for the Homeless video

The following article written by Steve Zabilski appeared in The Arizona Republic on January 30, 2010.

Feeling down after putting away all those lights and decorations? Here’s a surefire pick-me-up courtesy of your local St. Vincent de Paul.

A box of thank-you cards just arrived from the sweetest little angels you ever saw, the children at the Palomino School in north Phoenix. We invited them to one of our thrift stores to buy presents for 50 cents, so they could make Christmas special for their loved ones. What we got in return was priceless.

“Every Christmas all I can afford to give my mom is a drawing or a note,” wrote Vanessa. “But this time I gave her a real present, and it was because of you.”

“Thank you for the great gifts you let us buy for our parents,” wrote Jonathon. “They were crying when they opened them.”

I see lots of miracles as head of St. Vincent de Paul, made possible by your volunteering and contributing. But nothing moves your heart like the thanks of a child, especially the 400 heartwarming thank-you cards that came from these kids.

These innocents are the side of poverty you don’t see—the families of the working poor. Their parents, often a single parent, work hard to shelter, feed and clothe their children. But there are no extras like toys, new clothes, weekend movies or Christmas presents they do not expect to receive, let alone give.

So we invite them to our Bell Road thrift store to buy two, or more, presents for a mere 50 cents, so on Christmas morning they can make their families smile with unexpected gifts. Maybe it’s a new (slightly used) pair of work boots for Dad or a purse for Mom. Possibly it’s a favorite CD for their brother or sister to off at school.

Listening to their giggles, their oohs and ahs as they shared the treasures they found and gladly handed over their 50 cents, it was hard to fight back the tears of joy. These little bundles of love acted like they won the lottery simply because they could give a present to someone they loved.

“I got my dad a tie,” boasted Aushie. “He loved it so much he wore it to church and told everyone his daughter gave it to him for Christmas.”

“I gave my mom teacups,” said Isela. “Then we all drank cocoa out of them with marshmallows, and it tasted so good.”

“Thank you to all of you nice people,” wrote Jennifer. “You show us how to do the right things in life being nice to people.”

Thanks from the bottom of my heart to everyone who allows St. Vincent de Paul to make miracles happen. I hope St. Vincent’s gave you a little bit of inspiration back.

The horrific earthquake in Haiti has put into motion an international wave of aid and volunteerism in an effort to help the people of the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation. To me, this immediate reaction to mass devastation proves that when disaster strikes, communities are able to come together to help those most in need. And the community of St. Vincent de Paul is no different. We are here to be a part of the solution.

Photo Credit: Lisandro Suero / AFP / Getty Images

Our National President Joseph D. Flannigan has called upon the 120,000 volunteer members of the Society in the United States, as well as to the general public, to provide assistance for the people of Haiti. The Society has a permanent presence in Haiti and is currently collecting donations that will be sent directly to help the survivors of the earthquake.

As Roger Playwin, national executive director of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA, stated, “The Society of St. Vincent de Paul makes no distinctions in service to the victims of disaster. We address their needs, whatever they may be, and we keep on addressing them.”

Now more than ever, these men, women and children are in dire need. If you wish to help, contributions for Haiti disaster relief and recovery can be made online by clicking here, or you can mail donations to:

Haiti Earthquake
Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA
58 Progress Parkway
St Louis, MO 63043

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Haiti. God bless.

On December 29th, St. Vincent de Paul was flooded with Feed The Children staff and volunteers to help serve over 300 families with food boxes and personal hygiene items. And as families lined up to receive their boxes, they were greeted by none other than Phoenix Suns guard Leandro Barbosa (and the Gorilla, of course!).

To this day, I am amazed at the immense generosity of our Phoenix Suns team. Fresh off a big win from the L.A. Lakers, they were eager to roll up their sleeves and lend a helping hand. And as a great basketball player as Leandro is in the NBA, I believe he is an even better man. He is a terrific volunteer and role model for our community, and we were very blessed to have him participate in our Feed The Children event.

I invite you to take a look at this exclusive video of Leandro and share with your family and friends. A very special thank you to everyone who assisted St. Vincent de Paul that day in ensuring a successful event for Feed The Children, and providing much-needed relief to families in need.

Leandro Barbosa teams up with St. Vincent de Paul

Click to play the Leandro Barbosa teams up with St. Vincent de Paul video

While many of you may know of our St. Vincent de Paul holiday tradition at our Bell Road Thrift Store, I feel the need to express my sincere gratitude and amazement at the turnout this year. On December 17, 1,200 students from Palomino Primary School were invited to shop with St. Vincent de Paul volunteers and staff members to buy Christmas presents for their family members.

The atmosphere was wonderful. Children were greeted by a jolly Santa Claus who mingled and took pictures as they purchased items. Holiday decorations adorned the store and the smells of delicious baked goods filled the air. It seemed like everywhere I turned there were children smiling and laughing.

I was also touched by the number of volunteers and staff members who participated at our annual event. The Bell Road Thrift Store staff and store manager went above and beyond in their efforts to make this another successful sale. Our general manager, Pat Hedrick coordinated the store and school’s involvement; our assistant general manager, Matt Shanahan reset the entire store and directed the children throughout the day; additional thrift store managers left their own stores early to show their support; Joann Prendergast from Church of the Ascension organized volunteers for all pre-and post-store activities; Ronnie Overton’s fireman son and sheriff son provided protection and a fire truck; and numerous volunteers assisted children and staff during the event.

It’s a wonderful thing to watch the community come together to make the Christmas season a happier time for those less fortunate. Thank you to everyone who showed their support at the event. We are truly blessed to have you in our lives.

Bell Road Christmas Event Video

Click to play the Bell Road Christmas Event video

As many of you undoubtedly know, we at St. Vincent de Paul love to cook. In fact, we love it so much that we prepare more than 3,500 meals a day (yes, 365 days a year). As the holiday season draws near, I wanted to share some of our favorite recipes in case you are having a few people over to your place:

Sloppy Joe Sandwiches
Servings: 4

1 pound ground beef
1 cup ketchup
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 hamburger buns

In a pan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink, drain any fat from pan. Stir in ketchup, water, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover, simmer for 30 minutes. Serve on bun.

Beef Stew
Servings: 4-6

1 pound ground beef
2 cans of mixed vegetables
2 cans of beef broth
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 medium size potatoes
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

In a pan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink, drain any fat from pan. Dice potatoes into small bite size pieces. Add beef broth and potatoes to beef and cook until potatoes are tender. Add mixed vegetables, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 

And if “a few people” doesn’t cut it, try a recipe for almost 500 people:

Peanut Butter Cookies
Servings: 448

6 lbs. margarine
6 lbs. shortening
14 lbs. 4 oz. peanut butter
24 lbs. brown sugar
2 oz. salt
2 qts. & 2 cups eggs
1 cup vanilla extract
23 lbs.  flour

Place the margarine, shortening and peanut butter in the mixing bowl. With the paddle attachment, cream these ingredients at medium speed for 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and salt, then cream at medium speed for 1 minute. Mixing on low speed, slowly add the eggs (about 1 quart at a time) until incorporated. While mixer is still mixing at low speed add vanilla, mixing until incorporated. Add flour. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix or cookies will be tough. Portion cookies and slightly flatten with a fork with criss-cross marks. Bake at 350 F. (325F for convection oven with low fan) 10-12 minutes.

Bon appétit!

In my 13 years at St. Vincent de Paul, I have never witnessed such intense captivation of a speaker at the downtown Phoenix Dining Room as I did on the morning Nancy Lieberman spoke. The greatest women’s basketball player was walking among 200 homeless men and women, fully engaging them in a dialogue about her life. It was unlike anything I’ve seen.

Nancy Lieberman

It was amazing to watch the transformation of the dining room go from the usual hustle and bustle to complete reverent silence. Even members of our staff and volunteers gradually lined up around the room to listen. Nancy spoke with such eloquence and candor that I found myself just as awestruck as anyone else. Watching a basketball legacy crouch down and mingle with several hundred vulnerable members of society was truly inspiring.

I was touched to see Nancy make an effort to connect with each homeless person by illustrating her colorful background from the gritty courts of Harlem to her initial lack of understanding of Christianity and its teachings. She truly got down to their level to prove that she wasn’t an illustrious Hall of Famer preaching about her success; she was a person just like them who also had fears, doubts and disappointments throughout her life.

One of the things that really touched me about Nancy’s speech was her sincerity. She truly believed in our guests and wanted to make them feel like an important part of her life. At one point, I watched many people wipe away tears from their eyes as Nancy proudly declared that they were not alone and was each a member of her team. She really saw them as MVPs in her eyes.

Nancy made a point to not be another face behind a podium that the homeless couldn’t relate to. I saw firsthand the way she uses her fame to touch others and inspire them to “Never Give Up.” It was one of the most moving experiences I’ve witnessed at the dining room.

Some of my fondest memories of my childhood revolve around Meadowlark Lemon of the Harlem Globetrotters. To this day, I can still see myself sitting in front of the television to watch what basketball artistry he would wow the crowd with next. Whether it was his “no-look, wrap-around pass”, his half-court hook shot, or his charming wit, I was mesmerized.

Meadowlark Lemon

Meadowlark was an American institution. He could always make me laugh and put a smile on my face. I even recall not wanting to go to church with my parents one Saturday evening as it would interfere with watching the Globetrotters on ABC’s Wide World of Sports (I offered to ride my bike to Mass the following morning, but my parents would hear nothing of it). Anything just to watch Meadowlark!

Now, fast-forward 40 years later: I am present in the St. Vincent de Paul downtown Phoenix Dining Room on an early Monday morning.  I am surrounded by 200 homeless men and women who are all listening to Meadowlark Lemon, the “Clown Prince of Basketball” who is speaking to the group. Forty years later and I find myself the same little boy, just as mesmerized. Meadowlark still made me laugh and he still made me smile, but this time there was something else … the “grownup” in me suddenly appreciated him for much more than his unique basketball capabilities and humor.

Meadowlark’s zest for his faith and his love for God touched me deeply.  As I sat there, I listened intently on what he was saying; his genuine passion for reading the Bible, his ability to quote scripture, his insistence that we get our priorities straight, his constant reminder that we must “Never Give Up.”

The simple fact that Meadowlark Lemon came to St. Vincent de Paul to reach out to several hundred of the most vulnerable members of society truly stuck me. It was a humbling experience I will not soon forget.

And while I still admire Meadowlark for his basketball talent and comic genius, I now see him in a whole new light. He has become a loyal supporter of serving those in need, and I am grateful to have met him and to have again seen him in action, not on a court, but instead, in a dining room.  It is people like Meadowlark who make St. Vincent de Paul so special.

Thank you Meadowlark for all that you do. You continue to make me laugh and smile, only now, it is accompanied with my admiration and respect.

As told by Steve Zabilski, St. Vincent de Paul Executive Director

I was asked during a meeting recently if I would tell a story about one of my experiences from the past 13 years as the executive director for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Phoenix. “One you’ve never told before,” my guest asked. “Don’t hold back with any concern of appearing too proud. You certainly have a gem you’ve never shared.”

I do in fact have one.

My story takes place here in the office I’m typing this post from – just about 13 years ago when I was first getting employed by SVdP. The feeling I experienced while first sharing this story after so long is why I think it’s also good to share it with more of you now.

I was working late nights during my first six months as executive director. It was my first time preparing the budget for our board of directors, and I felt additional time was required to learn the ropes and get it just right.

On one these nights, around 9:00 p.m., came a knock on my office door. It came from outside, as my office has a fire exit.

Everything was closed up, and everyone but me had gone home. (Believe me, plenty of our staff members put in long hours, for which I’m grateful. On this particular night I had the “late shift,” so to speak.)

So… I knew the person at the door had to be someone who needed assistance.

I really didn’t want to answer that door – as bad as this may sound at first. Not because I didn’t care, but because I felt helpless.

What could I do at such a late hour for whoever was out there?

No employees or volunteers were around to help me get it right, and the resources we would normally have available during the day were closed down for the evening.

I ignored the knock a couple times, rationalizing in my mind that I wasn’t being a bad guy. There just wasn’t any real help I could offer at this hour. I needed to concentrate on that budget proposal.

After I heard the knock a third time, I went to the door and was about to say “come back tomorrow,” without opening it.

But I did open the door, and believe me friends it changed my life from that night onward.

At my door stood a woman in distress. She told me she was living with her children in a U-haul truck that was past due to be returned.

I walked out to our parking lot, and sure enough, there were two very young children in the back of a truck. I didn’t know what to do, but to do nothing was now officially out of the question.

I took the family to a local motel and put the room on my credit card. I then went back and got some food from the SVdP kitchen and brought it over to them. I told the mother I would return in morning, and I did.

The next day, with SVdP up and running, our staff and volunteers were better able to help the woman and her children. They helped them find temporary, and then permanent housing. And over the years we’ve helped this family get their car fixed, with medical and dental checkups, and we have provided career counseling for the mother.

Here’s the best part.

I’m still close friends with this family 13 years later. Over the years we have kept in touch. They even asked me to be one the children’s confirmation sponsors. The kids also celebrate their birthdays here. I visited with them just last week, in fact.

I always come back in my mind to…what if I didn’t work late that night, and what if I didn’t answer the door. I’m no hero – I reserve that status for our many volunteers, donors and staff – but there would certainly be a void in my life if I didn’t know this family. I would be missing their friendship and many wonderful experiences watching them grow. They have brought a richness and perspective to my life that I wouldn’t have otherwise. (Thank you