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.

Hard work, of course. But also higher education.

That’s why Terry Wilson started the One at a Time Scholarship Program at St. Vincent de Paul several years ago. Education has always been the best hope for creating the opportunities for success and achieving permanent economic change in families.

This program provides financial aid to students who would not be able to attend college without our financial help. Many are the first in their families to enjoy higher education. Besides a commitment of financial help to pursue a four-year degree, these students receive the help and support of an adult mentor.

Jeff Hornacek and Terry Wilson

Yesterday, the 23 students currently in the One at a Time Scholarship Program, along with their families and mentors, gathered for lunch and encouragement from NBA star Jeff Hornacek and SVdP Board President Joe Riley.

Joe pointed out to the students “…how important it is to think positively. Those who harbor a negative view of life, whose cup is always half-empty, impose a terrible and foolish burden on themselves. I’m not even willing to settle for my cup being half-full. I always try to think that it runneth over. Maintaining that positive outlook can make all the difference, every day. I can think of countless ways in which it has been beneficial to me.”

He also shared this poem with those in attendance. It’s a message we can all use:

The Victor
C.W. Longenecker

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t
If you like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are.
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win the prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

If you would like to learn more about the One at a Time Scholarship Program, become a mentor or make a financial donation, please contact Terry Wilson at tbakerwi@aol.com.

Eighth grade boys don’t usually cry. Especially a tall, handsome soccer player, who says math is his favorite subject in school.

Anthony lives with his mother, and three other siblings – Israel, a 4th grader, Vanessa, age 3, and Andrea, 18 months old, in a small, tidy house not far from the Arizona State Capital. Like other working poor families in the neighborhood, they struggle to make ends meet.

I learned about this family because they had received help from the St. Vincent de Paul conference in the area. I was so taken by the four children when I met them – their politeness and especially how warmly they responded to my presence.

SVdP has helped keep this family together over a period of years. During a rough patch four years ago, we supplied mattresses so the mother and her then 9- and 5-year-old sons wouldn’t have to sleep on the hard floor in the one-bedroom apartment the mother managed to rent. Another time, we helped with a rent payment that kept the family from eviction. Several months ago, the mother found a new job at a call center. A voucher for our thrift store allowed her to obtain suitable work clothes.

Recently, we have been supplying the family with monthly food boxes to help supplement the small salary the mother receives. With two hungry, active boys and two children in daycare, her salary can’t quite cover all their needs.

So what made Anthony cry? When it came time for school this year, Anthony’s one school uniform no longer fit him and was very worn after a year of wear and washings. He wouldn’t go to school without a uniform that fit him.

His mother told me that we provided clothing vouchers in August so that both boys could have new school uniforms.

When I asked Anthony what that meant to him, tears ran down his face. Those tears said everything.

I wanted to cry, too. For him, for his pride and for knowing how such little help can mean so much.

by Megan Gordon – Jul. 4, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

by Mark Henle/The Arizona Republic

The number of homeless schoolchildren in Arizona has surpassed 25,000 – equivalent to the population of Fountain Hills.

An increase of nearly 18 percent in the past year was driven by the soaring rate of unemployment and foreclosures, education officials say. Parents lose their jobs, then their home, and families lose their stability. They stay at a friend’s, a hotel, a campground, a shelter – even live out of the car.

“We are now seeing families who come from middle-class America,” said Sean Schubert, Peoria Unified School District’s liaison for the homeless. “Now, many of those people are currently facing very challenging situations. What we all need to understand is that this can happen to anyone.” Read the full story…

Are you in danger of being homeless and need help? Find answers to questions like “what can I do if I become homeless” at StVincentdePaul.net.