St. Vincent De Paul Georgia, Inc.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Georgia Strategic Plan contains six areas of focus. These areas continue to focus the organization on its mission to “Empower people, regardless of their background, ethnicity, or faith, to achieve stability and self-sufficiency by offering financial, material, education, and spiritual support and by collaborating with others to develop and deliver programs and services that help people in need."

The three key 'pillars' of the Strategic Plan are:

Build, develop, and grow relationships that support and enhance the successful accomplishment of the mission and vision

Add, expand, improve, reduce, or exit council-wide programs, partnerships and collaborations as appropriate to accomplish the mission of the Society.

Identify, develop and nurture diverse relationships that will help the Society accomplish its mission and address the needs of the community and which leverage the resources of the Society and its partners to reduce redundant services.

The support that SVdP Georgia provides to people in need is uniquely tailored to the situation of the individual or family. One of the key differentiating values of the SVdP Georgia service model is the 'home visit'. That home visit is an important aspect of the methodology by which SVdP Volunteers and Staff determine the needs of the people served. In most cases, when an individual comes to SVdP Georgia for some level of support they are first visited by two volunteers who, in a loving conversation, determine what the needs are and driving factors behind that situation.

By conducting this home visit and learning the real issues facing families in need the Society can personalize and customize an individual support plan that not only includes our available financial, material, and educational resources but also to marshal the resources of its many collaborative partners and other community resources, guiding the individual or family toward long-term stability and self-sufficiency.

SVdP Georgia's unique organizational structure provides local volunteer-based services to people in need through a network of community organizations that are referred to as 'conferences'. The Conferences are local volunteer associations driven by more than 5700 dedicated volunteers. Conferences are supported by a professional staff of 30 individuals that operate the programs and facilities and provide the services necessary to meet the needs of our clients.

The services that local conferences provide are varied and specific to the needs of their community as well as to their financial resources. These services include but are not limited to: Direct Assistance (rent, mortgage, utility bills), Housing Support/Shelter (temporary shelter, emergency shelter, transitional housing), and Life Skills Training (nutrition, literacy, financial literacy, job search skills, legal, GED, ESOL).

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has witnessed tremendous success and progress in the past several years. The successful growth of Family Support Centers from its pilot to five locations, the growth of the food recovery from one grocery store to over 40 demonstrates the strategic importance of these programs amidst the delivery of client-centered services.