Society of St. Vincent de Paul- Archdiocese of Galveston Houston
Going to Those in Need Since 1871
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
We aim to solve the access to basic needs throughout the Greater Houston-Galveston Area.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Food Network
The Society has transitioned into the Houston Food Bank’s “Hub and Spoke” model. In this venture, Conference food pantries order food (dairy products, produce, meat, beans and grains) from the HFB, who in turn make a bulk delivery to the John L. Food Depot as needed. This means the Society’s is the only hub delivering to Society’s 23 food pantries, ensuring convenience and safety for our Vincentian volunteers. In addition to distributing to the pantries, the Food Network continues to feed the local community directly through Food Fairs. Three times per month, the VSC hosts a Saturday Food Fair focused on providing fresh produce to the community. The event is open to everyone living in the Galveston-Houston area and is non-zip-code restricted. Since the VSC is in zip code 77087, where 28.7 percent of the residents live below the poverty threshold, it is an ideal location to host Food Fairs. Each Saturday, an average of 350 families are served by an average of sixty Good Samaritan volunteers. Funding for this program would offset expenses for food, distribution, staff, and equipment.
Voucher Ministry
The Society has two resale shops – one running directly from the VSC and the second, a stand-alone building in Bellaire. Both shops are available for our friends to redeem their Clothing and Furniture Vouchers given to them as a result of the Home Visit. All furniture and clothing items are donated by the local community. The shops also act as a vehicle for low-income families to purchase items at a low cost. Clothing vouchers provide our friends with five outfits. When available, we supplement the voucher with new undergarments and hygiene supplies. An average of 35-50 clothing vouchers are redeemed per month. During the Home Visit, our Vincentians sometimes notice a family may need beds or a table to eat as a family. One of our core beliefs is that all humans deserve to live dignified lives. For that reason, our Vincentians provide them with a Furniture Voucher to provide families with beds to sleep on and a table to have dinner. Last year, we provided $380,000 in clothing and home furnishings.
Vincentian Services
Most of the Society’s work is dependent on the cornerstone of our ministries – the home visit. Last year, Vincentian volunteers made over 8,300 home visits, providing financial, medical, and spiritual assistance to friends in need. Home visits are the core of our mission and enable us to learn the needs of our friends using a unique and personal approach. Home visits will continue to be a crucial tool in both our emergency aid and systemic change efforts. Funding for this program would support poor Conferences in their efforts to provide aid to friends-in-need in their respective areas. Resiliency F.I.R.S.T.--In 2018 the Society was invited to participate in a small group within the Alliance of Community Assistance Ministries of Greater Houston (ACAM) framework known as the Evolver Cohort. This group of four organizations is focused on participation in a research and development pilot study known as Resiliency F.I.R.S.T. (Family Independence through Resiliency and Self-Sufficiency Tools). The goal of this study is to create a model to move our friends-in-need beyond crisis into resiliency and self-sufficiency. Through our Home Visit ministry, Vincentians will conduct in-depth assessments to identify participants for the study. We are in the second-year phase.
ReSale Stores
At our two Resale Stores you will find three different types of shoppers: 1. the “thrifter” looking for the special treasure; 2. the working poor who cannot afford full retail and find great value because of deeply discounted pricing and 3. the shopper unbeknownst to others, who has a clothing voucher to redeem 5 sets of clothing at no charge to them as a result of a Home Visit. All proceeds help support programming and emergency/disaster relief efforts.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
VOAD - Volunteer Organizations Assisting with Disaster 2005
Texas Gulf Coast Regional Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (TGCVOAD) 2005
Association of Fundraising Professionals - Member 2011
External reviews

Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total dollars distributed for utilities assistance
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Seniors, Economically disadvantaged people, Unemployed people, Children and youth
Related Program
Vincentian Services
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
In 2020, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provided for over 85,000 individuals with direct aid worth $18.2 million, $3.4 million of which went directly to help with rent and utilities.
Estimated dollar value of food donations distributed to community feedings programs
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, Unemployed people, Children and youth, Families, Parents
Related Program
Food Network
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
In 2020, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provided for over 85,000 individuals with direct aid worth $18.2 million, $10 million of which was allocated to food donations.
Estimated dollar value of clothing and household goods donations
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, Unemployed people
Related Program
Voucher Ministry
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
In 2020, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provided for over 85,000 individuals with direct aid worth $18.2 million, $232,000 of which went directly to clothing and furniture vouchers.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our goal is to have a chapter serving every area in the greater Galveston-Houston area.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We have three programs addressing these needs. Our Home Visit program provides families and individuals with access to immediate financial assistance for rent and utilities, eliminating the possibility of the family becoming homeless. Our Food Network provides food. Our Voucher Ministry provides clothing and families who live without anything in their homes.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul- Archdiocese of Galveston Houston
Board of directorsas of 02/14/2022
Ms. Carol Croom
Retired Business Owner
Term: 2017 - 2022
Carol Croom
Business Owner, Retired
Ed Herrera
Pastoral Associate St. Rose Catholic Church
Gerardo Rivera
Oil & Gas Executive, H2O Midstream
Michael Schillaci
Development Director, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Ann Schorno
Executive Director, non-voting member
Michael Zarich
Senior Portfolio Manager – Bank of Texas
Patricia Marin
CPA – PSS Companies
Don Beyer
Oil and Gas Executive (Retired)
Gasper Mir III
Public Accounting & Consulting (Retired)
Milista Anderson
Global Head of Learning
Chuck Blumentritt
Oil & Gas Executive (Retired)
Patricia Dornak
Non-Profit Executive, LSW (Retired)
Ladd Puskus
Software Development & Project Management, Retired
Gregory George
Managing Director, JP Morgan Chase
Stacy Medrano
Community Volunteer
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data