An organization that has quietly helped tens of thousands of people in Western New York over the past 175 years now could use a bit of help itself, in the form of some new volunteers.
The Buffalo council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides food, clothing, furniture and other items to families in Erie County, Niagara County and six other counties.
The organization has about 800 volunteers, some of them in their 80s and 90s. They serve lunches, collect and distribute food donations, and help families – including refugees, immigrants and people facing severe poverty – get clothing, furniture and other household items.
While he is thankful for the volunteers’ help, executive director Mark Zirnheld said he is trying to recruit some younger volunteers to keep the society viable for the future.
“I would estimate that at least 90% of our volunteers are age 70 or older,” Zirnheld said. “The people we have are great, and the organization is healthy. We would just like to attract some younger people to help us.”
The society is one of America’s oldest charitable organizations, and a Buffalo bishop helped establish the not-for-profit group in this country.
Founded in 1833 by some law students in Paris, France, the group’s first American council was founded 12 years later in St. Louis. One of the founders was the Rev. John Timon, a St. Louis priest.
Timon moved to Buffalo in 1847, becoming the first bishop of the Buffalo Catholic Diocese, and one of his first initiatives was to start a St. Vincent de Paul council in Buffalo.
While many Catholics volunteer and dozens of local Catholic churches provide space for donation boxes, the Buffalo conference is not run by the diocese, Zirnheld said.
“We welcome help from people of any religion, and we serve people regardless of how they worship,” said Zirnheld, who has headed the Buffalo council for 35 years. “We collaborate with the Red Cross, Erie County Social Services, Jewish…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply