St. Vincent’s Receives Medford Rent Relief Grant
 
            The City of Medford has awarded St. Vincent de Paul a federal COVID-19 rent relief grant.  These funds will be administered via telephone (541-772-3828) through their Social Service conference beginning next week.
 
            The federal funds will only be available to low- and moderate-income Medford residents and applicants must have a COVID-19 related hardship and show proof of income.  St. Vincent’s will consider paying a client’s current month’s rent, but cannot cover back rent. 
 
In addition to this federal grant, St. Vincent’s will continue to offer COVID-19 rent relief to other Jackson County residents.  Ashland and Talent residents should call St. Vincent’s Ashland office at (541) 708-5650.
 
St. Vincent’s will also continue to offer its other emergency services helping to pay utilities, prescription drugs, etc. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 am until 2 pm.

COVID-19 Guidelines to Protect
 St. Vincent Volunteers & those we serve
Wear masks or face shields covering nose and mouth at all times while on the property & keep safe distances from each other.  
Wash hands frequently (washing stations in front of store, in office lobby and dining room).  
For everyone’s protection, do not come to St. Vincent’s when feeling ill.  
If feeling ill, take your temperature and contact your Primary Care Physician (PCP). There are non-contact forehead thermometers available in the office.  
Seek testing if recommended by your PCP. Both Providence and Asante hospitals provide COVID-19 tests with authorization by a PCP. Additionally, Rogue Valley has other clinics, including Valley Immediate Care & La Clinica, available for testing with appointments.
 
Include County Health personnel in discussions focused on responding to a positive test and closure of all or part of our Facility.  
August 2020 Council Board

St. Vincent’s Plans Phased Re-opening
St. Vincent de Paul is tentatively planning a phased re-opening of its services over the next week. The Medford social services agency closed its facilities on North Pacific Highway on July 16 after one of its volunteers tested positive for COVID-19. They have continued to serve the needy via phone connections and volunteers visiting homes. The all-volunteer group has worked closely with the Jackson County Health and Environmental Public Health Departments. St. Vincent’s has followed their specific guidelines to safeguard the safety of its clients and volunteers on re-opening. Current plans are for the Thrift Store to open on Thursday, July 30, from 10 am until 4 pm. As before, they will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Donations will be accepted until 3:30 pm. The Dining Room remains closed for indoor meals. However, sack lunch and grocery bag distribution will begin on Monday, Aug. 3, from 11 am until 1 pm. Lunch will be offered Monday through Friday. Client mail will again be distributed from the Pantry door Tuesday and Thursday, 11 am until 1 pm. Social Services will resume telephone only (541-772-3828) services Monday through Friday, from 10 am until 2 pm beginning Aug. 3. They will also accept walk-in clients on Tuesday and Thursday to obtain IDs, bus passes, camping gear, furniture vouchers, personal hygiene items, diapers and pet food. The Urban Rest Stop will re-open its laundry and shower operations on Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 8 am until noon. They will also be open on Fridays. Clients must check in at a table outside the facility and wait outside for their turn. The Family Emergency Shelter is presently closed and no re-opening date has been set.

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St. Vincent de Paul - Rogue Valley District Council

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The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in France in 1883 to help the poor and destitute of Paris. 

The Rogue Valley District Council was established in 1982 to serve the poor and needy in Jackson County. Our all-volunteer staff serve all who come regardless of race, creed, religion or ethnic origin. 

We are committed to ensuring that the poor and needy of Jackson County have a safety net of support and encouragement. No work of charity is foreign to St. Vincent de Paul.  

Over 270 part-time volunteers provide all staffing and services, providing almost 84,890 volunteer hours in 2018.

Support for Families and Individuals in Need in 2019

  • Homeless Family shelter - We provided 6,180 bed nights. Emphasis is on emergency needs of parents with children.
  • Hot lunches and groceries – 44 volunteers provided 59,000 hot lunches, served Monday through Friday. The pantry supplies bagged groceries on the third and fourth Fridays of each month. We distributed 6,885 sacks of groceries, a 4-day supply in each sack, and 5,500 "no-cook" bags to our homeless clients who lack cooking facilities. We are also members of the Medford Food Project.  Our goal is for no one to be without food in Jackson County.
  • Urban Rest Stop – Volunteers provided over 7,155 showers and 5,130 loads of laundry for the homeless.
  • Advocacy/social service support –14 trained counselors helped 12,000 individuals with job training, utility bills, rental assistance, shelter and other necessities.  Designed to give people a "hand-up, not just a hand-out".
  • Home visits – 1,462 individuals visited in Ashland, Talent, Central Point, Medford and other locations in Jackson County. 

St. Vincent de Paul, 2424 N. Pacific Highway (Hwy 99), Medford, Oregon 97501, 541-772-3828


Leading with Vincentian Spirit 
From the writings of St. Vincent de Paul

“The streets will be long and unfriendly. The stairs will be steep, and the poor often ungrateful. You will find that charity is a heavy burden to carry – heavier than the bowl of soup, heavier than the full basket, but you will keep your gentleness and your smile.

It is not enough to give bread and soup. This the rest can do. You are the servant of the poor. You are always smiling. You are always good humored. The poor are your masters. You will find them terribly exacting. So the more unjust and insulting they are, the more unattractive they are, the more dirty they are, the more love you must give them. It is for your love alone that the poor will forgive you the crust of bread you give them.”


The Mission of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul

The Rogue Valley Council of St. Vincent de Paul is dedicated to providing compassionate support to the poor, regardless of race, creed, sex, sexual orientation or ethnic origin.  Each Council is locally organized, funded and staffed.  Our Council has no financial obligation to any church and no effort is made to preach, convert or proselytize. 
 
We have no paid employees and rely on 300+ volunteers to provide all of our services.  We own our own land and buildings, so pay no rent or mortgage.  Overhead costs such as insurance, utilities and repairs are paid for from Thrift Store revenues.  All donations we receive go directly to helping the needy.

 St. Vincent de Paul has been featured in two "Providence Minute" segments starring Fr. Jim Clifford and airing on NBC KOBI5.
Check them out:

SVDP Annual Report for 2019

annual_report_2019.pdf
File Size: 84 kb
File Type: pdf
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Society of St.Vincent de Paul

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We are dedicated to turning no individual in need away. In addition, we often receive referrals from other community agencies who are unable to help. 

Our facilities consist of four buildings on nearly four acres of land:
  • The Thrift Store sells donated
    items to the public and provides  free clothing, household necessities and furniture to those in need, using a voucher system. 
  • The main building contains our Emergency Family Shelter, Kitchen, Dining Room, Social Services, Food Pantry, and administrative offices. Attached to this building is the Urban Rest Stop which includes a waiting room, shower and laundry area.
  • Two warehouse buildings are used to store furniture, food pallets, school supplies, and seasonal items needed for the store.