St. Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent de Paul - Rogue Valley District Council

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.

Support for Families and Individuals in Need in 2012

Homeless shelter - Emphasis is on emergency needs of single women and parents with children.
Hot lunches and groceries – The dining room provided 60,000 hot lunches, served Monday through Saturday. The pantry supplies bagged groceries on the third and fourth Fridays of each month. We distributed 11,000 sacks of groceries, a 4-day supply in each sack, to over 20,500 adults and children. We are also members of the Medford Food Project.
Clothing, bedding and household necessities – Donations to our Thrift Store enable us to provide these items to the needy. The Store also provides low cost, quality goods to area families. Over 9,500 people were served by the Thrift Store.
School and medical supplies –4,100 sets of school supplies were given to K through 12 school children.
Advocacy/social service support –19 trained counselors helped 13,000 families with job training, utility bills, rental assistance, shelter and other necessities. Designed to give people a "hand-up, not just a hand-out".
Free dental care and medical screening - Periodic clinics conducted on-site.
Home visits – 2,200 visits 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

Inspired by Gospel values, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering in the tradition of its founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul.

As a reflection of the whole family of God, members, who are known as Vincentians, are drawn from every ethnic and cultural background, age group, and economic level. Vincentians are united in an international society of charity by their spirit of poverty, humility and sharing, which is nourished by prayer and reflection, mutually supportive gatherings and adherence to a basic Rule.

Organized locally, Vincentians witness God's love by embracing all works of charity and justice. The Society collaborates with other people of good will in relieving need and addressing its causes, making no distinction in those served because, in them, Vincentians see the face of Christ.

Society of St.Vincent de Paul

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 three 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.