Compassion starts with community. Whether you have just a few hours or a lifelong calling to serve, volunteering with a Conference of Charity is a meaningful way to uplift neighbors and live your faith in action.

Volunteer, Do Some Good

St. Vincent de Paul of Los Angeles supports individuals and families across Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara Counties through the tireless work of our volunteers, called Vincentians. These volunteers serve through local “Conferences of Charity” based in Catholic parishes, as well as some schools, universities, and community centers.

As a volunteer, you can:

  • Conduct a food, clothing, blanket or toy drive for those in need
  • Speak to neighbors in need and help them find needed resources
  • Make home visits or virtual visits to assess the needs of a family
  • Provide financial, emotional and spiritual assistance
  • Work in a parish food pantry or soup kitchen
  • Deliver food or meals to those unable to leave their home
  • Visit retirement and convalescent homes
  • Drive senior citizens to the grocery store or doctor’s appointment
  • Help individuals with social service paperwork
  • Plan service opportunities for youth members
  • Feed our unhoused community at the Cardinal Manning Center
  • Assist with operations at Circle V Ranch Camp’s summer program

Good works start with you! First, find the conference nearest you by contacting your local Catholic church and asking if they have a St. Vincent de Paul Conference of Charity. If they do not, reach out directly to our Vincentian Services Department at 1-888-552-7872 or vincentianservices@svdpla.org.

Vincentian Spirituality

For us, service is a sacred act. At the heart of every home visit, food drive, or moment of care is a deeper calling: to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Through this shared mission, Vincentians grow closer to God by walking with those who are still struggling. We strive to see Christ in every person, respond with compassion, and carry the light of hope into the darkest moments. Through this service, we learn to be more compassionate, more understanding, more generous, and more loving to these members of our communities.

Our members’ dedication to this spiritual development is what truly sets our Society apart. Collecting food and raising funds to help alleviate suffering, aid families in becoming self-sufficient, and reflect the message at the core of our faith: “Love one another.”

  • financial donations to assist people with rent, utilities, or food
  • packaged, non-perishable, non-expired food to directly to our community food pantries
  • new or gently used, clean blankets
  • new sock donations
  • hygiene kits (personal kits with shampoo, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, sanitary napkins, shaving razors, etc.)

If you are interested in donating items, please call our Vincentian Services Department at 1-888-552-7872 or vincentianservices@svdpla.org to find a pantry near you or for additional donation information.

Donate to a Conference of Charity

If you’re unable to volunteer, there are still powerful ways to do good in your community. Your donations help us respond quickly and compassionately to neighbors facing hardship, whether it’s food insecurity, displacement, or financial crisis. 

We welcome those of you who wish to assist us in our mission to aid those in need by either donating to us to help finance our continued services, or providing the following items:

  • financial donations to assist people with rent, utilities, or food
  • packaged, non-perishable, non-expired food to directly to our community food pantries
  • new or gently used, clean blankets
  • new sock donations
  • hygiene kits (personal kits with shampoo, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, sanitary napkins, shaving razors, etc.)

If you are interested in donating items, please call our Vincentian Services Department at 1-888-552-7872 or vincentianservices@svdpla.org to find a pantry near you or for additional donation information.

Start a New Conference of Charity

No Conference in your parish or community center? You can help! Starting a new Conference is a simple but powerful way to extend hope and support in your neighborhood.

If you are interested in starting a Society of St. Vincent de Paul Conference of Charity at your parish, school, or community center, follow these steps:

  • Get your pastor’s or executive’s permission.
  • Contact the Council of Los Angeles’ Vincentian Services Department at 888-552-7872 to discuss the process of formation and to schedule a recruitment drive.
  • Ask the pastor/executive and others to personally invite prospective members to join.
  • Schedule an orientation meeting for those who expressed an interest in joining. During this short, informal meeting, prospective members will learn what types of work members of a St. Vincent de Paul group do within their local communities.
  • Elect a president and appoint officers.
  • Meet at least twice each month.  At these meetings, we pray, meditate, and discuss how we may best serve people in need in our local community.
  • Serve your brothers and sisters in need in a spirit of charity and love.
If you are interested in starting a conference, feel free to contact the Council of Los Angeles’ Vincentian Services Department at 888-552-7872 or e-mail vincentianservices@svdpla.org.

Youth and Young Adult Conferences

Today’s youth brings an invigorating sense of energy, creativity, and fresh perspective to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, with our Youth and Young Adult Conferences giving students and emerging leaders a chance to serve their communities in hands-on, meaningful ways.

Members of youth and young adult conferences can participate in many activities and endeavors, such as:

  • Initiating service projects in their own communities with the support of the Society, such as: food drives for food pantries, meals for the unhoused, senior home visits, sock/sweater/blanket drives and distribution, and more
  • Collaborate with other Adult Conferences in our Community
  • Visit people in need to offer support services and link them to local resources.
  • Volunteering at our Cardinal Manning Center, including participating in overnight and weekend “urban plunge” experiences
  • Learning leadership skills as part of the Camper-In-Leadership-Training (CILT) program
  • Taking part in our Annual Youth/Young Adult Work-Retreat at Circle V Ranch Camp

If you are interested in volunteering or even starting a youth or young adult conference of the Society at your parish, school, or university, please contact us at 888-552-7872 or vincentianservices@svdpla.org.

Let’s Connect

For more information please contact the Vincentian Services Department
at 1-888-552-7872 or vincentianservices@svdpla.org.