The St. Vincent de Paul Shelter, located in Waterbury, is the largest facility in Connecticut for homeless men, women and children. The population of the shelter varies between 80 and 140 residents throughout the year. Many of the shelter’s clients are individuals who have temporarily fallen on bad times, while a number of individuals are regular residents. About 30% of the residents are women and children.
Sacred Heart’s ministry to our brothers and sisters who rely on the shelter has several parts:
- Monthly Evening Meal Preparation and Serving – there are several teams of cooks and transporters/servers who are responsible for providing a meal for shelter residents each month. Each team prepares and delivers a meal about 3 times a year.
- Resident Activities – these indoor activities are primarily for the women and children residents, especially during winter months, and include such things as providing children’s books and reading material, sharing small crafts like knitting and clay modeling, tutoring, watching meaningful movies with or sharing meaningful reading materials with the adult residents and following up with discussions of the experience, etc.
- Special Needs Collections – because they are always needed and wear out quickly, things such as sheets, towels, socks, pajamas, toiletries, etc., are collected periodically by a group of volunteers.
- Facility Maintenance and Repair – the shelter is heavily used, so there is always a need for people who can do minor repairs and maintenance, such as painting, ceiling tile replacement, plumbing repair, etc.
If you would like to participate in this ministry to our homeless neighbors, please contact one of the ministry chairpersons.
Contact Information for this Ministry
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