On December 27, 2000, an article appeared in The Vision informing readers that the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store & Food Bank was in danger of being forced from it’s current location at the top of the hill in Val Caron. It had only one short month to raise enough money for the down payment on the building or it would be put on the market for sale.

We are now pleased to announce that thanks to the tremendous support of the community through donations of food, merchandise and cash, enough money has been raised to make that all important down payment and take ownership of the building! That’s right! After moving from spot to spot during the past several years, St. Vincent de Paul has found a permanent home and will not have to worry about moving for a long, long time!

The volunteer staff of approximately 30 men and women who give of their time to make life better for the less fortunate of the community, are thrilled about the news and are looking forward to making renovations to enhance the appearance of their new home. 

According to Barbara Sharp, secretary of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store and Food Bank, there is a certain segment of the community which depends on the services of her organization. “We provide food for over 200 people a month during the year, but a lot of other people depend on us for low-cost clothing and other merchandise. Without our facility and our services, I don’t know what they would do.”

The Thrift Store is filled with a wide variety of very low-priced merchandise. Proceeds from the sales go towards upkeep of the facility and the purchase of food for patrons. However, the building had been put up for sale by the owners, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society had until the end of January to come up with the down payment or face the gloomy prospects of looking for another home.

“I don’t know where we would have moved to,” declared Barbara. “This place is ideal for what we do. There isn’t anywhere else that I know of where we could move to. It would have been a shame to lose this since so many people depend on us.”

      The community answered the call and came to the rescue.

      The service provided by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store & Food Bank is invaluable! Without the food and clothing, many young families would go hungry during times of difficulty. Often it is the Food Bank which gives struggling people the time necessary to get back on their feet. All services are strictly confidential and staff is trained to help clients regain their sense of self-worth.

If anyone is interested in making donations of any kind, simply drop them off at the store Monday to Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you are interested in volunteering your time to help out, you will be more than welcome.

A special Community Celebration of Thanks will be held on Wednesday, February 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. so that the staff of St. Vincent de Paul can show their appreciation. In-house specials will be available for purchase and there will be plenty of cake and coffee. This is your chance to see what St. Vincent de Paul is all about and to ask how you can help out in the future.

The Vision Community Paper thanks all residents of Valley East and Capreol who answered the call and helped save one of the most important businesses in our community.