ST. LOUIS, Sept. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- People across
the country will hit the pavement on Saturday, Sept. 29 to raise funds and awareness
for people poverty at the 11th Annual Friends of the
Poor Walk/Run, sponsored by the National Council of the United
States Society of St. Vincent de Paul. According to the U.S. Census
Bureau, there are currently about 39.7 million people living in
poverty. That is approximately 12.3 percent of the population.
The event in each community is designed and operated by the
local SVdP Conference (chapter) in that area. Therefore, details
such as the date and time may vary by location. Most events are
held around Sept. 27, the feast day
of St. Vincent de Paul, the patron saint of all works of
charity.
One of the largest Friends of the Poor Walks takes place in
Bethpage, NY.
"I'm always consistently amazed by the way in which the Friends
of the Poor Walk unites our Vincentian community," said
Erin Geier, of the SVdP Rockville
Centre Council. "We have Conferences in 62 parishes across
Long Island, each with their own
needs and processes for helping neighbors in need. But the morning
of the Walk, we truly become one Society, brought together by our
passion for helping those in need. As more than 800 participants
walk side by side down the streets of Bethpage, it is a reminder of how powerful we
can be in the fight against poverty."
In 2017, more than 25,000 people participated in the Friends of
the Poor Walk/Run at 243 locations and more than $3.1 million was raised to help those in need in
local communities.
Funds raised by the walk help Vincentians provide immediate aid
such as assistance with rent and utilities and food as well as
long-term help with education and mentoring programs.
"The Friends of the Poor Walk/Run helps our members provide the
necessary resources and funds to assist our neighbors in need,"
said Dave Barringer, SVdP National
CEO. "While the Society provides immediate assistance to people in
need, our focus is also on systemic change and long-term solutions.
We try to identify the underlying causes that have put an
individual or family in poverty so that we can assist them in
changing their situation. We work to empower people in poverty and
give them the necessary tools to move permanently out of a state of
extreme need. Events such as the Friends of the Poor Walk/Run help
generate the resources to reach that goal."
All proceeds and donations from the event stay in the area where
they are raised and go directly to benefit people living in poverty
in the communities served by SVdP. There are no administrative fees
for the Friends of the Poor Walk/Run. Anyone interested in learning
more, participating or making a donation can visit www.fopwalk.org
for more information.
One of the largest charitable organizations in the world, the
Society of St. Vincent de Paul (www.svdpusa.org) is an
international, nonprofit, Catholic lay organization of about
800,000 men and women who voluntarily join together to grow
spiritually by offering person-to-person service to the needy and
suffering in 153 countries on five continents. With the U.S.
headquarters in St. Louis, Mo.,
membership in the United States
totals nearly 100,000 in 4,400 communities.
SVdP offers a variety of programs and services, including home
visits, housing assistance, disaster relief, education and
mentoring, food pantries, dining halls, clothing, assistance with
transportation, prescription medication, and rent and utility
costs. The Society also works to provide care for the sick, the
incarcerated and the elderly. Over the past year, SVdP provided
over $3.4 billion in tangible and
in-kind services to those in need, made more than 2.1 million
service visits and contacts and helped more than 5.4 million people
regardless of race, religion or national origin.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Gary
Stevens
Office: (314)576-3993 ext. 209
Mobile: (314)378-5583
202253@email4pr.com
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SOURCE Society of St. Vincent de Paul