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The Pillar feature: For SVDP, preventing homelessness begins with home visits

Published in The Pillar Catholic media project on December 30, 2024 by Laura Loker

The statistics surrounding homelessness in America are sobering.

The number of Americans experiencing homelessness increased 12% from 2022 to 2023. Some research even estimates that as many as 3 in 4 Americans will experience poverty or near poverty in their lifetimes.

Meanwhile, more than two-thirds of Americans are “very concerned” about housing costs, and nearly three-quarters are likewise concerned about the prices of food and consumer goods.

To Michael Acaldo, the new CEO of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, such statistics are calls to action.

Acaldo, who began the position in October, comes to the society’s national council from its Baton Rouge, Louisiana council. There he spent nearly 35 years building up large-scale efforts like its five emergency shelters, charitable pharmacy (which gives away prescription medications at no cost) and dining room (which serves free hot meals).

Now, he hopes to raise awareness of the society’s work.

“Although we want to embrace that humility that Christ calls us to, we also have to evangelize about what we’re doing so people can become a part of our mission,” Acaldo told The Pillar. “Because the needs today are much greater than they were just five years ago.”

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul originated in France in the early nineteenth century. Moved to help the poor he saw in Paris, 20-year-old university student Frédéric Ozanam founded the “Conference of Charity” with a few friends in 1833.

Soon after, the group adopted St. Vincent de Paul, servant of the poor and marginalized, as their patron and namesake. In 1845 the society made its way to the United States — beginning in St. Louis, Missouri, where the national council remains today.

The country’s 90,000 members — who call themselves “Vincentians” — belong to over 4,000 local parish conferences. Each individual conference works together to respond to the needs of its local community, which can range from food to furniture to emergency funds.

Catholics not directly involved with the organization often perceive it solely as its most visible outreach, Bob Glavin, president of St. Mary of the Assumption conference in Springboro, Ohio, told The Pillar. In the broader Dayton area, where he lives, most people know the organization for their two large emergency shelters.

But while homeless shelters are important — indeed, the society operates many across the country — their priority is homelessness prevention, Acaldo explained.

“Homeless prevention is something that the society has done from its very beginning,” he said.

And their central method, largely unseen by other Catholics in the pews, is the home visit.

Specific responses to specific needs

Today, it works like this: Local conferences operate a hotline that neighbors in need may call. After a neighbor leaves their information on their voicemail, a Vincentian follows up for more details. In many cases, the local conference arranges a visit to the caller’s home to learn more about their situation and how they might help.

Two members — often a man and a woman, said Glavin — begin with a prayer prior to knocking on the door. Then they spend a few minutes with the neighbor, listening and asking questions about what they need and why the crisis arose.

“We’re here to help people get over a temporary situation,” said Glavin, who conducts home visits in his community. Unexpected car repairs or a prolonged illness that precludes working, for example, can leave a neighbor short on rent one month.

Such aid can make or break whether someone falls deeper into the poverty cycle, Acaldo explained.

“When you go out and you make one of these home visits, and you’re helping somebody with groceries, or maybe a portion of a rent payment or an electric bill or a water bill, you really are keeping them housed,” he said.

Indeed, a study from the University of Notre Dame’s Lab of Economic Opportunity found that families offered emergency financial assistance were 81% less likely to become homeless over a six-month period and 73% less likely over a twelve-month period. Such figures also suggest that targeting at-risk populations with emergency assistance can be more cost-effective than waiting until they are experiencing homelessness to intervene.

Conferences are careful, however, to use their resources — which come largely from individual donations — effectively.

“We’re not paying their entire rent bill,” said Glavin. “Normally, we’re paying a portion, and we want to know — is that going to avert the impending eviction? Is that going to put this neighbor on solid ground for a period of time where they can recover, or not?”

Vincentians also have these conversations with landlords and utility companies, whom they pay directly — and only after the tenant has contributed the remaining funds. If the problem is more systemic than spontaneous, wherein one-time assistance will not make a meaningful difference in the individual’s situation, Vincentians direct them to other local social services that may be able to help.

Occasionally, other needs become apparent during home visits. One neighbor, Sam, reached out for help with his utility bill, Glavin said. As they talked, Sam also mentioned that he could no longer push his vacuum cleaner around his small apartment due to a medical condition. He had contacted the county’s elderly services for help, but he was still on a waiting list.

So Glavin and his home visit partner vacuumed the apartment. And they came back several more times to vacuum until Sam told them a family member had stepped in to help.

“No act of charity is foreign to the society,” Glavin explained, quoting the organization’s motto. “So whatever people need, our calling and our ministry is to help if we can.”

Before they leave a home, the pair of Vincentians pray with their neighbor. Sometimes, Glavin said, they tell the individual or family that they’re welcome at their local parish.

Always, they try to be empathetic and supportive. Glavin recalled one visit when a mother was relieved just to be able to talk to someone about her son’s serious medical condition.

“The financial support helps,” he said. “But it’s not always the most important thing.”

‘Paying rent for Christ’

Many people, said Acaldo, believe the society is primarily a social services organization.

“We’re not,” he clarified. “We’re a spiritual organization. We are called to come together to grow spiritually in the great blessing of serving our neighbors in need.”

The spiritual emphasis, he said, is “truly very powerful.”

“When we go out to visit somebody, we knock on Christ’s door,” Acaldo continued. “We’re bringing groceries for Christ. We’re paying rent for Christ, and we’re encountering Christ and seeing Christ in those we are blessed to serve.”

Glavin affirmed that his own faith has grown since he joined the society five years ago, both from his involvement in their service and the example and support of other members.

“We’re acting as Christ would, right?” said Glavin. “I mean, he’s visiting people, he’s talking to people. He’s making friends with people who are not people we normally might encounter.”

Now that he is in a position of national leadership, Acaldo cannot participate in as much direct service. It is an aspect of the transition, he said, that a colleague warned him he might find challenging.

So he and his colleagues at the national council are planning to start quarterly “mission days,” in which they’ll partner with local Vincentians to do on-the-ground service to “stay in touch with who we are and what we’re about.”

“I think it’s always important, if you’re in an administrative-type role, that you keep that focus,” he said.

According to the society’s annual report, American Vincentians visited 1.8 million neighbors and offered $1.7 billion worth of services in the 2023 fiscal year. Their impact, Acaldo said, is “huge.”

“But we want to multiply that,” said Acaldo. “We want to multiply that and be able to bring God’s love to those who truly need that helping hand up.”

The Catholic Way to Address Homelessness: An Interview with Michael Acaldo

Published in the Catholic Exchange December 26, 2024 by author and writer Joshua Nelson 

omelessness is a growing crisis in the United States, with over 580,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night, according to Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunity. Rising housing costs, mental health challenges, and systemic poverty have left countless individuals and families vulnerable. Yet, in the face of this daunting reality, the Catholic Church offers a unique and deeply compassionate response, rooted in the Gospel and embodied through organizations like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP).

Michael Acaldo, the newly appointed CEO of SVdP USA, has dedicated more than 30 years to addressing homelessness. His leadership reflects the Society’s longstanding mission to meet people where they are and prevent homelessness before it begins. Drawing on his faith and decades of service, Acaldo views homelessness not merely as a social issue but as a profound call to live out Christ’s command to love one another.

A Catholic Framework for Addressing Homelessness

The Catholic perspective on homelessness begins with recognizing the inherent dignity of every person. This principle, articulated by theologians such as St. Thomas Aquinas, stems from the belief that all humans are made in the image and likeness of God. As St. Vincent de Paul himself said, “Go to the poor: you will find God.”

For Catholics, the solution to homelessness must go beyond providing temporary relief. It involves affirming the dignity of those in need through compassion, community, and long-term support. Pope Francis has frequently urged Catholics to see the face of Christ in the poor, reminding us in Evangelii Gaudium that “the worst discrimination which the poor suffer is the lack of spiritual care.” This insight underscores the dual nature of Catholic service: addressing both material and spiritual needs.

SVdP’s Mission: Prevention and Compassion

At the heart of SVdP’s approach is homelessness prevention. Michael Acaldo emphasized the importance of early intervention: “When someone becomes homeless, it’s much harder to help them out of that cycle. But a little investment—a rent payment, utility assistance, or a hot meal—can turn the tide before a crisis spirals out of control.”

SVdP’s Home Visit program is a cornerstone of this mission. Volunteers, known as Vincentians, visit individuals and families in their homes to assess their needs and provide personalized support. This model, established nearly 180 years ago, is a powerful example of Pope St. John Paul II’s teaching in Sollicitudo Rei Socialis: “Solidarity is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people, both near and far. On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good.”

Through their work, Vincentians often uncover hidden struggles, such as families without enough food, children sleeping on floors, or individuals unable to afford medical care. Each encounter is an opportunity to restore dignity and stability. As Acaldo put it, “Every person is a person. They’re not an object; they have their own story. And we meet them where they are.”

The Role of Faith in Action

For SVdP, addressing homelessness is not just about social service—it is a spiritual mission. “We’re a spiritual organization first,” Acaldo explained. “Our work is rooted in love and the Gospel call to see the face of Christ in those we serve.” This spiritual foundation inspires Vincentians to approach each person with humility, accountability, and hope.

One of SVdP’s most moving traditions is beginning home visits with prayer. Often, the individuals being served lead these prayers, expressing a profound faith that transcends their circumstances. Acaldo shared how one person, on the brink of eviction, prayed, “Lord, I knew You would send help.” Such moments reveal the deep connection between service and evangelization, a concept echoed by St. Teresa of Calcutta: “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”

A Broader Catholic Response

The Catholic Church’s response to homelessness also involves advocating for systemic change. Acaldo highlighted the need for policies that address rising housing costs, mental health care, and disability support. He emphasized that preventing homelessness is not only compassionate but cost-effective, saving society money while preserving the dignity of individuals and families.

In addition to advocacy, the Church encourages simple acts of charity. Many Vincentians carry small care packages in their cars—water bottles, granola bars, and information on local shelters—to offer immediate aid to those on the street. As Acaldo explained, “The smallest gestures can make a world of difference. A bottle of water or a kind word can remind someone of their worth.”

Stories of Transformation

SVdP’s impact is best illustrated through the lives it touches. Acaldo recalled the story of a man in Baton Rouge who, on Christmas Day, asked to call his mother in Minnesota. Homeless and alone, the simple act of reconnecting with his family brought him to tears. “It was like giving him a million dollars,” Acaldo said. Another story involved a legally blind British citizen stranded in Louisiana after a hurricane. With SVdP’s help, he was reunited with his family in Great Britain, a testament to the organization’s commitment to seeing every case through.

A Call to Action

The Catholic Church invites everyone to participate in the mission of serving the poor. Acaldo urged readers to visit svdpusa.org to find local councils, volunteer opportunities, and resources for starting new SVdP chapters. He also encouraged Catholics to pray for those in need and for the volunteers who serve them.

As Pope Benedict XVI wrote in Deus Caritas Est, “Love of neighbor . . . consists in the very fact that, in God and with God, I love even the person whom I do not like or even know.” This love, embodied by SVdP, transforms not only those who are served but also those who serve.

Conclusion

Homelessness is a profound challenge, but the Catholic approach—rooted in compassion, prevention, and spiritual care—offers hope. Through organizations like SVdP, the Church continues to be a beacon of light for those in the darkness of poverty. By responding to Christ’s call in Matthew 25, we can help ensure that every person has not just a roof over their head but the dignity and hope that come from being truly seen and loved.