National News

SVdP National President Featured in National Catholic Register

SVdP National President Featured in National Catholic Register 398 398 SVDP USA

“To address the homelessness crisis, we must encounter those on the brink.” So writes SVdP National President John Berry, in his latest op-ed for the National Catholic Register.

Here’s an excerpt:

“To understand why prevention programs are so critically needed, we must first understand why so many people are becoming homeless. According to Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, the number of Americans experiencing homelessness has risen almost 50% over the past eight years. 12 million people are “severely cost-burdened,” and thus at risk of becoming homeless themselves. That massive increase can’t be attributed to drugs or mental illness (even if those ills affect the most visibly homeless). Instead, its main drivers are brute economic factors like skyrocketing housing costs and inflation. “A great river of poverty is traversing our cities and swelling to the point of overflowing,” Pope Francis said in his 2023 message for the World Day of the Poor. “It seems to overwhelm us, so great are the needs of our brothers and sisters who plead for our help, support and solidarity.””

Click here to read John’s full article.

Michael Acaldo to Helm the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA as Next Chief Executive Officer

Michael Acaldo to Helm the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA as Next Chief Executive Officer 1080 1080 SVDP USA

After an extensive nationwide search led by executive search firm BoardWalk Consulting, we are proud to announce that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) has chosen its next National CEO from our own SVdP USA family.

Michael Acaldo, the CEO of the SVdP Diocesan Council of Baton Rouge, will become our new CEO of the National Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, effective October 1.

A native of Baton Rouge, Michael has been a member of the Vincentian Family since 1990. He received both his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and his Master of Business Administration from Louisiana State University.

In his tenure in Baton Rouge, Michael has led that St. Vincent de Paul Council to incredible growth. In 1991, he oversaw the founding of the Bishop Ott Shelter Program, which has since grown to five emergency shelters serving men, women, children, and families, and which provided more than 31,000 guest nights of shelter in 2023. In 1995, he helped establish the St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy, the first SVdP Charitable Pharmacy in the nation. The Baton Rouge St. Vincent de Paul Dining Room served over 300,000 meals to neighbors in need in 2023. And if that weren’t enough, he’s also the creator, host, and executive producer of the SVdP Beacons of Light television show, which has been on the air since 2006.

Michael is well respected within the Society, and within the larger Catholic community. He has received various honors for his work with the Society in Baton Rouge, including receiving the Benemerenti Medal from Pope John Paul II in 2002 for service to the Catholic Church; serving as a John W. Barton, Sr. Fellow for excellence in community nonprofit leadership, also in 2002; being inducted into the Catholic High School Hall of Fame in 2009; and receiving the inaugural St. Joseph’s Cathedral Community Award in 2013.

Of his new role, Michael had this to say: “I feel so blessed and honored to be chosen for this leadership position during such an exciting time in our Society’s history. Our National Board’s launching of VisionSVdP focuses on listening to every voice in our Vincentian Family, which is so powerful! I believe that the Holy Spirit will speak through Vincentians around the country, and provide a roadmap for our bright future. Plus, I cannot wait to join our talented and dedicated National Staff in St. Louis.”

National President John Berry notes, “This is a great day for the Society. Michael has been a friend and a colleague for almost 20 years and I can say without hesitation that he is an amazing leader, a consummate professional, and the kind of visionary that the Society needs to help take us into the future. Michael has a deep commitment to the essential elements of spirituality, service, and friendship. The Board of Directors and I look forward to working with Michael.”

Michael and Paula, his wife of 32 years, are the proud parents of adult twin daughters. They are thrilled and looking forward to the arrival of their first grandchild this November.

SVdP’s National CEO search was overseen by a committee of eight current and former Board members from across the country, and the search encompassed sources and prospects from at least 28 states and the District of Columbia. The committee was advised throughout by BoardWalk Consulting, an executive search firm specializing in the recruitment of CEOs for nonprofits and foundations.

John Berry: How Can We Help Families on the Brink of Homelessness?

John Berry: How Can We Help Families on the Brink of Homelessness? 1080 1080 SVDP USA

“Many…people at risk of homelessness today would have been, in simpler times, ‘the working poor,'” writes SVdP National President John Berry.

“But as families and communities have broken down, the burden of providing has shifted onto frailer, lonelier shoulders. And as inflation continues to wreak havoc on families’ budgets, more and more single-parent families stand on the brink of homelessness. One car wreck, hospital stay, or layoff can dislodge a family from a home and put them out on the streets.”

Read John’s full piece in Newsweek.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul Statement on Supreme Court Decision in Grant’s Pass Vs. Gloria Johnson

Society of St. Vincent de Paul Statement on Supreme Court Decision in Grant’s Pass Vs. Gloria Johnson 552 552 SVDP USA

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul expresses concern regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson. By ruling in favor of the plaintiff, the Supreme Court has signaled that local governments can make it a crime for someone to live outside and unsheltered if they have no home.

“Reasonable people may and will disagree about this decision, but the fact of the matter is it doesn’t get to the heart of the homelessness crisis,” said John Berry, National President at Society of St. Vincent de Paul. “Neither stricter nor more lenient criminal laws sufficiently address the problem — which has vastly more to do with skyrocketing housing costs and inflation than it has to do with how local governments regulate homeless encampments.”

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul currently maintains a network for homeless prevention through rent assistance with an outlay of over $60 million. These programs typically involve home visits, personalized resources, engagement with landlords, crafting a “Stability Plan,” and financial assistance in making rent and paying utilities. These programs usually work alongside local governments, putting homelessness prevention ahead of policing in addressing the roots of homelessness.

“These temporary assistance programs work — and produce long-lasting effects while reducing the economic and social strain of homelessness on cities, towns, and counties,” said Berry. “But more than dollars, homelessness prevention programs like ours save lives and dignity. While City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson helps call attention to the severity of our homelessness crisis, we must work together to restore stability and dignity to neighbors living on the edge of homelessness.”

According to a recent study conducted by Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO), persons who received an average of $2,000 in emergency financial assistance were “81 percent less likely to become homeless within six months of enrollment and 73 percent less likely within 12 months.” In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul will continue unabated to pursue positive outcomes like these across the country.

New Issue of Serving in Hope Out Now

New Issue of Serving in Hope Out Now 830 830 SVDP USA

The latest edition of SVdP’s Serving in Hope Newsletter is now available!

Highlighting stories of how Vincentians are serving neighbors in need and changing lives across the country, Serving in Hope is published quarterly and sent to all donors of the National Council.  This issue’s cover story features Rita, a single mother who was able to find permanent housing and keep her family together thanks to the generosity of our donors and the support of local Vincentians. We’re also sharing a photo essay spotlighting some of the ways Vincentians brought help and hope to the poorest among us over the Christmas season.

If you haven’t received your copy yet, click here to read Serving in Hope.

SVdP News Roundup October 14 – October 20

SVdP News Roundup October 14 – October 20 1080 1080 SVDP USA

With 100,000 Vincentians across the United States and nearly 800,000 around the world, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering. Read some of their stories here:

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

SVdP News Roundup October 7 – October 13

SVdP News Roundup October 7 – October 13 1080 1080 SVDP USA

With 100,000 Vincentians across the United States and nearly 800,000 around the world, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering. Read some of their stories here:

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

SVdP News Roundup September 30 – October 6

SVdP News Roundup September 30 – October 6 1080 1080 SVDP USA

With 100,000 Vincentians across the United States and nearly 800,000 around the world, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering. Read some of their stories here:

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

SVdP News Roundup September 23 – September 29

SVdP News Roundup September 23 – September 29 1080 1080 SVDP USA

With 100,000 Vincentians across the United States and nearly 800,000 around the world, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering. Read some of their stories here:

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

SVdP News Roundup September 16 – September 22

SVdP News Roundup September 16 – September 22 1080 1080 SVDP USA

With 100,000 Vincentians across the United States and nearly 800,000 around the world, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering. Read some of their stories here:

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

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