Poverty Programs

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Not a Life Sentence: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty in Des Moines
Not a Life Sentence: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty in Des Moines 2560 1708 SVDP USA

Not a Life Sentence: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty in Des Moines

BEING BORN INTO POVERTY DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A LIFE SENTENCE. THAT’S WHAT THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL DES MOINES COUNCIL WANTS PEOPLE TO KNOW. 

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) Des Moines Council wants people to know that just because they may have been born into poverty, that doesn’t mean they have to spend their lives on the brink. The Council’s Back2Work program helps those interested in improving their lives to tap into their God-given potential, break the cycle of poverty, and live lives full of purpose. The program is meant to help participants with a history of substance abuse, mental health challenges, or incarceration overcome barriers to self-sufficiency.

Back2Work helps them re-enter the workforce and earn a livable wage — all while learning a new job and marketable skills. Back2Work includes two weeks of pre-employment training, and then six months of on-the-job training — along with classes at SVdP that cover topics such as healthy relationships, financial literacy, and career coaching. The Council also coordinates with Catholic Charities to provide participants with counseling and mental health support.

This is all part of an effort to give people holistic, wraparound support so that they can succeed long-term. Once training is over, participants receive follow-up and additional support. SVdP often helps them set up continuing education classes — such as ESL or HiSET — so they can keep moving forward on their career path.

Back2Work participants usually land jobs in fields such as electrical work, landscape, hospitality, manufacturing, and healthcare. 90% are employed at $18.25 an hour — and in Des Moines, that kind of steady income can help buy groceries, a car, and even a home. It can help an entire family escape generational poverty.

In addition to Back2Work, SVdP Des Moines runs a Reentry program that works with incarcerated individuals. With a more one-on-one focus, this program provides people with professional training and mentorship and helps them troubleshoot potential barriers to success like transportation, housing, and access to healthy choices. Thanks in large part to this program, the Des Moines region has a significantly lower recidivism rate than the rest of the state.

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Immersing Neighbors in Love and Mercy
Immersing Neighbors in Love and Mercy 2560 1490 SVDP USA

You might imagine that the day someone is released from prison would be the best and happiest day of their incarceration. But that’s not always the case.

Many agonize over leaving. Why? Because they’ll walk out to freedom with no more than that. No clothes, money, phone minutes, or even a valid ID. No job — and often not a single friend or family member they can go back to. Alone on a bus at the end of the line, they have no idea where to go or what to do next.

Having the right kind of help in those first hours and days is critical to making a successful return to society. So is having ongoing help for weeks, months, and even years to come.

Thanks to generous support from donors to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Vincentian volunteers are receiving the spiritual formation and training they need to serve neighbors in need with the most effective person-to-person assistance possible. The success of the Society’s Immersion Reentry Program is one example.

Begun in early 2019, Immersion provides citizens returning to their communities with caring and compassionate support from Vincentian volunteers along every step of their journey. Immediate help includes providing transitional services during the first 72 hours after release, as well as basics like food, clothing, and shelter. Longer-term support includes mentoring, employment assistance, education, help reconnecting with loved ones, advocacy, and securing permanent housing.

“We are following in the footsteps of our founders,” says Peter Kortright. He and Diana Reeves co-founded Immersion in their Attleboro, Massachusetts Council. Frédéric Ozanam and the first Vincentians encountered these same situations nearly two hundred years ago. The first Home Visits they carried out eventually became the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. They offered practical and prudent ways to reflect God’s mercy.

“Visiting the prisoner who is preparing to reenter the community is quite like a Home Visit, God is asking us to pay special attention to those least of us who may need it.”

“Nobody anywhere gets paid to accompany someone so closely for so long in their journey back to self-sufficiency,” Kortwright says. “Vincentians do it for love, with the traditions, mission, and zeal of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and guidance from the Holy Spirit.”

The power of praying together, listening, empathizing, organizing, and taking action means the world to brothers and sisters who are rebuilding their lives.

Over 2019 – 2021, volunteers accompanied Christine step-by-step following her release from prison. Along the road they offered grocery gift cards, bus passes, clothing, and rent to enter a “sober house” for two months. There were empowerment classes, job applications, and help to regain custody of her children. There were shared tears and cheers, and many prayers of gratitude.

Last July, with the Society’s assistance in funding a security deposit, Christine moved into her own space — the biggest step so far in her journey forward. “It’s small and it’s kind of ugly, but it has a lock on the door and it is mine,” she said with a smile.

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Legislative Action: Get Ready to act on the Child Tax Credit
Legislative Action: Get Ready to act on the Child Tax Credit 900 900 SVDP USA

With the mid-term election over, Congress is back in Washington beginning to wrap-up their 2022 legislative session. Congress is expected to take up a corporate tax bill. While reducing taxes for corporations is very popular and usually passes, it will take 60 votes to pass in the U.S. Senate. We need your senators to agree that the Child Tax Credit (CTC) expansion should be part of that broader tax package.

Before we send an action alert, we wanted to share some facts and show why this issue is critical to our mission.

Here are some facts about the Child Tax Credit:

  • The American Rescue Plan Act expanded the 2021 Child Tax Credit (CTC) to almost 90% of children in the U.S.
  • The CTC cut child poverty by 46 percent last year.
  • The CTC monthly payments helped parents afford necessities such as rent, food, gas, utilities, childcare, and clothes for their kids.
  • The CTC monthly payments lifted more than 3 million children from poverty each month they went out.
  • The CTC expansion in the American Rescue plan has expired.
  • Without the expansion of the CTC, child poverty is expected to reach pre-pandemic levels

Are Vincentians in this alone?

No, we and other faith and anti-poverty organizations are in this fight together. That said, advocacy is a team sport. We are more effective when everyone plays a role. Nobody should sit on the sidelines.

What can you do now?

Sign up to be an advocate! Go to our Advocacy website and go to the top right part of the page where it says Sign up for alerts and add your email address and zip code.  You will be notified when we send out the action alert for you to send to your U.S. Senators in the coming weeks.

Also, add this website to your favorites. We will need your help to contact your legislators during key issues!

If you are interested in learning more about the Child Tax Credit and it’s effect on Childhood Poverty, tune in to an informational webinar on Thursday, December 15 at 2:00 PM CENTRAL. Register here. 

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SVdP National Council Welcomes National Director of Poverty Programs
SVdP National Council Welcomes National Director of Poverty Programs 1080 1080 SVDP USA

The National Council of the United States Society of St. Vincent de Paul is excited to welcome the new National Director of Poverty Programs, Steve Uram.

Steve will be work as the Society’s representative among Catholic groups including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and other national nonprofit groups regarding public policy. He will serve as the national staff support person for national committees including Systemic Change, Voice of the Poor, Housing, Immersion / Reentry, Back2Work / Workforce Development, Bridges Out of Poverty, and others.

“As a life-long Catholic, I am truly excited to join the National Council where I can live my faith and make a difference each and every day,” said Steve.

Prior to joining the National Council, Steve spent 15 years in the Washington, D.C. area serving as a Senior Advisor for Grassroots Advocacy for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). He also served as a legislative aide to Illinois Congressman, John Shimkus. Upon his return to the St. Louis area in 2014, Steve served as the manager for Grassroots Advocacy and Leadership Programs for the National Corn Growers Associate.

Steve has his master’s degree in Communications from the University of Illinois and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Southern Illinois University.

Steve is part of a big, Catholic family and is a die-hard St. Louis Cardinals fan!

If you would like to contact Steve, he can be reached at (314) 576-3993 ext. 215 or by email at suram@svdpusa.org.

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