More and more of the hungry are depending on 'St. Vinny's'

Intermountain Catholic

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The St. Vincent de Paul dining hall serves 1,500 to 2,000 meals each day.

SALT LAKE CITY — The Catholic Community Services St. Vincent de Paul dining hall in Salt Lake City has been serving the hungry at its current location for 25 years. St. Vinny’s, as it is popularly called, now serves 1,500 to 2,000 meals every day of the week. In recent years the program has seen an increase of about 40 percent in the number of families served.

On Oct. 1, the dining hall marked its first anniversary of serving an evening meal, which it does with the help of community partners.

"The Salvation Army, who provided the meal for years, could no longer maintain the meal due to financial problems," said Audra Roberts, Emergency Services Program manager and volunteer coordinator. "However, CCS and some community partners decided the evening meal was important and extremely needed in the Salt Lake community and took it over."

The community partners are Catherine Putnam-Netto, CCS’ Citizen Advisory committee chairwoman, and her husband, John; Denise Winslow of Wells-Fargo; Pamela Atkinson; the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Larkin Mortuary.

"CCS did not have the funding to take on another program, but we all got together and we decided we couldn’t drop the meal and funding was found," said Dennis Kelsch, CCS Basic Needs Services director.

When CCS first took over the program, about 450 meals were served each night; that has increased to 560, which requires a budget of $84,000 a year, or 40 cents per meal.

On Aug. 14, the "Dinner at Vinny’s" fundraising campaign was introduced. Contributors may purchase "shares" of $10, $20 or $50; $50 will provide 120 meals.

The Evening Meal provides more than soup, said Danielle Stamos, CCS public relations and marketing coordinator. "During the past year, the men, women and families that come through the door need more than just a meal, they need affirmation that they deserve a second chance," she said. "Every family that comes to St. Vincent’s receives a warm meal and the hope for a better tomorrow."

For information on the Dinner at Vinny’s program, visit share@dinneratvinnys.org.

St. Vincent de Paul dining hall by the numbers: