St. Vincent de Paul dining hall observes 50 years
Salt Lake City – Fifty years ago, the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul opened a thrift store in Salt Lake City, where they distributed clothing and sandwiches to those in need.
Over the next five decades, as the population of Salt Lake City grew and the needs of the community changed, Catholic Community Services, which now operates the St. Vincent de Paul dining hall and the Weigand Homeless Resource Center, responded by expanding its services to the hungry and the homeless.
“It’s really humbling to know that for the last 50 years the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City and Catholic Community Services have been here day in and day out helping individuals and families,” said Matt Melville, homeless services director for CCS. “Our services have expanded to meet the needs of our most vulnerable populations, and we wouldn’t be successful without the tremendous support from the community, our partners and our volunteers.”
To mark 50 years, a dinner was held on Oct. 10 at the St. Vincent de Paul dining hall. Attendees included Bishop Oscar A. Solis; homeless advocate Pamela Atkinson; Bradford Drake, executive director of CCS; Melville; Tony Sansone, CCS board president; and CCS staff, volunteers and supporters.
In 2016, about 14,600 volunteers dedicated their time and talents at the St. Vincent de Paul dining hall and the Weigand Homeless Resource Center.
“Volunteers are the backbone of CCS and are key to our success,” Drake said. “Their time, energy and compassion help make our programs successful. We couldn’t carry on our daily activities without them.”
Atkinson, representing Governor Gary Herbert and Lieutenant Governor Spencer Cox, read a proclamation signed by the governor recognizing the importance of the dining hall’s anniversary.
In her own remarks, Atkinson added, “CCS has literally saved lives and changed lives over the past 50 years. So many lives depend on the services of the dining hall – one can see first-hand what a free meal can do for a person, and many people come here for one or both meals. CCS makes sure people are fed, no questions asked, and that can give people hope and dignity. A person can do so much more on a full stomach.”
Bishop Solis congratulated CCS and said, “Three years ago, when our Holy Father Pope Francis declared the Year of Mercy, he challenged every Christian believer to become dispensers of compassion, and he instructed us that our churches should be field hospitals that are open 24 hours a day. Catholic Community Services and St. Vincent de Paul are examples of the field hospital of our Church in the state of Utah.”
Todd Mabey, one of the many CCS volunteers who dedicates time to the organization, received an award at the dinner from CCS and the state of Utah’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism. He was recognized for his devoted service over the years.
“I like making a difference in someone’s life,” said Mabey, who has been a volunteer for 10 years. “I get great satisfaction by helping someone get back on his or her feet. Sometimes just a kind word or treating somebody with respect can make such a difference.”
Melville said the population using CCS’ services has changed through the years.
“Our numbers have gone up for the evening meal because more people run out of food stamps or are facing food insecurity near the end of the month,” he said. “We would much rather have them come to our dining hall and eat so they can save money for rent instead of trying to do both. We don’t want to see them evicted and end up at the shelter. It’s far better to have them stay where they are because once you go to the shelter, it’s much harder to get back into housing. We want to remove obstacles and help people become self-sufficient.”
Each day more than 1,000 meals are served at the St. Vincent de Paul dining hall, and CCS helps an average of 450 people at the Weigand Homeless Resource Center.
For information, or to learn about volunteer opportunities, call 801-363-7710 or visit https://ccsutah.org/.
© Copyright 2024 The Diocese of Salt Lake City. All rights reserved.
Stay Connected With Us