Dear friend,
In the quiet of the dental office waiting room, Jeremy held his daughter Sarah close. Her small hand gripped his as tears rolled down her cheeks from the pain in her tooth. Jeremy tried to stay calm, but inside he was terrified.
He wasn’t just worried about her tooth. He was worried about what it would cost.
Friend, your gift of $140 will provide two weeks of food for families just like Jeremy’s. Because of a match by generous donors, your gift today becomes $280 to feed a family for a whole month!
If Sarah needed a procedure, Jeremy would have to miss work to care for her. Missing even a few days’ pay could mean the difference between keeping a roof over their heads or falling behind on rent.
That’s the impossible math too many families are forced to do: Do we buy groceries, pay rent, or keep the heat on?
Will you provide two weeks worth of food for a Dane County family with a gift of $140?
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Donate to Feed Hungry Families
All gifts made by December 31st will be doubled. $1 becomes $2 for hungry families.
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This year, more parents like Jeremy have come to us for food. Will you make sure no one is turned away? Whether they walk through our doors, order online, or receive a delivery to their doorstep, your generosity will make sure they’re met with food, kindness, and respect.
Families who are doing everything right, yet still find themselves one unexpected setback away from hunger or homelessness.
Right now, your gift can be the lifeline that keeps a family stable. You can be the reason someone finds hope instead of despair, dignity instead of shame, food instead of an empty fridge.
Every month this year, gifts from supporters like you have helped local families. Families with hardworking parents like Jeremy who are trying to make ends meet.
For Jeremy and his wife Danielle, both with full-time jobs, life is a delicate balance. Danielle’s a patient receptionist at a medical clinic; he’s a welder. They budget carefully, stretch every dollar, and still, it’s never quite enough.
Then came Sarah’s toothache. A few missed shifts. A dental bill they couldn’t afford. And suddenly, the money that should have gone to groceries had to go to rent.
That’s when you step in, friend!
When asked what weighs most on his heart, Jeremy’s voice cracked: “Hunger and stress. I just don’t want my kids to feel either.”
Your gift today can ease both.
It currently costs our pantry about $140 to fill a standard food package which contains two weeks of meals for a family. Your kindness will fill plates and bellies, but it will also fill hearts with relief and gratitude. You make it possible for parents like Jeremy to hold their heads high and care for their children with dignity.
Because of you, Jeremy will keep his home warm, pay the rent, and tuck Sarah and her brother Michael into bed without worrying about what they’ll eat tomorrow.
And when the holidays arrive, your gift will reach even further. It will bring the joy of a festive meal: turkey or ham, mashed potatoes, veggies, and mac and cheese. The comfort of a table full of food, and the peace of knowing they’re not alone.
With you, families can eat.
Without you, they go hungry.
And this month, your compassion goes twice as far. When you give by December 31st, your gift will be matched dollar for dollar by generous friends of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison.
- Your $140 gift becomes $280
- Your $280 gift becomes $560
- Your $560 gift becomes $1,120
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Donate to Feed Hungry Families
All gifts made by December 31st will be doubled. $1 becomes $2 for hungry families.
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Every dollar you give will supply food for hungry families.
Jeremy dreams of the day he can take his kids grocery shopping and let them pick whatever they want. Until that day, he’s deeply grateful for you helping him make sure his children are fed, cared for, and never forgotten.
In his Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi Te (I Have Loved You), Pope Leo XIV calls us to resist indifference to the poor. We must care for the poor and join in solidarity with them through direct action.
Your compassion is the antidote to indifference. Through your mercy, you are healing hearts, feeding families, and keeping hope alive.
You can make this possible. Your gift will help struggling neighbors feed their families this winter.
This is an amazing opportunity for your gift to go TWICE as far.
Please donate what you can today. Let’s make sure no one goes hungry this winter.
You are the reason hope continues to live in Dane County.
With deep gratitude,
Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director
PS. Rush your gift by December 31st to have it doubled. Your kindness will feed twice as many families like Jeremy’s, and bring comfort and hope to your neighbors this holiday season.
Meet Codou and Leana…
They’re two students the Madison Youth Service Council (YSC) recently chose as recipients of their annual scholarship. Both students demonstrated hard work inside and outside the classroom and are now moving forward in their education thanks to you!
Codou began the first African Club with her friends at Madison’s La Follette High School. While the school had an Asian Club and other events for African students, there weren’t any formal student organizations. So Codou (above; farthest left) took initiative to begin the club by inviting friends and peers to attend meetings where they shared culture, music and food. It was this kind of initiative that inspired the YSC to choose her as a recipient of their annual scholarship. Every academic year, the YSC provides scholarships to local students who otherwise may not be able to afford post-secondary education. In addition, the family of each recipient receives material support, often in the form of rent credit or grocery store gift cards. When speaking about her upcoming freshman year at UW-Milwaukee over the summer, Codou explained how the scholarship would help her pay for tuition, transportation, and housing.
The middle child of six kids, Codou’s always worked hard to provide for herself and her family. Her father passed away years ago, and she’s only lived in Wisconsin since she was in eighth grade. She and her family are from Senegal, and the scholarship meant a great deal to her as she begins her studies in college. She’s interested in science and technology since she likes to research, and was excited to meet new people and live on campus.
Leana is another one of this year’s scholarship recipients. She said the scholarship would be a big help for her as she’ll use it to help pay for books and meals, and noted it was a unique honor to be chosen by her peers. Leana dreams of working in the medical field to help Black moms during and after pregnancy. Inspired by a social media post she saw about the racial disparities in maternal and infant health, she wants to be part of the solution in changing these troubling statistics. As a high school student, she received dual credit through Madison College’s Early College STEM Academy and attended nursing courses on track to become a CNA. She’s attending college on the East Coast with plans to study health and science.
Julie’s Journal — Thanksgiving 2025
Dear friends,
“I don’t understand generational wealth. I only know generational poverty.”
Sandy* called me a few days before she said those words. She wanted to talk with me about making a significant gift, so we scheduled a time to get together.
Sandy has been a member of the Society for many years. She and another member regularly go on home visits to neighbors in need. They listen to the neighbors’ stories, offer comfort, and give aid when they can. The aid is rarely enough to meet the neighbors’ needs, but it is always important. Sandy believes and lives the words of Blessed Rosalie Rendu, “Love is your first gift to the poor,” because she knows what poverty looks and feels like firsthand.
Love is your first gift to the poor, too. Every time you reach into your heart, then into your bank account, you share love with your neighbor in need. Thank you for sharing love to our neighbors in need through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison. Thank you for donating, not out of the excess in your wallet, but out of your compassion.
Every family wants to make the holidays special, but this can be particularly hard for people who are poor. When you donate this upcoming holiday season, local families will have food for their Thanksgiving dinner, and uninsured patients will get the medicine they need. If you can make a significant gift, like Sandy, you might have to stretch your dollars a bit. You may sacrifice something you want so our neighbors have what they need. With her understanding of generational poverty, Sandy knows her sacrifice was worth it. I pray you will know your sacrifice is worth it, too. Please donate now, as you are able, to provide food, medicine, clothing, and housing support to our neighbors in need.
With deep gratitude
Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director
Julie Bennett, CEO & Executive Director, in the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
Who Was Blessed Rosalie Rendu?
Born in 1786, Blessed Rosalie Rendu devoted her life to serving the poor as a Daughter of Charity (the religious order founded by St. Vincent de Paul). Moved by the suffering she witnessed during and after the French Revolution, she opened a free clinic, pharmacy, school, orphanage, childcare center, and home for the elderly. Her compassionate service and leadership inspired Blessed Frédéric Ozanam and his companions to follow her example, which led directly to the founding of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in 1833. Several of the clothing sections in our St. Vinny’s Thrift Stores’ are named “Rendu” after her!
Delayed SNAP Benefits Cause Significant Increases in Demand at Area Food Pantries
Families across Dane County are feeling the effects of SNAP benefit delays in Dane County, as federal funding interruptions leave many without the food assistance they depend on. Local food pantries like ours are stepping in to fill the gap, but with record demand and limited resources, the strain is growing. Here’s how we’re responding with our fellow pantries, and how you can help ensure no one goes hungry.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 4, 2025
MADISON — Six of Dane County’s largest food pantries are already seeing the impacts of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) delays. SNAP, known as FoodShare in Wisconsin, provided benefits to nearly 65,000 people in Dane County in 2024. As America’s most extensive anti-hunger program, it gives out monthly government benefits to low-income households to help them purchase food. Even before SNAP benefits lapsed over the past weekend due to the federal government shutdown, many area food pantries began seeing increases as people turned to them to fill anticipated gaps. This comes on top of significant demand increases that Dane County food pantries have already experienced over the last several years.
“The disruption to the SNAP program is already creating additional pressure as we enter our busiest time of year,” reports Rhonda Adams, Executive Director of The River Food Pantry. “The River provided nearly 500 grocery orders and over 900 take-home meals in a single day last week, even before benefits were delayed. That is our busiest day ever outside of a holiday week. We are bracing for a surge in need, both among current clients and families who have not been visiting a pantry. I spoke to people waiting for their groceries last week, and most worried about how they will replace the meals that FoodShare covered, even with the support available from local pantries.”
Other food pantries are also seeing significant increases in visitors. “Last Tuesday, we saw our highest number of customers ever in our food pantry,” said Goodman Community Center’s Director of Food Resources, Francesca Frisque. “This included a large number of new shoppers who had never visited our pantry before. The rest of the week continued to be high, and we anticipate more this week.”
Food pantries are bracing for hard weeks ahead. Yesterday, in response to a federal judge’s order to release a contingency fund, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that this contingency fund would only cover $4.6 billion of November’s SNAP benefits, roughly half of what is typically distributed each month. No timeline was provided for when people would receive these benefits.
Despite these challenges, Dane County food pantries want to emphasize to community members impacted by the delay and partial payment of FoodShare benefits that they are prepared to do everything possible to ensure continued access to basic food. They are seeing firsthand the strain that the delay in benefits, along with the disruption and confusion from constantly changing information, is putting on families.
“People are worried. We’re hearing concern from both those who need help and those eager to offer it,” said Ann Maastricht, Executive Director of Sunshine Place. “Sunshine Place and our partner pantries across Dane County have food and support available, and together with community support, we are making sure everyone who needs help can get it.”
For now, food pantries are filling a critical gap. Although they can do this for a short time, food pantries can’t be the permanent solution. “Food pantries and SNAP are intended to work together to combat food insecurity,” said Chris Kane, Senior Director of Client Services at St. Vincent de Paul — Madison. “Food pantries cannot replace SNAP. According to Feeding America, for every one meal provided by food pantries, the SNAP program provides nine meals. That is too large a gap for the charitable sector to replace.”
Community members can give now to their local food pantry to make sure pantries continue to have food to meet the surge in demand. Even after the SNAP crisis ends, community support will still be critical as we head into the holiday season. “Crisis or not, hunger doesn’t take a break,” said Marcia Kasieta, Business and Development Director at Badger Prairie Needs Network. “Even when SNAP funding begins to return, record-setting need will continue. And with more federal cuts on the horizon, even more vulnerable families will be affected. Dane County has one of the most organized and collaborative food pantry networks in the country — but we rely on the strength and generosity of our wider community to help lift our neighbors through tough times.”
Cash donations enable pantries to target their buying to the most-needed items and to purchase in bulk at lower prices than retail. Most pantries also accept donations of nonperishable food. Check your local food pantry’s website for more details about giving or to see information about volunteer needs they may have.
“WayForward Resources and other local pantries have already seen an incredible response from the community,” said Ellen Carlson, Executive Director of WayForward Resources. “Thank you. We appreciate the monetary and food donations, as well as the offers to volunteer and the concern and support that have all come our way. It is essential. Please continue to partner with us during the delay and reduction in SNAP benefits–and into the future so that we can build a strong community together.”
Contacts
- Anne Shlimovitz, WayForward Resources, anne@wayfordwardresoures.org, (608) 826-3408
- Lisa Marshall, Badger Prairie Needs Network, communications@bpnn.org, (608) 347-2112
- Florence Edwards-Miller, Goodman Community Center, (608) 204-3127
- Becca Bolton, The River Food Pantry, becca@riverfoodpantry.org, (608) 665-0819
- Katherine Addison, St. Vincent de Paul — Madison, kaddison@svdpmadison.org, (608) 442-7200 x37
- Susan Schmidt, Sunshine Place, susan@sunshineplace.org, (608) 478-5556
Photos and logos, approved for press use
About the Food Pantries
About Badger Prairie Needs Network
Founded in 1986, Badger Prairie Needs Network (BPNN) is a volunteer-powered 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to end hunger and reduce poverty in Dane County. In addition to operating one of the region’s most collaborative food pantries and food recovery programs, BPNN offers a range of wrap-around community services, including pro bono legal assistance, onsite social workers through Joining Forces for Families, a commercial kitchen, community meals, and job-training programs in partnership with the Latino Academy of Workforce Development. Demand for food assistance continues to reach historic levels. In 2025, BPNN is on pace to support more than 95,000 neighbors — nearly triple pre-pandemic levels. Learn more at bpnn.org.
About the Fritz Food Pantry at Goodman Community Center
Located on Madison’s east side, the Goodman Community Center strengthens lives and secures futures, through programs focusing on food security, older adults, children ages 3–19, and building community. The Fritz Food Pantry at the Goodman Community Center provides groceries for more than 350 households every week. We believe everyone should have access to a variety of healthy, fresh foods, regardless of their income level, and we’re proud to provide this valuable service to anyone in our community who needs it. The pantry is open three days a week and all are welcome. No pre-registration is required.
About The River Food Pantry
The River is South Central Wisconsin’s busiest food pantry. Services include free groceries for pickup or delivery, to-go meals, online grocery orders, mobile meals, and after-hours food lockers. The River also recovers food and resources—that would otherwise go to waste—from local retailers. Since 2006, The River has grown to serve over 3,500 people every week in pursuit of its vision: a fully nourished community. Learn more at www.riverfoodpantry.org.
About St. Vincent de Paul — Madison
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison is a membership organization dedicated to helping our neighbors in need. They offer services such as food, prescription medicine, clothing, furniture, household goods, storage lockers and guidance to neighbors in need. Seven St. Vinny’s Thrift Stores across Dane County help fund these services and provide direct charity through a furniture, household goods and clothing voucher program. St. Vincent de Paul — Madison is currently accepting new volunteers during their “Volunteers Are Magic” drive with Magic98. Please visit /event/magic98-volunteer-drive/ to learn more.
About Sunshine Place
Located in Sun Prairie, Sunshine Place is a community resource serving Dane County and surrounding areas. The nonprofit provides a one-stop shop for support, offering its own programs focused on food, housing, and basic needs, alongside co-located partner agencies that provide additional wraparound services. The largest of Sunshine Place’s programs is the Sun Prairie Food Pantry, a full-choice pantry open six days per week and serving households across Dane County and beyond. The pantry also provides community-based food distribution to children in Sun Prairie and nearby communities through neighborhood and school partnerships. Learn more at https://sunshineplace.org.
About WayForward Resources
WayForward Resources focuses on creating food security and housing stability. Located in Middleton, their food pantry and clothing center are open five days a week to anyone in Dane County. WayForward’s housing stability programs provide case management, referrals, and financial assistance to community members living in the Middleton-Cross Plains School District and part of the west side of Madison. Learn more at wayforwardresources.org.
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High school students Danielle and Chris interned at the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy over the summer through a partnership with local nonprofit Maydm. They’re just two of the many student volunteers who come through the pharmacy doors each year, gaining real-world experience serving neighbors in need and valuable connections to further their studies.
Thank you for your pharmacy support! Not only do you provide free medications to uninsured patients, but you also give students like Danielle and Chris the chance to learn about valuable careers, building tomorrow’s pharmacy leaders today.
1. How did you connect with the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy?
Danielle: Maydm works by placing young people in STEM fields around the Madison area. We applied to the program, and they took our interests — and we both said we’re interested in pursuing healthcare in the future — and we did the program last year at UW Health. And now, this year, we’re still interested in healthcare, and they placed us here at the pharmacy.
2. Did anyone in your life inspire you to pursue a career in healthcare?
Chris: I think it started with my chemistry teacher. I really enjoyed her chemistry class and all the experiments that we did. And so I always had an interest in chemistry. It switched into pharmacy for me after I went to an open house at the UW-Madison pharmacy school. They talked about the school, I learned more about the kind of classes you have to take for it and what the career is like, what the education is like, and I became really interested in that. I thought it’d be a great way to switch my interest in chemistry into something more useful.
Danielle: Well, for me, my parents are nurses, so growing up, health has always been a part of my life. But for me specifically, I didn’t want to do healthcare at first. My parents are healthcare professionals, so I thought, “Let me take a different route.” But I’m an athlete, so I grew up seeing a lot of injuries and things like that, and I was really interested in human anatomy. So, I thought, “What if I go to school and study biology?” After my ninth-grade biology class, I really enjoyed the human anatomy unit and thought, “This is really cool, and I really want to do something with this in the future.” But, you know, a biology degree can only get you so far. So I thought about healthcare. And then I started, Maydm. Especially last year, learning about how many people go without [medicine], it just really solidified in me. Healthcare is a right, right? Not a privilege. There are so many people being denied that right. So, I decided I just wanted to be another stepping stone so people can access healthcare. Now I’m pursuing nursing.
3. What has been your favorite part of working in the pharmacy?
Chris: Well, I would like to say filling prescriptions, because I have a lot of fun doing that. But I think the more important part is the community here; I feel like everyone’s welcoming and inviting. It’s very fun to be around here, no matter what I’m doing. If I were filling prescriptions, working at the welcome desk, or answering voicemails all day, I would be around everyone here and still have fun. I really like the community. Whenever I come down here, there always seems to be a lot of volunteers of different ages, experiences, and backgrounds, and I think that’s really cool. I feel like we have such a close relationship with the patients as well. They just recognize everyone who comes here.
Danielle: Like Chris, filling prescriptions is definitely fun, but I think coming here every day and helping people makes all the difference. I mean, no matter what I’m doing, I know my presence here is definitely helping in some way, and just being a part of this organization makes me feel good. You’re making someone’s day, knowing they will have their medications for however long they need a refill, free of charge, and they don’t have to worry. To be able to do something like this for people in need is just right. It’s a very tangible service.
4. What’s one thing you want everyone to know about the pharmacy?
Danielle: Wear comfy shoes! Becky, Yolanda, and Cheryl do a very good job at teaching people what they need to do and their responsibilities, and they’ll hear you when you’re confused and won’t shame you. We came in here with no idea what we would be doing. We just knew we would be at St. Vincent de Paul for the summer. I’m not a pharmacist. He’s [Chris] not a pharmacist. I’ve never worked in a pharmacy, and I didn’t know all that pharmacists do. All that goes into it is so much more than you think.
Chris: Yeah, I didn’t realize how much was involved in the pharmacy, and I still don’t! There’s more to it than just counting pills. But it’s very collaborative and, as Danielle mentioned, there’s no shame.
Interested in volunteering at the pharmacy? Learn more here!
Read how your care, compassion and encouragement help neighbors in need.
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Video showcases stories from our first century of service
In preparation for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison’s centennial year, several longtime Vincentian friends gathered for a historical roundtable and oral history discussion. The panelists discussed Vincentian values of zeal, humility and gentleness; shared stories of blessings and challenges; and reminisced on faithful volunteers, members and staff.
Immense thanks to:
- Ralph Middlecamp, 1st Vice President, International Confederation SSVP
- Ernie Stetenfeld, Member, Christ the King Conference
- Julie Bennett, CEO & Executive Director
- Ed Emmenegger, Member, Blessed Sacrament Conference
- Peg O’Donoghue, Co-Leader, Lacy Food Pantry Garden
- Deacon Dick Martin, Spiritual Advisor, District Council of Madison
Learn more about centennial events, sponsorships, and ways to get involved here.
Charitable pharmacy is a bridge over troubled water
The St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy fills prescriptions for low-income, uninsured adults in Dane County at no cost to patients. We help patients learn about their medications and find support for effective treatment for chronic and acute medical conditions. Our state-licensed pharmacy stocks many medications to treat common conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and infections. We provide up to a 30-day supply for each prescription. Learn about patient eligibility here.
Your support helps patients heal
The video below will help you visualize the incredible service you make possible through the pharmacy. You likely have experience with the healthcare system and understand the sometimes complex process of getting your prescriptions. You remove this stress and the costs of getting prescriptions at the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy. Thanks to you, adults with medical problems in Dane County who don’t have insurance can get their prescriptions for free from our pharmacy.
Watch how you have built a bridge over troubled water, providing help to neighbors in need…
Dear friends,
Zara* was forced to flee an abusive relationship and left everything behind. “I knew I couldn’t stay in the same city, but it was really tough to just up and leave my life.”
I’ll tell you more about Zara in a minute. But first, I want to show you how you can be a miracle for someone like her.
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Relieve Suffering and Give Hope
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As you know, there are many people in our area struggling to support themselves. Escalating rent and increased food costs threaten to plunge them into homelessness. They need sustained help and hope that only you can provide.
This summer, will you join me to be with our sisters and brothers and their families with food, clothing, medicine, and furniture that will tend to their bodies and souls?
Food is the most requested item from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison. Every day, our staff and volunteers give out tons (literally) of produce, meat, dairy, and pantry items to neighbors who need help. Food connects all of us—no matter our language, age, or background. Thanks to you, neighbors can get the food they need in a way that respects their choices and time.
Right now, one package of food from the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry costs $120. That package contains food like milk, cheese, eggs, rice, vegetables, meat, and fish. Thanks to our purchasing power of buying in bulk, when you give just $120 today, you’ll feed a family in need for two weeks!
Your donation today will feed neighbors like Zara. When she needed help with furniture, food, and support, you were there.
After Zara left her partner, she moved in with her mother. But they struggled to feed themselves on her limited income. I recently learned that many people have a hard time getting the food they need while they recover from abuse. Zara had no connections, no job, and few possessions. She was safe, but the burden of starting her life over was overwhelming.
Zara called the St. Vincent de Paul Service Center and received a furniture voucher for St. Vinny’s Thrift Stores. She also met with two conference volunteers during a home visit. Weeks later, when her mother passed away, the same volunteers supported her again. They helped Zara through her grief, guided her job search, and celebrated her success. Now, she’s healing from past relationships and moving forward in recovery.
Your gift today will help neighbors like Zara! Just $120 from you will ease their hunger and fill their hearts with love, reminding them that they’re cared for. (By you!)
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Relieve Suffering and Give Hope
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Feeding someone in a hard moment can be the first spark of hope and the first step toward rebuilding a life. Many of us never have to think twice about our next meal. But for Zara, healing from trauma, hunger was a constant, painful reminder of everything she had lost. Every day, the need for food returned, not just as a pang in her stomach, but as a weight on her spirit.
Your donation today will feed neighbors like Zara who are hurting right now. I know you’re someone who believes in the dignity of every person. You can play an essential role in easing their distress.
Our brothers and sisters don’t get a summer break from the challenges they face: rising rent, expensive food, health issues, and emotional pain. In fact, summer can be even harder, especially for families whose kids lose access to school lunches.
You can make an immediate difference today.
In gratitude for you,
Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director
P.S. Please rush your gift by August 31st to help lift burdens for struggling neighbors.
Security and peace of mind at Vinny’s Lockers
When Natasha was homeless, she slept sitting upright in her car surrounded by her personal belongings. After a chance encounter with two St. Vincent de Paul conference members, she began storing her most precious possessions at Vinny’s Lockers, a long-term goods storage program near the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry & Service Center.
“I needed a place to store my most valuable things like my mother’s ashes, a picture of my grandpa, and photo albums of my kids and my childhood stuff and some jewelry,” Natasha said. “Nothing that’s worth anything, but it’s important to me. It’s.. you know, money can’t buy these things, these memories.”
Your support of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison helps vulnerable neighbors in ways meaningful to them. For Natasha and others struggling to regain stability, Vinny’s Lockers has been a God-send. This unique program offers free storage for up to 45 people, allowing them to safely store their personal papers, family mementos, and out-of-season clothing. Volunteer hosts request people check in every 60 days to extend their storage. Since self-storage unit costs about $40-$70 per month (money neighbors struggling with homelessness don’t often have), Vinny’s Lockers fills this need and is the only resource of its kind in Dane County.
Vinny’s Lockers is one of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison’s smallest charitable programs in terms of the monetary value of goods and services provided. But, its services actually have the biggest personal value as Vinny’s Lockers protects the priceless belongings of homeless people.
“Mike and Vinny’s Lockers was just a super great little corner in my soul where I felt things were safe.” – Natasha, Vinny’s Lockers user
Vinny’s Lockers in Madison
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Donate to Help Neighbors like Natasha
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A small miracle led to help for Natasha
Last spring, Natasha got evicted from her apartment. After a prosperous 40-year career with companies like Apple and Mattel, she had become addicted to alcohol and had lost her job. She had very little money and wasn’t connected to any resources for help. She was stressed and worried about the safety of her personal items because she was living out of her car.
As she was returning to her car one morning, Natasha saw a note on her dashboard. It was from Mike and Kathy Meehan, two St. Vincent de Paul conference members who had noticed her car in the neighborhood and wanted to help her. They offered to meet with Natasha.
“It was just kind of surreal and I don’t remember what I really thought,” Natasha recalled. “It didn’t look suspicious or anything to me. It seemed super genuine, so why not call them?”
Natasha met with the couple who brought her lunch and some gift cards. She told them her situation and they connected her with Vinny’s Lockers where she could store her belongings. She said the visit was one of the many miracles for her during this season of life.
Natasha went to Vinny’s Lockers after the visit. Most of her items went into two large plastic tubs; documents and photos went into a fireproof cabinet. Natasha says she felt a weight lift off her shoulders when she left Vinny’s Lockers. Being homeless, she had been focused on taking care of her basic needs and worrying about the safety of her belongings was causing her stress. She couldn’t think of anything else because she had her belongings with her, she recalls. Knowing her items were safe at Vinny’s Lockers gave her peace of mind and helped her come out of the mental fog she had been suffering. In addition, being in contact with volunteers provided her consistency and the ability to build a relationship with people that could help her.
“Mike and Vinny’s Lockers was just a super great little corner in my soul where I felt things were safe,” Natasha remembered. “He kept in touch and I reported my progress to him as I was going. And it was all good stuff as I finally got serious about getting out of that hell I had been living in.”
Image of St. Vincent de Paul at Vinny’s Lockers
Bins at Vinny’s Lockers
One positive “rung on the ladder” to move forward
During this time, Natasha stayed at The Salvation Army and The Beacon. At one point she noticed a flyer for Just Bakery, an educational and vocational training program. She applied, completed rigorous coursework, and recently graduated from the program earning her ServeSafe certificate and credits towards a Madison College culinary degree. Natasha now has a job at Festival Foods and is living in a sober living community. When she was finally able to gather her things from Vinny’s Lockers and place them on the shelves of her own apartment, it was a very special moment.
“I’ve been able to get my things on the shelves and it’s just been quite a journey, Natasha said. “Mike and his wife and Vinny’s Lockers has always been that one little safe place in my heart or soul or whatever you want to call it where I knew I had my important stuff and so then I got it back. I don’t know what I would have done if they didn’t have the lockers. It was just one, first, little glimmer of hope that helped me get out. It’s just one rung on the ladder. It was an important rung.”
Reflecting back about the difficulties of being homeless, Natasha said many people don’t realize it’s a full-time job. It’s almost impossible to put into words how difficult being homeless is with all of the physical and emotional dangers, especially for women. It’s a full-time job getting through every day. And for people suffering from addiction and being homeless, it’s not as easy as it would seem to “just stop drinking, just stop doing drugs, just get a job” Natasha said. Alcoholism was part of her story, and addiction can happen to anybody. Now, she hopes to get into a position where she can make a difference and give back.
“There’s a million other Natasha’s out there and Jims and Johns and Daves and Marks and Sarahs that are all stuck in it and can’t get out of it, ” Natasha said. “And that’s the people I want to help. What I want to do with the rest of my life is figure out a way to get a position somewhere myself just to help people who are going through it. What I’ve gone through.”
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Donate to Help Neighbors like Natasha
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You protect what matters most in times of instability
Your support of Vinny’s Lockers makes a big difference in the lives of Dane County neighbors. Not only do you provide a safe place for people to store their personal belongings, you give peace of mind to neighbors like Natasha who know their items are safe. The personal service volunteers provide at Vinny’s Lockers is especially meaningful as well.
When people are homeless, hungry, lacking medication, or in need of basic essentials, they turn to you and St. Vincent de Paul — Madison for help. Thank you for alleviating suffering and preventing family homelessness. Every dollar you give provides essential help to neighbors this summer. Donate now: Donate.
Sorting through personal items at Vinny’s Lockers