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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

Woman stands next to a shelf of food in a pantry

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!

Our shared history of innovation offers creative perspectives and unique adaptions. CEO & Executive Director, Julie Bennet, shares a reflection about our history of innovation and current service….

 

Dear friends,

We certainly live in interesting times. Political, environmental, social, and economic changes at the national and local level deeply affect our neighbors in need and deeply affect the work of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison. It’s easy to think that things are harder now than they were in the past. But the 100-year history of the Society in Dane County shows that we’ve faced tough times before and made it through. Things may be different today, but one thing stays the same… we will keep helping our neighbors with care and respect.

For 100 years, kind people like you have found smart ways to fight hunger, homelessness, and hopelessness. You’ve given your time, ideas, money, and support to help make life better for families in need. I’m grateful for everyone, past and present, who has been brave enough to try new ideas and look for better ways to serve others. Here are some of the ways Vincentians have changed how to help our community…

We certainly live in interesting times, just as we always have. You are essential in helping neighbors in need as circumstances continue to change. Thank you for your continued support.

Save the date for the evening of Wednesday, September 17th to learn about how adapting to a changing world drives our current and future care for neighbors. I look forward to seeing you there!

Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director

Woman stands next to a shelf of food in a pantry

Julie Bennett, CEO & Executive Director, in the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry

Dear friends,

A couple of months ago, I invited you to share why the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison is important to you. So many of you blessed me with responses that touched my heart and left me grateful once again for you and this ministry.

Here’s what you said:

Learning why you’re passionate about helping our neighbors gives me hope. While our ability to influence change at the national level is small, our ability to make life better for someone in Dane County is profound.

During this season of Lent, my Catholic faith invites me deeper into the spiritual practices of fasting, almsgiving and prayer. My plan is to give up a daily indulgence, to act more generously, and to pray intentionally for a more just world. I will continue to pray for you.

With rising rent costs, increased competition for affordable housing, high prices and uncertainty around social safety nets, more of our neighbors need help every day. Will you join me in making life better for struggling local families? Your generous gift will provide food, medicine, and relief to those in need.

Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director

Dear friends,

Several weeks ago, I came across a quote that I continue to think about, “What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.”*

What we do throughout our lives – our works – matters.

As we enter into the Thanksgiving season, I give thanks for you. Thank you for your generosity, your care, your thoughtfulness, and your faithfulness. What a comfort to know that what you’ve done and continue to do for our neighbors in need “remains and is immortal.” What you do matters – a lot.

We live in a time where a growing number of families are struggling everyday to make ends meet. They must make hard choices between paying their rent or a car repair, utilities or food, gas or prescriptions.

This Thanksgiving season, 108 more hungry families visited the pantry in September compared with last year. A monthly total of nearly 3,038 families. Thanks to you, no one has been turned away.

Because of your support through food, neighbors can afford to pay their rent and utilities. Because of your support through medicine, neighbors can pay for needed car repairs. How? Your support of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison feeds people, provides medication, and provides low-interest loans preventing families from falling into homelessness.

With you, families have dignity to go about their day, peace of mind, and hope for a brighter tomorrow. What you do matters.

During this season of thanksgiving, will you provide help to our neighbors in need?

Blessings to you and yours,

In gratitude for you,

Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director

 

*Albert Pine, writer

Dear friends,

Welcome to summer! I hope this season brings you joy.

The months of April and May included both sober and joyful markers for SVdP Madison. In April, we provided food to 3,236 households; the busiest pantry month ever. In May, I shared this pantry record with guests at our Care Café fundraising breakfast. Also at the event, Chris Kane, our Senior Director of Client Services, talked about how escalating rental costs are the single biggest driver of financial stress for our neighbors right now. He explained how this kind of housing and financial stress can lead to homelessness.

The support we raised together at Care Café – an amazing $261,896 – will help neighbors like Kristine…

Kristine is a social worker for seniors at a local nonprofit and has two kids in middle school. In the past two years, her rent has increased by 40%, but her cost-of-living wage increase was only 6%.

By supporting SVdP Madison, you allow people like Kristine to stretch their budgets by using the food pantry, charitable pharmacy, microloans, or case management services to stay stable in their housing. You are actively preventing family homelessness right now and helping our neighbors in need. Thank you!

Time spent with Vincentian colleagues at a recent national gathering confirms that challenges experienced by Dane County families are reflective of what others face across the county. Here are my takeaways from those conversations:

In gratitude for you,

Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director

Dear friends,

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul essential values of Gentleness, Selflessness, Simplicity, Humility and Zeal guide us to serve our neighbors every day. I know we share these values and I thank you for your dedication to caring for our neighbors in need. Take a look at the impact of your support and know that each number, each data point represents a real family or individual.

During this season of Lent, I’m intentionally taking daily time to pause and reflect on my faith journey. My Catholic tradition asks me to particularly use prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to build my relationship with God.

This is my prayer today:

May the good you do for neighbors in need return to you in joy and fellowship. May others follow your lead in compassion, kindness, and generosity to make our community better for all, particularly those most in need. May this time be one of outward focus; seeking to give ourselves to those the world often ignores. And may you be blessed beyond measure for your goodness. Amen.

Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director

Do you believe in miracles? I do.

A sick child leads to a lost job leads to an eviction notice. Two Vincentians visit this neighbor at his home to see how they can help. Another neighbor overhears the conversation through an open window and organizes others in the apartment building to help cover his rent. Two loaves and five fish feed thousands in the Bible story. Two Vincentians and a group of neighbors save a family’s home. Miracles!

Nearly 3,000 households used our food pantry in September. That number grows month after month. Rent increased 14% in Dane County in 2022 and will rise at least another 5% this year. Food prices will rise 6% this year on top of a 10% increase last year. Gas and utility prices remain high. People with limited incomes cannot absorb these cost increases.

Our fiscal year October 2022- September 2023 budget included $320,000 for food and diapers. Yet nearly $900,000 was required to meet the need. Because of your generosity, no hungry neighbor was turned away.

A miracle! You are the miracle that faithfully meets the demand for food and personal care items that is nearly three times higher than it was before the pandemic. I am speechless with gratitude for you.

“The poor you will always have with you” (Mark 14:7). Unfortunately, this prophetic statement has never been more true. Yet because we believe in miracles, we have hope. Hope can come as words or gestures. Hope can also come as food, medicine, clothing, and furniture. When you help the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison, you build hope. Thank you.

Because I believe in miracles, I believe in you.

 

 

 

Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director

Heartbroken, Frustrated, Grateful: a tangled ball of emotions for one situation.

I went on a home visit with my husband recently. There we met Carter*. His apartment was empty, except for some clothes on the floor for his bed, a box of berries and two bottles of water. He offered the water to my husband and me. 

Heartbroken: This young man, a father in his early 30s, has cancer.

Frustrated: His treatment has left him unable to work. He used his savings as long as the money lasted, then sold his belongings and moved in with a friend until he couldn’t stay any longer. For five months now, his disability claim has been “backlogged.” He has no income.

Grateful: When he was homeless, he was able to qualify for an apartment. He moved into his new home about three weeks ago.

The end of COVID-19 pandemic programs, combined with rising prices, make it harder for people like Carter to afford basic life necessities. Of the 100 largest cities in the USA, Madison has the fastest rising rent (14.1% in the past year and 30.4% since March 2020**). To survive, more and more people turn to programs like our food pantry for help.

In Dane County, a quarter of renters spend more than 50% of their income on housing. Those on the margins, those we serve, spend even more. A new book, Poverty, by America, by Matthew Desmond, describes public policy decisions that cause entrenched poverty in our country. Poverty in America is higher and deeper than any other developed country in the world. While I don’t agree with all that Desmond proposes, surely, we can do better.

You are already doing better for those in need in our community. Your generosity gives food, clothing, beds, furniture, household goods and medicine to neighbors like Carter and his kids. You are helping thousands of neighbors with your faithful support. In addition to these material items, you give Carter hope.

Heartbroken, I pray for Carter. In my frustration, I advocate on his behalf. In my gratitude, I say, thank you, for helping our neighbors in need.

 

 

Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director

 

* Name changed to protect privacy

**https://www.apartmentlist.com/research/national-rent-data

Dearest friends,

Lent is upon us. For Catholics and many other Christian denominations, Lent is a time for self-examination. Am I living up to the purpose to which I have been called. Are you? Whatever our faith beliefs, most of us want to believe we are on this earth for a purpose. And most of us want to make the world a better place for ourselves and others. Through your generosity, you have shown that is the world you want.

In the Christian tradition, Lent is a time to use the spiritual practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving to grow in holiness. These practices, followed intentionally, should also grow our capacity to love one another. Lately, I’ve been reflecting on fasting.

Isaiah 6-8 tells us:
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.”

It occurs to me that fasting is largely the privilege of those with means. You can’t fast from what you don’t have. I’m reminded of a prayer that my mother-in-law taught our children when they were very young.

Thank you Lord for enough and some to share.

The concept of “enough” seems contradictory to our culture. Rather, accumulation and materialism reign supreme. But if we are to think about justice for our neighbors in need, we must grapple with what is enough. Intentional fasting helps us recall the difference between wants and needs. It softens our hearts towards those who can only choose between need and need without the option to choose a want.

This Lent, whether or not you are a person of faith:

I’d love to hear about your experience with fasting and how – or if – you grew in goodness through it. Please stay in touch.

You remain in my prayers of gratitude,

 

 

Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director

 

Thank you for everything you do for Dane County neighbors in need.

There is so much that the staff and volunteers here at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison do to help our neighbors in need. But it’s only possible because of the support from people like you.

Today, I’m writing to thank you for all your help and to update you on some of the recent achievements made possible by you, as well as challenges for the year ahead.

Families who are financially struggling are often hidden in plain sight. Many work multiple jobs to pay the rent, feed their families, and keep their cars running. Some have chronic health conditions compounding their challenges with limited mobility and isolation.

In the three months since I’ve been CEO, I’ve personally seen an alarming number of our Dane County neighbors hungry, without proper winter clothing, sleeping on floors, and failing in health because they cannot afford their prescription medications. 

My recent letter about struggling families featured Roy and his son Jackson who needed help with groceries, clothes, beds, and life-sustaining heart medication. Roy and Jackson’s story moved many of our supporters.

I want to thank you for your donation to help our neighbors in need. Thanks to your support, I am very pleased to share that we surpassed our December goal of $400,000 to help Roy and the many families in Dane County who struggle to make ends meet. Your generosity is extraordinary!

Every dollar will be used as we acquire food and medicine from the most cost-effective sources and distribute clothing and household donations provided by generous supporters.

Thanks to people like you, we have been able to reach more neighbors in need than ever before with our food pantry, clothing and furniture vouchers, charitable pharmacy, and housing programs. I continue to hear from neighbors who are so grateful to turn to us during difficult times.

With your help, we have already achieved much for our neighbors in need. However, I know there is much, much more that we must do.

Working in step with the board, our staff, and volunteers we are adapting and strengthening our efforts for neighbors in need. I know how much we can improve the lives of many more struggling families.

My top priorities in 2023 are:

These efforts would not be possible without your support during the past year. Thank you for everything you do to help our neighbors in need.

If you have any questions about the work you enable us to do please feel free to contact me directly at (608) 278-2920 x32 or jbennett@svdpma​dison.org. I’d love to speak with you.

Julie BennettWith the deepest gratitude,

 

 

Julie Bennett

CEO & Executive Director