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.
Read how your care, compassion and encouragement help neighbors in need.
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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
Dear friends,
Please meet James*. He’s a devoted dad to an active toddler, Matthew. Like so many struggling families, he anxiously walks a financial tightrope each month.
When James’ car suddenly needed new brakes, his tightrope nearly snapped. He had no extra money to pay for repairs, and without a working car, he risked missing work… and missing rent.
I’ll share more about James and Matthew soon. But first, I want you to know the amazing opportunity you have to prevent family homelessness. You can support neighbors needing help this season and be part of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison’s second century of service.
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Donate to Prevent Family Homelessness
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Today, so many people are struggling to make ends meet. Dane County rents continue to increase at much higher rates than incomes. Rising food costs burden families who are already stretched thin. The struggle to afford rent and pay housing expenses is the biggest financial burden on our neighbors—and the biggest reason your help is needed right now.
During summer break, many kids miss out on school lunches. I want them to have nutritious meals throughout the summer to fuel their growing minds and bodies.
Your gift to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison buys produce, meat, dairy items, and personal care supplies. With you, adults get food to make dinner and kids get the nutrition they need to grow. Without you, families suffer and are hungry.
Just $120 provides one 75-lb. order of food to one family. That’s two weeks’ worth of groceries made possible by accessing free and reduced-cost food and using bulk and wholesale vendors.
James and his son, Matthew. When James’ car suddenly needed new brakes, his financial tightrope nearly snapped. Your generosity will feed his family from the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry today!
Back to James’ story… He works full-time processing claims for an insurance company and sees promising opportunities for advancement. He feels fortunate to live in “affordable” housing, but he still pays more than 50% of his income on rent. He struggles to keep his car running, pay utilities, and afford Matthew’s childcare costs. He walks an unstable financial tightrope each month.
Your generosity will feed his family. When he visits the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry for groceries, the money he saves goes to other necessary expenses. With this help, he can pay his bills and not worry about falling behind on rent. Plus, he gets diapers and wipes from the pantry – items not covered by SNAP (government food assistance). That’s why he’s so grateful for you.
Your gift today will help with James and Matthew’s hunger and housing worries. Just $120 from you will bring help today and hope for tomorrow. Any amount is meaningful because joined together, generosity creates a network of care.
Will you be there for James and Matthew this spring? Look at the amazing good you can do…
- Your gift will fuel growing children with healthy food including, meat, produce, pantry staples, milk, and cheese.
- Your gift will break down barriers by delivering food to homebound, elderly, and disabled neighbors who can’t reach our pantry.
- Your gift will nourish dialysis patients with special diets and constraints on their time and energy.
Volunteers prepare to bring food outside to cars waiting in the drive-through pantry. When neighbors like James visit the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry for groceries, the money they save goes to other necessary expenses – mainly rent, utilities, and childcare.
Your care guarantees our neighbors won’t be hungry because they can get food from the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. Your care means that our neighbors can pay for unexpected expenses and the rent – and not fall into homelessness.
I hope you’ll join us in helping our neighbors in need, like James and Matthew. Your donation today will be working tomorrow because with you… lives change.
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Donate to Prevent Family Homelessness
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James is a young father with a drive to succeed and the tenacity to push through hard times. Because of you, he will make ends meet. He is so grateful for your help. On behalf of the generations of neighbors who’ve come before us, I thank you for your generosity during St. Vincent de Paul — Madison’s first century of service.
Will you give a meaningful gift to support the families needing our help this year and to launch our second century of service? I know you care about vulnerable families, and I’m honored that you’ve chosen St. Vincent de Paul — Madison as a partner for this important work.
You can be the strength that alleviates suffering for James and other families relying on the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. Please donate now: /donate/.
In gratitude for you,
Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director
Now that school’s out, Matthew won’t get lunch every day. Please rush your gift to make sure he continues to grow strong this summer. Your support this season will help launch St. Vincent de Paul — Madison’s second century of service!
Transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing is a fragile time for single adult families with many pitfalls that threaten to topple them backwards. That’s why St. Vincent de Paul — Madison created the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Program. With your compassion and intensive staff support, these resilient families receive the help they need to persevere through tough times and chart a path to a more stable future for themselves and their children. Social Services Director, Katy Polich, LCSW, shares three ways you’re changing lives through this program.
1. Keeping Families In Their Homes
Housing instability in Dane County has worsened as key rental assistance programs, like Tenant Resource Center’s Eviction Prevention Program, are at risk of closure due to funding shortages. However, your support of the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Program is a port in the storm for fragile families. Your care provides rent assistance and case management, helping struggling families stay in their homes during a time when affordable housing in our community is increasingly scarce.
Marisol and her daughter Gianna. The person-to-person help you make possible gives her confidence that she’s not alone and guidance as she overcomes challenges.
2. Tackling Transportation Barriers
After housing, transportation is the second most pressing challenge for families in the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Program. Public transportation is often not an option for single parents due to working late-night hours and having to coordinate work, school and childcare hours. While Madison Metro’s new routes have helped several families, they still face challenges getting to daily appointments and errands. Many families don’t make enough money to purchase a reliable vehicle. And others, like Marisol, don’t have a driver’s license.
Marisol tried hard to make sure her high school daughter, Gianna, was able to get to and from soccer practices. But without a car, she relied on costly Uber rides, and her difficulty in obtaining a driver’s license compounded the problem. With Katy’s assistance, she practiced for her written driver’s test—coming very close to passing— and received Uber gift cards and equipment support from a local foundation to help cover transportation and soccer costs. She’s now working to secure her license and get reliable transportation. The personto- person help you make possible gives her confidence that she’s not alone and guidance as she overcomes challenges.
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Donate to Help Struggling Families
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3. Expanded Referral Network Helps More Families
Last fall, the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Program moved into a new space atop the St. Vinny’s Willy Street Thrift Store thanks to generous supporters. The location helps Social Services Director Katy Polich, LCSW deepen local connections, leading to more referrals from school social workers, St. Vincent de Paul conferences, and wordof- mouth from past participants. The program is expanding its resource network and welcoming additional families in need.
Social Services Suite Grand Reopening, October 1st, 2024. Visitors learn about upcoming programming made possible with the new space
Leo tried to comfort his young daughter Ana as she wailed with pain in the urgent care exam room. He worried she had another ear infection and that he’d have to take several days off work to care for her. Missed work would mean the family would be short on rent and short on money to pay for groceries – a scary reality heading into the coldest time of the year.
More of Leo’s story is below. But first, see how you can be an ally for people struggling to afford food, like him.
Provide healthy and nutritious food to our neighbors with a year-end donation this December. You’ll alleviate their hunger and decrease their stress.
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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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Leo and Ana
With you, families are fed
More and more people are turning to the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry for help. About 3,170 families got fresh produce, meat, dairy and pantry staples each month this year; a 16% increase from last year. Why this increase? Working families, like Leo’s, struggle to pay their bills and pay for food – especially if lost work hours means lost income. Many jobs don’t come with paid sick days, leaving already fragile families in desperate situations.
It currently costs the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry about $115 to pack a normal order of 75 lbs. of food. That’s about two weeks of food for one family!
Your year-end donation to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison buys quality pantry staples, fresh produce, dairy products and meat. You’ll provide families with hams and turkeys, gravy and potatoes, veggies and mac-and-cheese; all of the fixings for a good holiday meal.
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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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You stepped in to help Leo
Ana is Leo’s youngest daughter; Bianca is his oldest. His daughters are everything to him and he loves being their dad, but he struggles to pay for everything that they need to grow healthy and strong. While his wife Estefany works as a CNA, Leo does both landscaping and is an Uber driver. They feel blessed to both have steady jobs, but often their income just doesn’t cover all of their bills.
Ana did have an ear infection that day in urgent care. It pained Leo to see her hurting and he had to take a few days off of work to care for her. Just as he worried, this loss of income and urgent care cost wrecked his budget for the month. His biggest priority was paying for rent, but he didn’t know how he would pay for groceries.
That’s when you stepped in to help. Your compassion provided Leo’s family with food from the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry.
Thanks to you, Leo also picked up diapers and wipes. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, diaper prices have surged by 48% costing more than $70 per month per child. You relieved his burden just a bit more.
Leo, Ana, Bianca and Estefany
Relief from hunger and stress
If you ask Leo what’s the biggest obstacle on his mind, he will tell you – hunger and stress.
Your year-end donation to the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry will relieve both! Just $115 from you will calm Leo and his family’s hunger – filling them with care and support knowing they are not alone. Your gift will alleviate the stress of balancing a small budget while providing for the family. Your gift can also prevent Leo’s family from falling into homelessness. Because of your compassion, Leo can get food, freeing up money to make sure the rent is paid and the heat stays on.
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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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Caring people like you are the reason none of the 31,703 people who visited the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry so far this year were turned away. You’re the reason families rely on our pantry for food – whether they pick it up in-person, order it online, or receive it delivered to their home.
Leo needs you during this season of his life. He works hard to provide for his family and pay the bills. He looks forward to the day when he can take Ana and Bianca to the grocery store to pick out what food she wants. But for now, he knows he can rely on the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry when he needs it. It’s a place to come where he isn’t judged, his dignity’s respected and he knows he can get quality food.
Answer the call to help our neighbors in need. You can feed Leo’s family today. Make your year-end donation now.
Lisa’s been coming to the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy for several years. She says, “it’s truly been a God-send.”
She found out about the pharmacy after visiting the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry regularly. When she realized she couldn’t afford her medications anymore, she wondered if she qualified for help. At the time, she barely had any income, and was struggling with serious health issues. Thankfully, Lisa qualified for service, and has been relying on the pharmacy for her medicine ever since.
“The pharmacy has been incredible,” Lisa said. “I’ve been through a lot. A lot of bad health and almost dying. They seriously brought me back! Now, I’m working only two days a week and fighting to get disability benefits, which has been a rough road. I simply can’t afford the medications I need, but the pharmacy always steps in. Whenever I have a question about my medicine, they’re there to help. They know exactly what I’m going through.”
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Donate to Help Patients Heal
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Respected at a Place that Treats Her Like Family
Lisa’s thankful for the pharmacy staff and volunteers because she says they treat her like family.
“The staff here is amazing,” Lisa said. “They’re never rushed and they genuinely care about me and my story. I’ve been to other places where they rush you through without really talking. But here, it’s different. These folks know my whole life, and every time I come in, it feels like I’m visiting with family. They stand and talk with me, and I never feel like I’m just a number.”
Lisa’s partner also relies on the pharmacy for his medications. Lisa says he wouldn’t be alive without their help as some of his medicines costs $500 a month. She simply cannot afford that.
“It’s been a blessing beyond words, Lisa said. “This place is a gift to the community, and I wish there were more like it because too many people are dying just because they can’t afford their medicine.”
You saved Lisa’s life. Because of you, she’s maintaining her health through medicine and personal care.
If you have questions about the pharmacy, are interested in scheduling a tour, or want to donate, contact Eric Fleming, Director of Development, (608) 442-7200 x34 or efleming@svdpmadison.org.
Cheryl’s life was upended in an instant. A car accident this spring left her with a broken kneecap, confined to a brace from hip to ankle. The injury meant she couldn’t work and struggled to get basic essentials for herself and her son, Eli.
“I panicked,” Cheryl said. “It was just so difficult to get around with my knee. I had no idea how we were going to make it.”
She faced a scary reality. Without short-term disability insurance and having used up all of her paid time off, she was running out of options. The only silver lining was that her employer was holding her job until she could return—but the bills continued to pile up.
Without a steady income, Cheryl’s biggest fear wasn’t her physical pain but the possibility of losing her apartment. She hadn’t been a tenant in the apartment complex long; only a few months after escaping an unsafe domestic abuse situation. The apartment was finally a stable place where she and Eli could live. When the accident forced her away from work, she was worried. She started researching for local help online and left a voicemail at the St. Vincent de Paul Service Center and several other organizations. St. Vincent de Paul — Madison staff were the first to call her back. That’s when you stepped in to provide her a lifeline.
“At first, I didn’t know where to turn,” Cheryl said. “But the volunteers came at the perfect time. I don’t know what we would have done without that help.”
You Gave Her Stability
Two conference members from a parish on Madison’s south side visited Cheryl a few days after she contacted the St. Vincent de Paul Service Center. They saw her brace and her struggles firsthand, and after talking with her, asked how they could help. The conference worked together to help cover her rent, ensuring that Cheryl and her son wouldn’t lose their home.
“At first, I didn’t know where to turn,” Cheryl said. “But the volunteers came at the perfect time. I don’t know what we would have done without that help. The rent was the big thing worrying me. I was able to budget alright in the months before, but then I was out of work and it sent me back a lot.”
Thanks to you, Cheryl not only kept her home but was also able to focus on her recovery. She even received food from the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry.
“I didn’t even think to ask for help with food,” Chery said. “I just thought we would have to make it work. But then the volunteers said they have a food pantry and I could sign up to get groceries delivered. I was amazed. That was such a blessing.”
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Donate to Give Neighbors Food
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Today, Cheryl is back on her feet—literally—and back at work, reclaiming her sense of stability and security. She’s not just surviving; she’s rebuilding her life.
Your support through St. Vincent de Paul — Madison made all the difference in this unexpected chapter of Cheryl’s life. By helping to pay her rent and providing food, you gave her peace of mind and the breathing room to recover physically and emotionally.
A Future of Hope
Cheryl’s story is just one of many stories of your kindness and your generosity in action. The support you provide through food, medicine, clothing and furniture impacts neighbors in need across Dane County. The support you provide through microloans and case management will impact neighbors in need for generations. When our neighbors face long term or one-time challenges, like Cheryl, you’re there to provide help without judgment.
Because of you, Cheryl can now focus on what truly matters: raising Eli and rebuilding her life with renewed strength and resiliency.
Cheryl, “The volunteers said they have a food pantry and I could sign up to get groceries delivered. I was amazed. That was such a blessing.”
Ella and David worked hard all of their lives; Ella self-employed as a hairdresser and David as a printmaker.
David always carried the health insurance that Ella relied on to get medicine for her diabetes and thyroid disease. When both she and David lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, they lost this coverage. But Ella couldn’t go without her medicines. She needed them to survive.
David and Ella are two of the estimated 20,000 Dane County neighbors without health insurance due to job loss, divorce, or inability to afford coverage. When our neighbors, like Ella, don’t have health insurance they are more likely to stop taking their prescriptions. This causes their health to suffer and their worries to increase.
A Prescription for Hope
When Ella lost her health insurance, she couldn’t afford to see her doctor or access her prescriptions.
“I went two and a half months without medicine,” Ella said. “My hair was falling out and I lost 30 pounds. Friends and family told me I looked dreadful.”
Ella called a social worker who referred her to the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy. Once there, pharmacy staff connected her with Our Lady of Hope Free Clinic where she met with a doctor to reestablish care.
Thanks to you, Ella is back on her routine prescriptions and feeling much better. She worries less about her health and feels secure knowing there are people she can turn to for help. She’s grateful for the care provided by pharmacy staff and volunteers.
“You couldn’t ask for nicer people” Ella said. “They have been a blessing, a God-send. Every single person is so friendly.”
Your gift today can provide lifesaving medicines at no cost to patients like Ella and bring immediate help and long-term security to struggling neighbors.
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Donate to Help Uninsured Patients
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Access to medication is the first step to healing – physical, mental, and emotional – for people without insurance. You relieve their stress, give them peace of mind, and help them regain their dignity and their health. With your help, they are healthy enough to hold down a job and care for their families.
Ella is strong and resilient. One unfortunate event beyond her control severely threatened her health. Thanks to you, she is more stable and on the road to better health. She worries less because she knows she can count on you and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison.
Ella and David
St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy