Who is it you know who typically does the most they can do for their families, friends, church or community – time and time again?

I’ll bet if we asked that question in a room full of people, the answer that would rise to the top would be, “my mom.” Dads would get some love, too, or maybe a friend we admire. But moms? They’re known for doing the most they can do for their families every day.

We hear people say all the time, “It’s the least I could do.” What if we were each to strive to do more – to reach for “the most I could do,” just like our moms? Your generosity has already helped the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison do more. Thank you.

In these tumultuous times, the calls for help come every day, and we continue to do the most we can do to meet basic needs.

We’re reaching to do even more, and we need your help. Here’s how:

• Our Food Pantry remains unseasonably busy and still operates outside, per a federal public health order. We’ve served a monthly average of nearly 3,400 adults and more than 1,600 children since January. Those numbers have been increasing each month. We hope to return to indoor service by fall depending on when the federal health order expires. We’re building new systems of service that honor the dignity of our clients by providing both personal-choice and time savings.
• Our Charitable Pharmacy will be expanding hours to serve additional patients. When the federal health order expires, thousands of Wisconsinites, disproportionately people of color, will lose eligibility for medical coverage through BadgerCare. We must be ready to serve. Expanded opportunities with the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy will allow us to stretch resources further, while giving third-year pharmacy students valuable work experience with underserved populations in a community-health setting.
• The St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Program, successor to Seton House, has launched and will assist single custodial parents with minor children to mitigate and remediate effects of poverty. We’ll work alongside Catholic Charities and others to help families moving from homelessness into permanent housing achieve stability in that housing. Our case-management support will help families solve challenges related to transportation, employment, healthcare, childcare and more. With her daughter, Stephanie* recently moved from Seton House into her own apartment! Your gift today can help us meet basic needs for people moving beyond poverty. (*Name changed for privacy)

In order to do the most we can do to serve our neighbors in need, we rely on the support of our generous community.

We leverage that generosity through careful stewardship of donated funds, volunteer support where possible and creation of partnership opportunities with other service organizations. Are you ready to do the most you can do? We hope you will consider a gift today to provide help and hope to local people coping with poverty.

Please consider one of the following ways to give:

• Make a one-time gift online today. Or, mail your check.
• Become a Sustaining Samaritan, one of our monthly donors whose ongoing gifts help even out our revenue through the course of the year. If you’re already a Sustaining Samaritan, will you consider increasing your monthly gift?
• Include St. Vincent de Paul — Madison in your will or estate plan. Don’t have a will? One way to get started is to use FreeWill.
• Learn more about other means of legacy giving, including gifts through retirement-plan assets (IRAs or DAFs); gifts of stocks, bonds or mutual funds; or gifts of property. For more information, contact Director of Development Eric Fleming at (608) 442-7200 x34, or efleming@svdpmadison.org.

Imagine a community where each of us does the most we can do, even if it’s once in a while. We won’t all be a Mother Teresa, a Martin Luther King Jr. or a St. Vincent de Paul. We might not even be as giving as our own moms were to us. But wouldn’t Mom be proud to know that even for today, you did the most you could do? For considering what might be your way of doing the most you can do, we thank you.

Donate now to help us provide food for one more family or fill a prescription for one more uninsured patient.