(Left to right) Volunteers Karen, Lydia and Bob
Karen
St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry 
I volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul because I like having a positive influence in the community where I live. It is truly neighbors helping neighbors. We never turn down someone looking for food, that’s how I like to solve a problem by doing something immediate and impactful. You need food? We load it into your car just as simple as that. It’s a positive place to be each week. Everyone is there because they want to help and they are happy to do it. There are many smiles, laughter and camaraderie among the volunteers. Through rain, snow and sun we are all in this mission together.
Bob
St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy 
I’ve always volunteered, even when I was working. In Oklahoma, I trained volunteers through a grant from an honor society. I was also a director of a Peace Corps training center in Honduras. I started volunteering in 2010 because a neighbor knocked on my door and asked if I would volunteer for The River Food Pantry. I’ve also volunteered at Luke House and the McFarland Food Pantry. I found out about St. Vincent de Paul and came to volunteer here as well. That was before COVID-19 and we would walk around in the pantry with pads helping people check out. The reason I’m here in the pharmacy now is because Julie Bennett asked me to volunteer here as they needed help! It’s been wonderful. Yolanda, Becky, and Cheryl are amazing and perfect models. There are a lot of good people here – pharmacy students, college students, retired nurses. It’s a great place to be.
Lydia
St. Vincent de Paul Young Adult Service 
I became aware of volunteering with St. Vincent de Paul through the Madison-area Catholic young adult community. At the time, it was the only consistent volunteer opportunity that I saw advertised, which allowed me to make it routine. It is a perfect match for my career in agriculture, and packing boxes and stocking shelves at the pantry is a great complement to working in front of a computer. Volunteering has been part of my life since my childhood 4-H days. From these days I have an ingrained sense that “volunteering is just what one is supposed to do,” but it has also become a much more conscious decision as I have learned about the two feet of love in action. Volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul is one of the ways I put the charity foot in motion. We all have seasons and aspects where we need to be served. There is also value to share in serving others. This is one way I choose to serve!
Become a Volunteer!
Your care can do good. Help your neighbors in need every day by volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry or Charitable Pharmacy.
Pantry Positions Pharmacy Positions
