About St. Vincent de Paul of Kenosha

Our Mission

We are a network of friends, inspired by Gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need.

Who Are We?

Inspired by Gospel values, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA, a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering in the tradition of our founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul.

What We Do

We offer practical help, one person at a time. That personal connection is at the heart of the Society and is what sets our work apart. We are committed to protecting the privacy and dignity of every person we serve, and we recognize our responsibility to speak up for those whose voices too often go unheard.

Home Visits
When someone calls us for help, two Vincentian volunteers go to meet them where they live. The visit is a chance to listen, to build a real friendship, and to pray together if the person wishes. Meeting a neighbor in their own home changes both the visitor and the visited, and it has been the Society's practice since its earliest days.

From there, we work to get emergency help to the household. That may mean assistance with rent, utilities, food, clothing, or other urgent needs.

Food Pantry
Too many families struggle to keep food on the table from one week to the next. Our food pantry provides fresh and shelf-stable groceries to neighbors who need them.

Systemic Change
Meeting an immediate need is only the first step. Systemic change means working alongside our neighbors to understand what is keeping them in poverty and to remove those obstacles.

Here in Kenosha, we offer Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin'-By World, a workshop series that helps participants examine the barriers they face and build a plan for a more stable future.

Thrift Store
Our thrift store at 7531 30th Avenue offers meaningful jobs and volunteer opportunities, and every purchase supports our mission. Proceeds go directly to the work of our conferences here in Kenosha.

Our Kenosha History

St. Vincent de Paul of Kenosha was organized as a Council on November 2, 1938, with its first conference at St. Mark's Parish. From the start, members set out to find a place where donations could be collected, and neighbors could come to pick up the items they needed.

That vision took shape in 1940, when a thrift store known as the Salvage Bureau opened at 5519 13th Avenue. In the 1970s, the Tyson family generously donated the former Tyson's Sporting Goods building at 6201 14th Avenue. After renovations, it became the new home of the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, open to the general public, with proceeds supporting the work of our conferences.

Today, you'll find us at 7531 30th Avenue, where we continue the mission that began more than 85 years ago.