Hunger Fighters
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
When St. Vincent de Paul was formed in 1983, only a few food baskets were given out each week. Volunteers delivered the food to households in Rawlins that were facing food insecurity. By Christmas of that year, St. Vincent de Paul gave out 12 baskets for Christmas. St. Vincent de Paul continues to help neighbors in need Monday through Friday year-round; a lot has changed in the last 40 years.
During the holiday season, volunteers with St. Vincent de Paul range in age from grade school to 89 years old. To make Christmas a little brighter for Rawlins neighbors, volunteers decorate laundry baskets with greeting cards made by local youth groups and fill them with food. In 2022, St. Vincent de Paul gave out 330 Christmas food baskets in one day. To keep up with demand, the distribution was changed to a mobile pantry style, with families driving up and volunteers placing the food baskets into cars.
Each basket includes a traditional Christmas Eve dinner, a Christmas dinner, and a light Christmas morning breakfast. All of the baskets are pre-made with nonperishable items and, on the day of the distribution, perishable food is added, including a choice of a ham or turkey, potatoes, butter, fresh fruit, and a dessert. There are also some non-food surprises as well: one year, 400 snow brushes were distributed; another year a local dentist donated toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Rawlins’ youth groups are a huge component for this Christmas food distribution. Even the young children write cards to include with food baskets. With the help of the entire community, St. Vincent de Paul’s Christmas baskets are a little more special than the regular monthly food baskets.
If it weren’t for Food Bank of Wyoming, grants, and corporate and individual giving of time and money, none of this would be possible. Because St. Vincent de Paul is entirely dependent on donations and grants, no one receives a salary. All of the St. Vincent de Paul volunteers are just that: volunteers who love what they do. St. Vincent’s motto is “Neighbors helping neighbors.”
First Posted in the Food Bank of Wyoming Hunger Relief Newsletter November 2023
During the holiday season, volunteers with St. Vincent de Paul range in age from grade school to 89 years old. To make Christmas a little brighter for Rawlins neighbors, volunteers decorate laundry baskets with greeting cards made by local youth groups and fill them with food. In 2022, St. Vincent de Paul gave out 330 Christmas food baskets in one day. To keep up with demand, the distribution was changed to a mobile pantry style, with families driving up and volunteers placing the food baskets into cars.
Each basket includes a traditional Christmas Eve dinner, a Christmas dinner, and a light Christmas morning breakfast. All of the baskets are pre-made with nonperishable items and, on the day of the distribution, perishable food is added, including a choice of a ham or turkey, potatoes, butter, fresh fruit, and a dessert. There are also some non-food surprises as well: one year, 400 snow brushes were distributed; another year a local dentist donated toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Rawlins’ youth groups are a huge component for this Christmas food distribution. Even the young children write cards to include with food baskets. With the help of the entire community, St. Vincent de Paul’s Christmas baskets are a little more special than the regular monthly food baskets.
If it weren’t for Food Bank of Wyoming, grants, and corporate and individual giving of time and money, none of this would be possible. Because St. Vincent de Paul is entirely dependent on donations and grants, no one receives a salary. All of the St. Vincent de Paul volunteers are just that: volunteers who love what they do. St. Vincent’s motto is “Neighbors helping neighbors.”
First Posted in the Food Bank of Wyoming Hunger Relief Newsletter November 2023