WHO We Are

St. Vincent de Paul
Baton Rouge

Since 1865, we have been actively striving to understand and fulfill the needs of the most vulnerable members of our community in Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas.

THE MISSION OF THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL:

“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 WE ARE:

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

As a reflection of the whole family of God, Members, who are known as Vincentians, are drawn from every ethnic and cultural background, age group, and economic level. Vincentians are united in an international society of charity by their spirit of poverty, humility and sharing, which is nourished by prayer and reflection, mutually supportive gatherings and adherence to a basic Rule.

Organized locally, Vincentians witness God's love by embracing all works of charity and justice. The Society collaborates with other people of good will in relieving need and addressing its causes, making no distinction in those served, because in them Vincentians see the face of Christ.

Our History

THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL...

is an international, non-profit, charitable organization, which has a rich history of service to the needy of our community. Our mission, through person-to-person contact, mass feeding, sheltering and other channels, encompasses every form of aid which alleviates suffering and promotes dignity and integrity. All races, creeds, colors, origins, castes, opinions and genders are served.

The Society's history in Baton Rouge started in 1865 at St. Joseph Cathedral. Since the start of the St. Joseph St. Vincent de Paul Conference, our Society has been striving to recognize and meet the needs of the poor in our community. Today we have 25 conferences with over 300 active members who regularly make home visits to help the poor. Our volunteers make home visits to the needy to provide assistance with a wide range of needs including rental assistance, utility payments, food, and other basic necessities. Last year, these volunteers made home visits and distributed $1,085,000 in assistance.

In 1963, the Society opened the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store to assist the poor of our community. The store program provides clothing, bedding, appliances, furniture and household items, free of charge, to those in need. We now 4 store locations. Any revenues produced by the store program are put back into our programs.

In 1982, the Society opened the St. Vincent de Paul Dining Room. The dining room is the number one hot meal provider in our community and the only facility of its kind open seven days a week. We serve those experiencing homelessness, elderly, transient and poor. In our 40+ years of service, we have served millions of meals. In 2023 alone, we served over 310,000 meals.

The original Bishop Ott Shelter opened in December of 1991. This program serves men experiencing homelessness at its 2550 Plank Road location. In 1997, the Society opened the Bishop Ott Day Center and Night Shelter. We help those experiencing homelessness find employment, improve their education, receive substance abuse treatment and get back on their feet. Our philosophy is not to give an easy handout, but instead to offer those in need an opportunity to get their lives back on track. This year, the Bishop Ott Shelter Program will help over 1,000 individuals experiencing homelessness by providing life skills education, money management, job counseling, parenting courses and housing assistance.

In 1995, the Society opened the St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy. The pharmacy provides necessary prescription medicines free of charge to those who are unable to pay for them. We serve the poor, those experiencing homelessness and elderly. In 2023, our pharmacy dispensed prescriptions with a retail value of almost $700,000 to the poorest of the poor in our community.

Our programs

Thirst for Justice is a legal clinic where the underprivileged in the Baton Rouge community will have the opportunity to consult with an attorney. The project was initiated when Retired Judge Melvin Shortess approached the Pro Bono Project and St. Vincent de Paul with the idea for the clinic.

Find out more

Food Services

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international, non-profit, charitable organization that has a rich history of service to the needy of our community. Our mission, through person-to-person contact, mass feeding, sheltering and other channels, encompasses every form of aid which alleviates suffering and promotes dignity and integrity.

Find out more

Shelter/Housing

The original Bishop Ott Shelter opened in December of 1991. This program serves men experiencing homelessness at its Plank Road location. In 1997, the Society opened the Bishop Ott Shelter on Convention Street.

Find out more

Stores/Distribution Centers

In 1963, the Society opened the first St. Vincent de Paul Store/Distribution Center to assist the poor of our community. In Baton Rouge we now have stores located at Plank Road and Staring Lane. We also have stores in Gonzales, New Roads, and Hammond.

Find out more

Prescription Services

In 1995, the Society opened the St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy, now located at 1647 Convention St. The pharmacy provides prescription medicines free of charge to those who are unable to pay for them. Before coming to us, many of our pharmacy guests were breaking tablets in half and skipping doses of critical medications.