HELP: Community steps up

A couple weeks back, I sent a press release to The Press asking for help. The St. Vincent de Paul Help Center, which was the old Coeur d’Alene library, sees between 100-150 people every Monday through Friday. We needed breakfast and lunch supplies for people visiting the center. People come hoping to find immediate shelter, long-term housing, help doing resumes, looking for jobs and more.

Instead of just a couple paragraphs in The Press, Devin Weeks visited our Help Center and did a very informative story stating our needs. Since the story published, we have had an outpouring of donations.

What an incredible community we live in! I have had the privilege of being the Development Director for St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho for seven years. Each person who comes through our door has their own story. If circumstances were different, it could be me or you. Some of our clients are chronically homeless and given the choice prefer to sleep outdoors.

However, the majority of people who come to the Help Center are dealing with some unforeseen circumstance and find themselves often for the first time seeking help. We had a boy tell us how wonderful it was to stretch out in a bed at night. He and the rest of his family had been living in a van.

Another family came in who were able to pay their rent, but had no money left for food.

These are just a couple examples of the friends and neighbors in our community who we help. Thank you for your kind donations and giving the staff and volunteers at St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho the opportunity to offer direction and services to so many in need.

BARB SMALLEY

Coeur d’Alene