St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho celebrates 80 Years; celebration set for Sept. 17

St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho is celebrating its 80th anniversary, honoring eight decades of people who saw a need and found a way to help.

“This history belongs to North Idaho,” said Scott Ferguson, Executive Director of St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho.

In 1946, Coeur d’Alene was a small lumber and mining community emerging from World War II. Seeing widespread local poverty, a handful of parishioners at St. Thomas Catholic Church began gathering clothing and basic necessities for neighbors in need.

They began with a simple clothing closet, relying on volunteers and their own vehicles to get necessities to local families. From the beginning, help was offered to anyone experiencing hardship, regardless of religion, race or background.

They could not have known they were beginning an organization that would still be serving North Idaho 80 years later.

“St. Vincent de Paul is here today because generation after generation of people in this community chose to care for their neighbors," Ferguson said. "The needs have changed and our work has grown, but dignity, compassion and community remain at the heart of who we are.” 

Growing alongside North Idaho

As Coeur d’Alene and the surrounding communities grew, St. Vincent de Paul grew with them.

The clothing closet grew into the Salvage Bureau and thrift stores. Emergency assistance expanded into dedicated shelters and permanent affordable and supportive housing. 

Over time, the mission grew to include the H.E.L.P. Center, Warming Center, Father Bill’s Kitchen, Trinity Group Homes, family programs and an expanding network of services designed to meet people wherever they are in a moment of need.

Behind that growth were people. Employees like Minnie McDonald, who spent more than 43 years behind the thrift-store counter. Leaders like Lynn Peterson, whose two decades as executive director helped transform the organization’s housing and homelessness work. 

And generations of volunteers, board members, donors, churches, businesses and community partners who saw what was needed and helped make it possible.

What a clothing closet became

Today, St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho’s network of care includes:

• 329 affordable and supportive housing units and 55 shelter beds

• Emergency shelter, the Warming Center and homelessness services

• Father Bill’s Kitchen, meals, showers and laundry

• Emergency assistance, case management and connections to community resources

•  Mental-health supportive housing, family programs and thrift services

The scale is different. The heart of the work is not.

An 80-year historical timeline tells the fuller story through photographs, newspaper clippings and memories of the people, places and milestones that shaped St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho from 1946 to today.

A celebration 80 years in the making

On Thursday, Sept. 17, St. Vincent de Paul will invite the community to celebrate this remarkable history at "Under the Lighted Pines," its 80th anniversary celebration at Camp Lutherhaven on Lake Coeur d’Alene.

The evening will include a cruise and lakeside dinner, the unveiling and sharing of St. Vincent de Paul’s 80-year history, and a celebration of the people and partnerships that have carried the mission across generations. 

Funds raised that evening would help ensure St. Vincent de Paul continues to be here for North Idaho neighbors experiencing homelessness, housing instability and crisis.

“Eighty years ago, a few people saw neighbors who needed help and responded,” Ferguson said. “That same choice has been made thousands of times since. This celebration honors those who built the legacy and invites all of us to help carry it forward.”

Tickets: www.stvincentdepaulnorthidaho.org

    Two St. Vincent DePaul Society trucks with two men standing next to one truck and one man standing at other truck. 9/1960
  

    Two women sorting clothes and other items at St. Vincent DePaul thrift store. 9/1960
  

    St Thomas committee, warehouse fundraiser (Our Building photo), 1/1960
  

    Exterior of St. Vincent de Paul Salvage Bureau; several vehicles parked around building, 108 Walnut. 12/1960
  

    St Thomas Wishing Well for St Vincent de Paul, 1/1960