St Catherine’s, Jimboomba Conference Of St Vincent de Paul Society Offers “A Hand Up”
The St Catherine’s Conference of the St Vincent de Paul Society is based on the Vision of the Society and aspires to be recognised as a caring charity offering “a hand up” to people in need. While we are a Catholic charity our membership is not only drawn from the Catholic Faith but may include those of other faiths who aspire to help those in need as our mission states “by serving Christ in the poor with love, respect, justice, hope, and joy”.
Our Conference was formed in approx 2005 when it was realised there was a need to support those in need. St Catherine’s service those who required a hand up from Park Ridge in the north to Woodhill in the south while Greenbank to Flagstone was our western border and Logan Village our eastern border. Our eastern border now extends to Yarrabilba. Yarrabilba and Flagstone has grown greatly over the last few years.
The Conference does home visits to our companions 2 days a week, Wednesday and Friday’s and if needed does urgent visits at other times. Our companions ask for help with food, furniture and finance assistance for such items as overdue electricity, rent and phone being a few of the things we help with. For furniture we order items for the bedroom, kitchen, and lounge from the Society’s Meadowbrook depot who deliver furniture.
Following the recent floods once again St Vincent de Paul came to the fore with assisting flood disaster fund distribution, St Catherine’s had several companions who asked for this help with several small amounts and one couple who received $10,000 to assist with their rebuilding following the floods.
Over a year the Conference has requests from between 250 and 270 companions for help for the assistance as mentioned above, each home visit is conducted by 2 Vincentians and all actions are recorded.
Each year at the end we are involved with the distribution of between 50-60 Christmas Hampers which are made up of food and presents which we receive from St Catherine’s church parishioners, Emmaus College at Jimboomba and both Catholic Schools at Yarrabilba, St Clare’s Primary and San Damiano College (High School) and supported by ABLE Australia who pack them for us. We also nominate several children of companions for the Society’s “Children Education Funds” which assist with books and uniforms for the next year.
St Catherine’s Conference has currently 7 members all who work tirelessly for our community and companions, should anyone like to join our conference please email myself at John.McClelland@svdpqld.org.au and you can be assured you will find great satisfaction doing work in our community.
Our Helpline number is 1800 846 643 for anyone requiring assistance.
By John McClelland AM
President, St Catherine’s, Jimboomba Conference
St Vincent de Paul Society, Queensland
John.McClelland@svdpqld.org.au