SAN DIEGO — St. Vincent de Paul Village’s month-long "Gifts of Hope" drive wrapped at the close of 2000, but not before raising $6,500 and 130 50-gallon barrels full of clothing, food and toys for residents of the downtown homeless rehabilitation center.

   The donations were collected at Wells Fargo Bank branches across San Diego County, the second year in a row the company has partnered with St. Vincent’s for the holiday campaign. This year’s drive was also bolstered by the generosity of Metabolife International, Inc., which matched all monetary and in-kind donations.

Father Joe Carroll of St. Vincent de Paul Village thanks Metabolife co-founder Bill Bradley for his company's participation in the 2000 "Gifts of Hope" campaign.

   "The ‘Gifts of Hope’ campaign helped us give our resident families and single adults a very happy holiday season," says Father Joe Carroll, president of St. Vincent’s. "There was one little boy who was completely surprised to find he had gifts Christmas morning; his family had moved into the Village just before the holidays and he didn’t think Santa would find his new home. That kind of joy would not be possible without the support of the community. I’d like to extend my sincerest thanks to Wells Fargo, its customers and Metabolife for their generosity and thoughtfulness."

    Diane DeRousseau, the senior vice president division manager for Wells Fargo of San Diego, extended her appreciation to everyone who supported the charitable outreach.

   "I want to personally thank our team members and customers for supporting Father Joe Carroll and St. Vincent de Paul Village," she says. "It’s up to all of us to make a difference in our communities. … Thank you for making a difference."

   For more information on the 2000 "Gifts of Hope" campaign, call (619) 525-1608.

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