Moving Ads Will Promote Unique Opportunity for San Diegans
Father Joe Hopes to Spark Local Interest in Internationally Recognized Services

   SAN DIEGO — St. Vincent de Paul Village President Father Joe Carroll will kick off a unique one-month campaign on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 10 a.m. when he dispatches 15 taxis to spread a unique message for the month of February: Tour the Village.

   The top signs of a total of 20 taxis will sport an advertisement promoting the tours, thanks to a generous donation from Yellow Cab of San Diego, which offered the ad space free of charge to the downtown shelter.

   Father Joe hopes San Diegans not only notice the "See the Real Heart of the City" ads, but also call and schedule tours at St. Vincent’s, one of the only homeless rehabilitation centers in the nation to offer public visits.

   "People may not realize we have the most successful homeless rehabilitation program in the nation right here in San Diego and the largest on the West Coast," Father Joe says. "We’ve been offering tours since our opening and have been visited by groups from as far away as Sweden, Japan and Russia – presidents have toured our facility."

   The advertising medium is another first for a human services agency, says Father Joe.

   "I can’t remember ever seeing ads for any other non-profit on top of a cab, but it’s a way we can reach members of the community, possibly even visitors to San Diego," he says, adding Village tours are advertised in two local tourist guides.

   While many people recognize the St. Vincent’s name, says Father Joe, they cannot fully understand the positive impact of the Village until they visit.

   "You may know we provide housing, you may even know we offer other programs like job-training and medical and dental services," he says, "but you won’t ‘get it’ until you see the positive changes taking place in our clients’ lives for yourself.

   "I always have people telling me, ‘I didn’t realize you offered that service,’ " he says. "Our goal is our clients’ success and success happens everyday."

   To schedule or for more information on Village tours, please call (619) 233-8500, ext. 1122.

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