St. Vincent’s Final Holiday Fund-raising Effort Will Be in Hands of USPS
With Donations Dropping, Fr. Joe Hopes Annual Mailing Will Bolster Support

   SAN DIEGO — For the past two weeks, St. Vincent de Paul Village volunteers have been busying stuffing envelopes – 71,000 of them. Enclosed in the envelopes is a holiday letter from Father Joe Carroll, president of the Village, and the hope that donors across 20 states will respond with a gift.

   Mailings are not uncommon at St. Vincent’s. They accompany Easter celebrations and raise money for summer camp. This one, though, is of particular importance to the Village.

   "We’ve seen a tremendous drop in the number of donations," says Father Joe. "With so much outreach directed to the East Coast, there’s been little left to go around for the charities in San Diego and other non-profits throughout the nation."

   Father Joe says his organization is facing a 30 percent drop in donations, which will result in a loss of $1 million during what traditionally is the strongest fund-raising period: the holiday season.

   "I fully understand the need in New York and Washington, D.C.," Father Joe says. "I have family that works for FDNY who were part of the rescue efforts. But the need has been met and responsible outreach efforts have stopped fund raising and asked that people no longer give to their cause."

   Father Joe says its time to begin giving locally again and has praised President Bush’s efforts to encourage Americans to support charities in their own communities.

   "Our outreach and the support of dozens of other local non-profits continue," he says. "I truly hope the giving will, too."

   A St. Vincent’s truck will pick up the 71,000 envelopes on Monday, Nov. 26, at 7:30 a.m. and deliver them to the Midway post office. Father Joe hopes it will also mean a pick-up in donations.

   "It’s our last big fund-raising push of the year," he says. "We hope it works."

   For more information on Monday’s bulk mailing and its implications, call (619) 525-1608.

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