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     Our foodbank was featured in an article from West Sound Home and Garden. We appreciate your support!

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Our Lady Star of the Sea Conference 

SVDP OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA CONFERENCE

REFLECTION – August 2020

Good day sunshine; Good day sunshine; Good day sunshine.

I need to laugh, and when the sun is out, I’ve got something I can laugh about.

I feel good in a special way. I'm in love and it’s a sunny day.

(Lyrics from the Beatles song “Good Day Sunshine”)

I like that. Sign me up.

Summer is my second favorite season. (As an avid football fan, autumn takes the top prize.) Looking back at past summers, there are memories both beautiful and bittersweet. There have been summers that overflowed with excitement and adventure and summers filled with sadness and pain. The common thread is that every summer was unique and had its own tale to tell. The summer of 2020 is proving to be no different.

As this summer unfolds, perhaps we need to be reminded that it is a time for bearing fruit and embracing the abundant life that surrounds us. To remember to seize the joy of this season and place love at the center. To “place love at the center, the center that holds solid as all around it breaks, the solid place that becomes the fort of what is unbreakable in us and the fulcrum of change.” (Maria Popova. She’s an American-based writer of literary and arts commentary.)

I listened to a reflection earlier today which put this idea of keeping love in the center within the context of the word: lagniappe* (pronounced, “lanny-yap,” per Mark Twain). The speaker explained she learned the word while living in New Orleans. It means something given as a bonus or extra gift, like the 13th donut in a “baker’s dozen.” When we start to live each day as lagniappe, it may be easier to spread joy and to be instruments of God’s love¾extra gifts you can offer others. If we keep love at the center, and hold onto hope, then the rest is lagniappe!

Relax, have fun, celebrate, and experience lagniappe (while wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, of course!). Feel the heavenly warmth of “good day sunshine” throughout the remaining summer season.

Lin Krell

President, Conference of Our Lady Star of the Sea

*Wikipedia has an article about the term “lagniappe” that may be worth your time.

We are thriving during these uncertain times. With God as our compass, we are finding our way. Our staff continue to be creative and new volunteers join us each week. Joy is in the eyes of our team as we collectively deliver God’s love by being the hands and feet of Jesus on a daily basis.

In the month of July the Food Bank saw a 25% increase in clients over the month of June. We have been receiving emergency boxes from Food Lifeline during the Covid crisis (you may have seen these being assembled by the National Guard on TV). That program has ended; however we are well stocked and will be able to continue to distribute emergency boxes through August. And our Community Garden is new producing food for our clients!!!

We expanded and renovated our Food Bank warehouse. The new arrangement will even further streamline our food distribution services to those in need. Our Case Management Program has really taken off and our new Case Manager is providing great support, guidance and resources for both the Shelter Residents and AO Clients. Our Clothing Closet has been organized and has become a valuable resource for our Shelter Residents.

We are providing masks to everyone who enters our doors and we have been distributing 2 more masks to each person from low income households through the Kitsap County Housing and Homelessness Division.

We are very thankful for our new AC units within the Assistance Office, come see how cool it is and how we are beating the heat!!

Our Volunteers are the heart of service here at St. Vincent de Paul. Our volunteers gave over 300 hours to our local community in July. We had 12 new volunteers join our team! A special Thank You to Bremerton High School and the NJROTC program for your increased involvement here in our food bank! This becomes a valuable and lasting education for our youth, providing them a space to give back to those in need in their hometown.

Come feel the new commercial AC blower that we put in our store! Beat the heat and see our new clothing and linen prices; we now have the lowest prices in town! We are holding to full Phase 2 Covid-19 guidelines throughout our organization and have created an inviting space for our customers and clients alike. Fall holidays are right around the corner and we are always the coolest place to find your next Halloween costume. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/stvincentdepaulbremerton/.

Joseph Crain

Executive Director

St. Vincent de Paul, Bremerton

DONATIONS NEEDED

Although St. Vincent's in Bremerton has needed to modify it's operations to comply with safe hygiene practices during the Corona Virus outbreak, we still have the ability to provide assistance through our Conference Office and Women's Shelter. Many in our community are seeking assistance for their basic needs and are hopeful that St. Vincent's will be able to help them during this very difficult time. Please consider donating through this website and with your prayers we will be able to continue our mission of serving those in (great) need. 

Please pray for our volunteers and employees who are continuing the work to provide for those we serve in our community. And of course, pray for those who are in need. May this be a time of spiritual discernment when people turn to the Lord and give their lives to Him.

 Starting in February 2020

All Active Duty or Retired Military will receive a 20% discount at our

Thrift Store & Furniture Annex

Monday through Saturday as a Special Thank You for your Service.

Must show ID. 

This offer will resume when the Thrift Store Re-opens

 SVdP Thrift Store - See Us on FACEBOOK

                       A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO                                                         EAST BREMERTON ROTARY CLUB                                              FOR THEIR FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE                        BIRKENFELD STELLA-MARIS WOMEN'S SHELTER

A Short Video on the Work of St. Vincent's 

CLICK HERE for more information from the SVdP National Website

Find Us Here

Cash donations can be made here. Thank you.

If you prefer, you may specify where you would like your donation to go when filling out the dontation form. please specify in the note area: Conference General Fund, Assistance Office, Women's Shelter, Thrift Store or for specific needs (rental, utility, funeral expenses, etc.) Thank You!

Assistance Office

Thrift Store

Stella Maris Shelter

Friends of Stella Maris

 Birkenfeld - Stella Maris    Women's Shelter

  Current Needs

The Birkenfeld-Stella Maris needs diapers sizes 4, 5 & 6. If you would like to donate, please bring diapers to the Assistance Office at 1137 N. Callow Ave. 

For general information about The Birkenfeld-Stella Maris Shelter, please email Shelter Manager Polly  Polly@svdpaul.org

Contact the Housing Solutions Center at (360) 473-2035 for more information about bed availability.

Thrift Store Donations   Click here to see Current Donation Information

Thrift Store

Current Needs

The Thrift Store needs volunteers ASAP! Click here to see our monthly calendar and available Volunteer positions, or call the Thrift Store and talk to Melinda or Debra at (360) 377-2929, extension #3. Volunteering is a great way to “Help Us Help Others”.

Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish Website

Holy Trinity Parish Website