Sometimes the unexpected can leave a person struggling to make it through the month. That’s where the St. Vincent de Paul Society comes in. The charity, based out of St. James Parish, has a mandate to serve people in need, in ways other agencies or organizations cannot. St. Vincent de Paul is one of 10 charities to benefit from this year’s Wheel Cares campaign. “We work very closely with all the other agencies, and we kind of fill the gap where they can’t go,” said volunteer Julie Heggenstaller. “We can write cheques for rent, for EPCOR, any type of utilities or business. We can also help with gas, which not many places can.” Help from St. Vincent de Paul was a relief for an Okotoks mom as she tried to start a new life. Lacy Melvin had left a bad relationship with very little of her own belongings and had been living with her parents to get back on her feet. Then the time came for her to move into her own home with her 14-month-old and 16-year-old children in August. She applied to St. Vincent de Paul for some help after being told about the charity from Wild Rose Communities. “They gave me a letter to go to the Mission Thrift Store to collect some things I needed, household items, as well as they asked their parish for some items I was missing like a bed, a microwave, pots and pans,” said Melvin. The society also provided toys for her young daughter, as well as $500 in grocery gift certificates. Melvin said she was humbled by the generosity of complete strangers, and she appreciated the St. Vincent de Paul approach. “They were really pleasant and non-judgmental,” she said. “One proceeded to call me weeks after they’d already given me help to check in and see if I needed anything else. They went above and beyond anything I expected.” The kindness was welcomed by Melvin, who had suffered from mental health issues like anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder upon leaving her relationship. Having the interview in her own home was also special to her, as Melvin’s social anxiety makes it difficult for her to be out and about. “They made it really stress-free, without judgment,” she said. “It was different than some other agencies you go to, where some of them make you feel quite judged that you have to do this.” It’s all part of how St. Vincent de Paul operates, said Heggenstaller. The group of volunteers work with anyone who calls in for help, first checking to see whether they have accessed all the programs and agencies they may be eligible or, such as Alberta Works and subsidized housing. If there is still an area where a person needs help, that’s where the society can focus, she said. In one case, a senior couple were spending hundreds of dollars on parking and gasoline to travel to a cancer clinic on a regular basis, so St. Vincent de Paul provided them with gas cards to ease the load, she said. The society has been known to pay for prescriptions not covered by health care or benefits, clothing or rent when people find themselves struggling to make it through a difficult time, she said. “It’s those outside-of-the-norm expenses that can come up or people when they’re in a time of crisis or in a time of need,” said Heggenstaller. Though the charity operates through the Catholic church, those who apply do not need to be Catholic themselves, she said. Most of the funds St. Vincent de Paul provides do come from St. James parishioners though, she said. The charity relies entirely on parish contributions, fundraising, and the Wheel Cares campaign for its funds, she said. “We are for sure run on divine providence, so we do not have a budget and every call is unique,” said Heggenstaller. “We do whatever work is needed and it really depends on how much money people can donate.” She said any funds given to St. Vincent de Paul go directly to those who need them, as the only administrative cost of the charity is bank fees. To participate in Wheel Cares, please call the Western Wheel office Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (403-938-6397) to make a donation using your credit card. We also accept debit, cash and cheques (payable to ‘Western Wheel Cares’), either dropped off at the office, 9 McRae Street or mailed to Box 150, Okotoks, AB T1S 2A2 (please do not mail cash). Or visit www.westernwheel.com to use Paypal. All donations of $10 or more receive a 2018 official tax receipt at the end of the campaign.
