Carson City Rotary Members to Learn about the St. Vincent de Paul Society
Ed Choklek, President of the local chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVDPS), will share his organization’s role in helping those less fortunate in our community with members of the Rotary Club of Carson City at the next club meeting. The public is invited to attend the meeting which takes place Tuesday, October 3rd, at noon, in the Brewery Arts Center’s Grand Ballroom.
Choklek will discuss the organization’s core mission and its unique approach to helping those in need. “Unlike many social service agencies and government entities that serve the poor, we interact with our clients either where they live or on the street. We come to them at their convenience.” he said.
Founded by Catholics, the St. Vincent de Paul Society has been helping people around the world for more than 175 years. Locally, SVDPS interacts with over 500 people a year and the demand is increasing. “Our two biggest expenses are tenant-based rental assistance and emergency, short-term housing for homeless families with children. People are definitely worse off today than they were pre-COVID,” Choklek explains. “We have seen about a 33% increase in requests for emergency financial assistance, and unfortunately, many of these needs are going unmet due to SVDPS not having funding available.”
Choklek will also talk about the SVDPS’s HUGS initiative and how people can get involved. HUGS provides warm clothing to the homeless in Carson City during the winter.
Anyone interested in attending the meeting should email carsoncitynvrotary@gmail.com