Volunteer Description for St. Vincent de Paul Home Visits
People in need call into the SVdP Ministry Office (315 West 3rd St.) to obtain help such as paying their electric or water bill. Such help usually involves a home visit to understand their circumstances and, if SVdP helps, can they help themselves after the visit? Home Visits are usually made on Wednesday mornings and Friday afternoons and require two persons to make the visit and obtain information. They should plan on about two hours to complete a home visit with its accompanying paperwork.
The Home Visit starts at the Ministry Office with the Receptionist who receives calls and starts the file information which she gives to the Home Visitors. The two visitors drive, often with a box of food, to the location, introduce themselves and begin completing the information needed for the file. At the end of the interview, the client is told that after the visitors return to the Ministry Office, they will contact the electric or water company, etc., to obtain/verify information and then call the client to let them know how or if SVdP can help. With this, the visitors leave and return to the Ministry Office.
If SVdP can help, a recommendation is made for a check to be sent to the utility company (if that’s the need) in the name of the client. The client is called and given the information about the decision, the visitors complete the paperwork, and the recommendation and client’s file is returned to the Receptionist.