In 1883, a young law student in France – named Frederic Ozanam – brought together a tenacious group of young people who would come to be known as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, after the ‘Patron Saint of the Poor’. These founding members met with a nun named Rosalie Rendu, a ‘Daughter of Charity’ who served the poor in the most impoverished parts of Paris. Sr. Rosalie sent the members of the Society on their very first ‘home visits’, beginning our tradition of serving those in greatest need, of treating them with dignity and respect, and of meeting with them right in their own homes.

We are still guided by these values today.

For over 100 years, St. Vincent de Paul of Seattle-King County has provided critical aid to impoverished, under-served, and vulnerable populations throughout the Puget Sound region.

Born amidst the last great pandemic – the ‘Spanish Flu’, St. Vincent de Paul emerged, even in its infancy, as a critical part of the region’s social safety net . . .bringing love, mercy and compassionate care to those suffering the most. Since those challenging days a century ago, St. Vincent de Paul has continued to bring together love and action, enabling stability, resiliency and self-sufficiency in our neighbors who face a daily struggle with poverty, homelessness, hunger, cultural and linguistic isolation, and more.