St. Vincent de Paul Louisville

Who We Are

Life Humbles. Give Hope.

Imagine a place where compassion and respect are at the heart of every action. At St. Vincent de Paul Louisville (SVDP), we provide more than just shelter and meals - we offer solutions that give hope for the future. 

Your support allows us to continue our mission to house, feed, and support those in need with compassion and dignity. 

SVDP, a lay Catholic organization, serves individuals and families in need including those who are homeless, living in poverty, suffering from addiction, enduring mental illness or experiencing acute economic crisis. Founded in 1853, SVDP offers a continuum of care that includes food, shelter, affordable housing, counseling, and emergency financial assistance with rent and utility bills. 

SVDP operates a community kitchen (Open Hand Kitchen), a client-choice food pantry, Ozanam Inn Men's Emergency Shelter, domestic violence services, three local thrift stores, affordable housing for male and female Veterans, as well as permanent supportive housing for homeless families and adults on campus and in scattered site units in various locations throughout the city. Our inner-city campus has grown to address the varied causes of chronic poverty and homelessness including disability, addiction, and mental health issues. 

We believe in a "Housing First" approach, which acknowledges that people are more likely to have positive health outcomes and reach greater stability if they are housed. This serves as a platform from which they can pursue personal goals and improve their quality of life. This is guided by the belief that people need necessities, like food and a place to live, before they can focus on getting a job, budgeting properly, or overcoming substance use issues. 

One thing is for certain - our mission of housing, feeding, and supporting those in need with compassion and dignity will never change. However, what we do and how we do it may change. While we hope and pray that the need in our community will end because of the abundance that we are all blessed with, we know that the reality is that it most likely will not. In fact, it is more likely that demand will grow and we will need to do even more in the future. 

No matter what, we will continue to be a beacon of hope for so many in our community that deserve to be housed, deserve to be fed, and deserve the right to receive help and support. We believe in the self-worth and dignity of every person who steps foot on our Shelby Park campus and know that each has the potential to make a difference in this community. This forever remains our obligation to our brothers and sisters in need. We will work towards this end. One question remains - will you join us?