The St. Vincent de Paul Society, the largest volunteer organization in the world, has a mostly lay membership of over 800,000 serving the suffering poor in every part of the globe.

The Society has been active in Atlanta since 1903 when the first conference was established at Immaculate Conception Church. When the Diocese of Atlanta came into existence in 1956 there were six conferences in the North Georgia area, all in Atlanta or Decatur. Today 26 conferences have been established in rural and city parishes with a membership of 320 active Vincentians.

In 1966, a Central Office was opened in the archdiocese. One year later Joseph Flanagan was appointed executive secretary and remained in the post until 1979, when Betti Knott succeeded him.

Between the parish conferences and the Central Office an estimated $200,000 is donated to the poor each year.

As the Society continues to serve those who are in need, the goal of Mrs. Knott is to see a conference of Vincentians established in every parish.

The growth of the Society in Atlanta has been fostered by strong pastoral leadership and the generous support of the people in the archdiocese, support which is unique to the diocese of Atlanta among all its counterparts across the country.