ATLANTA--The St. Vincent de Paul conferences of All Saints Church in Dunwoody and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Atlanta recently sponsored collection drives to help those in need.

The mission of SVDP is to relieve the suffering of those in need by providing temporary emergency assistance. Material or moral help is given through person-to-person contact, individually or collectively. Parish-centered conferences provide assistance with food, clothing, disaster relief and more to people living in their own communities.

Approximately 6,500 pounds of food, collected by the SVDP conference at All Saints, was donated to the food banks at the SVDP Society Council, Our Lady of the Americas Mission in Doraville and St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Dunwoody.

“There is a significant drop in donations to the local food banks during the summer months,” said Pat Callahan, All Saints SVDP president. “However, the demand for food among people in need remains the same throughout the year.”

Formed in 1981, the All Saints SVDP Conference has 25 members. During 1998, Conference members gave 1,200 hours to assist 483 individuals with food, furnishings, clothes, toys, travel aid, visiting services to the homebound and more. They also gave financial support to the SVDP disaster relief effort in South America following Hurricane Mitch.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church held a drive to collect household items. Used pots, pans, plates and silverware in good condition were given to the SVDP Thrift Store.

“Other than new men’s underwear and socks, items for the kitchen are one of the greatest needs we have at the thrift store,” said Nancy Brockert, store manager.

SVDP thrift stores are a vital part of its mission. They offer affordable merchandise to families with critical needs. Necessities are also given away to qualified people referred from approved agencies. In 1998, 8,431 individuals received free merchandise from SVDP thrift stores with an estimated thrift store value of $163,928. Volunteers operate seven of the eight thrift store locations.

Founded in 1966, the IHM SVDP Conference has 50 volunteer members who gave 2,859 hours to assist 1,356 individuals with their needs, including more than 400 visits to people in prisons, hospitals and nursing homes. This conference also has a twinning program with other SVDP conferences in Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Peru and Haiti. Through twinning, the conference is able to share what they have with others in the Third World.

Conferences are linked together by the Particular Council of Atlanta, which is comprised of about 1,100 volunteer members representing 56 conferences throughout north Georgia.