St. Vinnie’s Store & Donation Locations - Updated Hours and Openings
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Date: Thursday, May 7 2020
Some stores and donation sites are open at this time. Please be mindful of social distancing, and we encourage all shoppers to wear PPE as much as possible. We are following safety guidelines made by the state and CDC including limiting the number of shoppers, Plexi barriers between the customers and staff at the check-out counters, re-organizing the store for social distancing, and increased sanitation.
Homelessness in Hindsight: Melinda
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Date: Tuesday, July 14 2020
“No matter how far you fall, it is possible to recover.” A staff member at St. Vinnie's Lindholm Center, Melinda Zugelder wouldn’t have believed her own words during the four years she was homeless. At the time, she suffered from a chemical addiction and an emotional one – to the very person whose attitude kept them on the street.
Homelessness In Hindsight: Sonya
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Date: Tuesday, July 14 2020
Empathy is Job 1 at St. Vinnie’s, but not all staff members have walked in the shoes of our unhoused neighbors. Two have, and the experience continues to influence their daily lives. Sonya Spencer and Melinda Zugelder literally feel the pain of those who turn to St. Vincent de Paul for essential needs: food, shelter and clothing, and a functioning family life.
A Reunion 25 Years in the Making
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Date: Thursday, July 9 2020
A 60-something veteran of Vietnam, Ken enrolled in St. Vincent de Paul’s Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program (SSVF) during fall, preceding a winter that was expected to be extraordinarily harsh. He had been homeless for the better part of 25 years and was suffering from PTSD. He got by on a small VA disability benefit, living rough in the woods, or in his car.
Within a month, SSVF staff secured suitable permanent housing for Ken, a unit in a quiet, woodsy area perfect for finding peace and relaxation. But transitioning into housing is not always easy.
RHRP Closing In On 200 Home Rehabs
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Date: Tuesday, July 7 2020
There’s good news in affordable housing or, more accurately, its preservation. Despite a recession and now a pandemic, 180 older Lane County homes have been made comfortable, energy efficient, and safe with financial and practical help from the Rural Housing Rehabilitation Program (RHRP), administered by St. Vincent de Paul.