St Vincent de Paul Marion

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St Vincent de Paul Marion History

St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marion was founded in 1928 by three St. Mary Parishioners, Albert Schmidt, Harry Drake, and Shorty Norris. With their desire to respond the needs of their less fortunate brothers and sisters, they established a food pantry in a basement storage room of the St. Mary Marion church. In 1970 a thrift center was established with three goals of 1) supply emergency clothing for the needy, 2) provide a source for low cost clothing and hard goods, and 3) provide additional funding for the food pantry. The thrift center was located in various rented buildings off site from the church.

The church basement distribution of food had many logistical problems having to work around church functions and the grade school cafeteria. In 2008 the parishioners of St Mary parish purchased the present St. Vincent de Paul building at 342 N Main St., Marion. This allowed the consolidation of the thrift center and the food pantry. With the improved logistic issues, the center was able to be open five days per week and better able to supply food to the needy.

The move to the new building allowed food to be distributed using a client free choice approach which resulted in less wasted food and improved client satisfaction. From the 691 households served in 2005 out of the church basement, the center has been able to reach 3,148 households in 2017. Over 170 volunteers currently organize and operate the food pantry and thrift center.