Members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul from around the state are challenging their neighbors of all religious traditions to step forward and help people in need by participating in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Friends of the Poor Walk at 10 a.m. on September 27 at Garden City Shopping Center, Cranston. 

The event, now in its eighth year, is the only statewide fundraiser for the non-profit Society of St. Vincent de Paul that assists people of all religious beliefs by providing emergency utility payments, food, clothing and shelter, along with one-on-one assistance to people in crisis so that they may create their own pathways to independence and success. In 2014, 35 conferences in Rhode Island provided 136,000 volunteer hours and more than $890,000 in direct aid to more than 120,000 people in need.

“The Society of St. Vincent de Paul members are here to help people when emergencies arise, such as a death, extended unemployment or a fire in their home,” said Honorary Event Chair and NBC10 Chief Meteorologist Mark Searles. “They’re an organization helping so many – confidentially - during these trying economic times. The volunteers don’t ask for recognition for their efforts but they do need funds to help their mission succeed,” he added.

People can support the Society of St. Vincent de Paul by walking, forming a team to walk, by sponsoring the walk or by supporting an individual participant.

For the first time in the history of the Friends of the Poor Walk, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul will collect non-perishable and gently used clothing at the event. Participants, spectators and the general public are encouraged to bring coffee, tuna, peanut butter, canned hams, canned beans and other non-perishable foods, along with clothing for people of all ages to the gazebo. St. Vincent de Paul members will be collecting these items in bins to distribute to the people that they serve in the community.

The one-mile walk is centrally located in Cranston and will offer food tasting from local restaurants, free family activities, music and fun. Walkers can go to svdpri.org to register or to make a donation, or you can call the Society of St. Vincent de Paul office at 490-0822 and leave your name and number so that an application can be mailed. The event will be wheelchair accessible.

Those who are unable or unavailable to participate the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Friends of the Poor Walk can still support the cause by sending a donation to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, P.O. Box 40605, Providence, RI 02940. (Write “Friends of the Poor” in the memo line.) All contributions are tax-deductible.

Check-in and last-minute registration for the event will be at 10 a.m. at the gazebo on September 27. The walk will kick off at 11 a.m. and a family fun festival with face painting, pumpkin painting, food sampling will immediately follow for participants, supporters, and their families. All are invited to join together at St. Mark Church (around the corner from Garden City Center, located at 9 Garden Court, Cranston) for a 9:30 a.m. mass that will be held before the walk. 

More information about the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Friends of the Poor Walk, can be found by visiting svdpri.org, or by calling 490-0822. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Friends of the Poor Walk is sponsored by NBC10 and Relevant Radio.