St. Vincent’s House, Galveston, Takes on Challenge of Increased Need for Services for Underserved

St. Vincent’s House, Galveston, ramped up its services to the community in 2022, with a 58 percent increase in individuals served. Services provided include food, transportation, vision care, and community outreach.

St. Vincent’s is a faith-based social ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas that extends a helping hand to economically and resourcechallenge citizens throughout Galveston County. It provides comprehensive social services and community outreach programs for the entire family.

The nonprofit documented 79,856 duplicated individuals who returned for services along with 8,518 distinct individuals and 5,358 distinct households receiving services. These numbers only include the social services and clinic numbers and not the Galveston-Houston Immigration Representation Project or the Family Service Center.

The food pantry is a comprehensive pantry that includes fruits and vegetables along with staples, cleaning, and hygiene supplies, as well as child and adult diapers. In 2022, 7,097 snack packs were distributed to the unsheltered. Also, 4,678 deliveries went to the home bound, with an average 122 weekly home deliveries to seniors and families without transportation. Groceries were given to 4,469 distinct individuals, with 12,548 delivered to duplicated individuals.

During the holidays, 50 seniors received Christmas goodie bags, and 315 families were gifted Thanksgiving food boxes, feeding 1,000.

Transportation services were in demand as well as 267 individuals gained 2,306 rides using services. Through the vision program, 171 people received free eye exams and glasses.

Community outreach was accomplished through the Vietnamese Fishermen Village Outreach, providing hurricane prep, blood pressure, food and diabetes screening, COVID-19 tests and vaccines, and additional services. A family festival through partnership with the Galveston ISD provided warm clothes and food for needy families, with over 3,000 served at the festival.

St. Vincent’s House developed the Integrated Care Model, an innovative outreach program which was established at Central Church, St. Vincent’s Hope Clinic, and Sandpiper Cove Apartments in Galveston. The goal is to break multigenerational poverty cycle and to build trust by meeting clients where they are. The complexity of populations served through the model program grows as it decreases barriers of access to services.

St. Vincent’s continues to raise the bar in finding ways to be impactful in order to serve the residents of Galveston.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.

Psalm 24: 1-2