About us
A network of friends, serving neighbors since 1964
A network of friends, inspired by Gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need.
Who we are
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international Catholic lay organization founded in Paris in 1833 by Frederic Ozanam and his friends, who believed that faith means nothing unless it is lived out in service to the poor.
Our Contra Costa County council was established in 1964. Today, volunteers called Vincentians serve through 28 neighborhood conferences, each rooted in a parish and responsible for the families who live nearby.
Conferences make home visits in pairs, listen without judgment, and provide practical help: rent, utilities, food, clothing, furniture, transportation, and referrals. The Family Resource Center in Pittsburg adds county-wide programs including a dining room, free clinics, showers, and workforce training.
We believe
- In the dignity of the human person
- In the preferential option for the poor
- In the virtue of humility, personal and corporate
- In the virtue of simplicity
- In charity and justice within and outside the Society
- In personal and communal prayer
- In friendship
- In community
- And in solidarity with each other and with those in need
28
Neighborhood conferences across the county
1964
Serving Contra Costa County since
3
Thrift stores funding direct assistance
9,400+
Neighbors helped each year
District Council leadership
Bob Liles
District Council President
Karen O'Keefe
Director of Conference Formation
Marco Ceballos
Youth & Young Adult Coordinator
Elena Marquez
Director of Programs
Peter Yohe
Director of Finance
Dawn Dietz
Manager of Transportation & Stores
Financial accountability
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN 94-1448577. Donations stay in the county and fund direct assistance to neighbors. Thrift store proceeds cover a significant share of our program costs, so more of every gift reaches families in crisis.