Society of St. Vincent de Paul Holy Cross Conference Tamale
Mission
To serve Christ in the poor through charity, personal encounters, and community outreach.
Vision
A compassionate community where the poor are served with dignity, love, and hope.
Core Values
• Compassion • Faith
• Service in Hope • Solidarity
• Dignity • Integrity
Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SSVP)
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SSVP) is an International Catholic Charitable Voluntary Organization of Lay People founded in Paris in 1833 by a group of six young men, led by Frederic Ozanam and placed under the patronage of St. Vincent de Paul in 1834. St. Vincent de Paul was a Catholic Priest who devoted much of his life in helping the poor in general in France and alerted the world to social problems.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SSVP) has existed at Holy Cross Parish for over 40 years, faithfully serving the poor and needy within the parish community. From its early beginnings, the conference has remained committed to the core mission of charity, outreach, and support for the vulnerable. Its primary purpose is to assist those in need within the parish environment, in line with the structure of SSVP conferences in other parishes, each serving its own designated catchment area.
Over the years, Holy Cross SSVP has grown in both reach and impact, adapting to the needs of an expanding community. Unlike many other conferences, however, Holy Cross SSVP extends its support beyond the immediate parish boundaries. It also serves all its outstations. Historically, its outreach covered a wide area, stretching from Tamale to Kumbungu during its early development stages. This wide coverage reflects the strong missionary spirit and commitment of the founding members.
Activities
Food Rationing
One of the key ways our local church society lives out this mission is through regular food rationing. Every month, the society organizes a food rationing exercise where essential items like rice, oil, canned foods, and other basic necessities are shared with families who need support. This is provided as long as there are resources to purchase these items.
Education Support
The educational support we provide to our wards through the SSVP is something we truly take to heart. We believe that every child deserves a chance to learn and build a better future, no matter their circumstances. In some special cases, we also extend support beyond the basic and secondary levels to tertiary.
Medical Support
At the heart of our mission we belief that: no one should be left alone in their struggles, especially when it comes to basic human needs like health. We pay for medical bills for our wards and their dependants as well as renew the NHIS cards for them for free. We also provide psychological services to our wards when it is deem fit.
Accommodation
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SSVP) continues to support the welfare of its wards through a dedicated accommodation assistance program. Currently, the Society has committed to sponsoring accommodation for five (5) wards for a period of up to three years, ensuring they have safe and stable living conditions. It is our desire to be able to provide more decent accommodation for our wards.
Visitations
Our work is not just about offering support from a distance, it is about walking closely with people, understanding their lives. We regularly visit our wards in their homes to assess their well-being and identify practical ways we can support and improve their living conditions. Vincentians are also keen on paying visits to members when circumstances prevents them from coming for weekly conference meetings.
Donations
We the members of SSVP show love, generosity, and a deep commitment to serving those in need. One of the ways we are able to carry out this mission is through the kindness and support we receive from people both within and beyond our parish. Donations such as used clothes, food items are well received and sent to those in need. Cash donations go a long way in organising our monthly food rationings.