The Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA, an organization of Catholic lay volunteers, was named the 2021 “Member of the Year” last month by the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, a coalition founded more than 50 years ago to assist disaster relief organizations.
This award is given annually to a VOAD member organization that stood out in its application of the main values of the VOAD: cooperation, communication, coordination and collaboration. It also acknowledges a member that built relationships between entities involved in disaster planning and
exemplified support of the VOAD mission.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has assisted people impoverished by either natural or man-made disasters since it was founded in 1833 in France. The society established a presence in the U.S. in 1845 and now has around 100,000 volunteers, which includes an active presence at 11 parishes
in the Diocese of Arlington.
The society was one of the original founders of the VOAD and is a consistent supporter and active member of the coalition.
