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You can be part of this compassionate work without leaving your chair – make a contribution online through our secure payment facility.
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Join our team of members and volunteers who are ‘the hands and feet’ of Jesus – bringing comfort and relief to suffering people in their communities.
Give later
Leaving a bequest to SSVP is the painless way to give. It costs nothing now –only when you no longer need your money does it pass on to us.
Give useful items
Food, toiletries,second-hand clothing, blankets, household items, fabric, knitting wool, building materials and paint are always needed.
Celebrating 170 Years of Faith, Compassion and Service
Heartfelt congratulations to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul South Africa on the remarkable celebration of our 170th birthday, 17th November 2026.
For 170 years, the Society has been a beacon of hope, compassion and Christian service, reaching out to those experiencing poverty, hardship, loneliness and vulnerability, and recognising the dignity of every person.
As St. Vincent de Paul reminds us:
“Let us love God, my brothers, let us love God, but let it be with the strength of our arms and with the sweat of our brows.”
These powerful words capture the essence of the Vincentian vocation: faith expressed through action and love demonstrated through service.
This same spirit was beautifully affirmed by St. John Paul II when he beatified Frédéric Ozanam, founder of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on 22 August 1997. Speaking about Ozanam’s response to people in need, the Holy Father declared:
“The neighbour is every human being without exception.”
He went on to explain that Frédéric Ozanam “believed in love, the love of God for every individual” and that in reaching out to those most in need of love, “he found his road to sanctity.”
These words remain deeply relevant to the Vincentian mission today. They remind us that service to people in need is more than an act of generosity. It is an expression of our Christian faith and a pathway through which God’s love becomes visible in our communities.
This historic 170-year milestone is therefore a tribute to the generations of Vincentians, volunteers, benefactors, clergy and supporters who have generously given their time, talents and resources in service to others.
As we celebrate this extraordinary anniversary, may we look back with gratitude, remembering those who laid the foundations of the Society; celebrate with joy the countless lives that have been touched; and look forward with hope, renewing our commitment to serve those who need us most.
May the example of St. Vincent de Paul and Blessed Frédéric Ozanam continue to inspire every Vincentian too:
- Serve with humility.
- Act with compassion.
- Protect human dignity.
- Bring hope to those in need.
- And above all, put our faith into action.
Fraternally yours in both St. Vincent de Paul and Bl. Fredéric Ozanam
Vincent Williams
National President
Heart of our work
Our core work involves alleviating the worst human suffering in areas of abject poverty – where families live in homes made of cardboard or thin plastic … where unemployment and malnutrition is rife … and where parents are dying and leaving children to care for one another.
We help the hungry, the homeless, the sick, vulnerable children and destitute aged.
And because most of the work is done by volunteers, almost every cent you donate goes directly to helping those in need.
Recent News
Get your 170th Commemorative Candle before stocks run out
On 17 November, 2026, the Society of St Vincent de Paul will celebrate 170 years of love in action and service to the poor in South Africa.
Get your beautiful commemorative candle to mark the occasion for just R130.
Mid-year treat – new school shoes for growing feet!
When your family has very little money, longing for a new pair of shiny shoes to wear to school is a dream that seldom comes true.
Unless, kind donors support our SSVP volunteers … selfless, committed Christians who see Jesus in the face of the poor people they meet.
67 Minutes. Countless Moments of Impact.
Our Vincentian brothers and sisters strive to ‘make every day a Mandela Day’. But even so, Mandela Day brings a special surge of volunteer activity – all aimed at uplifting our less fortunate neighbours.
Thanks for helping bring winter warmth where it’s needed most
As if being poor and hungry is not enough, winter brings an extra level of suffering to those who live in makeshift tin shacks.
However hard you try, the biting wind can always find a way through gaps in the wall and under the roof.
Visit to Frederic Place brings warmth and cheer to vulnerable elders
When you’re old, destitute and all alone in the world, it’s easy to think that you’ve been forgotten. That’s why volunteers from SSVP take time to visit vulnerable elders at Frederic Place, bringing gifts of cake, cold drink, beanies and blankets.
International Day of Vincentian Youth
On 11 July 2026, NWKZN CC Youth celebrated the International Day of Vincentian Youth by donating Morvite Cereal for patients attending Duduza Hospice Care Centre at Mariaratchiz, Dundee.
Kindness by numbers
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What we do
Inspired by the compassion of Jesus Christ, we work with the poor and disadvantaged – irrespective of race, colour, creed or status – to provide relief and support.
Our desire is to offer a hand up rather than a hand out – so as to enable those we assist to break free from the cycle of poverty.
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St Vincent de Paul Society is a Public Benefit Organisation (NPO 003/193) and all donations are tax deductible.
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