Sponsor
Our Mission
St Vincent de Paul’s mission is to help those in need become self-sufficient through education, community connectedness, and unconditional support.
Since being established in Des Moines in 1924, St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) has focused on assisting those living in poverty by removing obstacles in their journey toward self-sufficiency. The Des Moines Council operates four thrift stores, two social services departments, an education center, and a child watch center. SVdP employs more than 80 paid staff members and relies on many amazing volunteers.
The approach of St. Vincent de Paul is multifaceted and deliberately diverse. Our goal is to address the underlying causes of poverty experienced by our community, while also focusing on alleviating the hardships of reaching self-sufficiency. To achieve this, our social services and education center work together to provide essential resources for those in need.
BACK2WORK
(Workforce Development)
The Back2Work program is a nationally replicated model emphasizing workplace training and development designed to equip participants with the necessary skills to secure employment. Participants receive training focused on enhancing essential soft skills for the workplace alongside crucial components of the employment process, such as resume writing, interview preparation, and financial understanding. The goal of this program is to aid in employability and secure a livable wage.
BACK2WORK
(Workforce Development)
The Back2Work program is a nationally replicated model emphasizing workplace training and development designed to equip participants with the necessary skills to secure employment. Participants receive training focused on enhancing essential soft skills for the workplace alongside crucial components of the employment process, such as resume writing, interview preparation, and financial understanding. The goal of this program is to aid in employability and secure a livable wage.
BACK2WORK
(Workforce Development)
The Back2Work program is a nationally replicated model emphasizing workplace training and development designed to equip participants with the necessary skills to secure employment. Participants receive training focused on enhancing essential soft skills for the workplace alongside crucial components of the employment process, such as resume writing, interview preparation, and financial understanding. The goal of this program is to aid in employability and secure a livable wage.
Careers
All of our current openings are listed on Indeed.com
You may apply on Indeed, fill out the application below, or print an application and send via email.
If you prefer to fill out a printable application, please click here and fill out this application and send your resume to humanresources@svdpdsm.org
Contact
WINDSOR HEIGHTS | Office & Retail Store
801 73rd St. Suite J, Windsor Heights, Iowa 50324
Phone: 515-282-8327 | Fax: (515) 282-4751
SIXTH AVENUE | Retail Store
1426 6th Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50314
Phone: 515-282-8327
ANKENY | Retail Store
700 N Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny, Iowa 50023
Phone: 515-282-8327
ARMY POST | Retail Store & Social Services
520 Army Post Road, Des Moines, Iowa 50315
Phone: 515-282-8328
“I am very thankful for St. Vincent de Paul. I don’t know
what I would have done without their help.”
– St. Vincent de Paul Program Participant
Clothing & Furniture
We provide free clothing to those in need. Our clothes closet operates Monday through Friday and is open to anyone who needs clothes for themselves or their family. This service allows for them to maintain dignity and self-esteem when applying and re-entering the workforce. Children need clothes particularly when the new school year starts and in the winter when the snow flies and temperatures drop.
Furniture is made available at a significant discount on a case by case basis, depending on availability and need.
Volunteering is very important to St. Vincent de Paul. It is the foundation upon which our Society is built. It allows friends to make new friends in our community by providing a caring service, helping others overcome emergent daily challenges, and become self-sustainable.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded by college students in Paris, France. St. Vincent de Paul gives women and men — young and old, and from every background — the means to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering in the tradition of its founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul.
As a reflection of the whole family of God, members, who are known as Vincentians, are drawn from every ethnic and cultural background, age group, and economic level. Vincentians are united in an international society of charity by their spirit of poverty, humility and sharing, which is nourished by prayer and reflection, mutually supportive gatherings and adherence to a basic Rule. Organized locally, Vincentians witness God’s love by embracing all works of charity and justice. The Society collaborates with other people of good will in relieving need and addressing its causes, making no distinction in those served because, in them, Vincentians see the face of Christ.
Volunteers are invited to assist St. Vincent de Paul in our retail locations, pantries, Education Center, Back2Work, and Immersion programs.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact our Holly Dommer at back2work@svdpdsm.org, phone (515) 282-8327 ext. 100.
Nationally, nearly one-third of the individuals we serve are returning citizens or are directly impacted by incarceration. As a result, SVdP is developing a powerful organization for our work in all aspects of reentry. Our organizational rules, structure, and our goal of ending poverty provide a strong framework on which to build a high-impact, sustainable program.
While many Governmental, secular non-profits, and religious agencies are currently focusing on reentry, few, if any, have the National reach, scope, and wrap-around services that SVdP provides. SVdP has a long history of collaborating with like-minded agencies to most effectively help those we serve reach their God-given potential. St. Vincent de Paul is also continuing its ecumenical outreach to partners in all eight of our focus areas.
Immersion provides St. Vincent de Paul a permanent program of assistance to an untapped workforce, as well as direct service to some of those most in need, returning citizens. The SVdP reentry program will continue to expand and review our key programs to maximize our impact and efficiency. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul continues our work in systemic change to end poverty and assist our neighbors to reintegrate into their community.
Food Pantry Locations
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL OF DES MOINES
Through a partnership with Hunger Free Polk County and the Board of Supervisors, we operate food pantries within our daily business hours Monday through Friday. Appointments can be scheduled for the current day in our thrift store, or over the phone for the following day, subject to availability.
SIXTH AVENUE
1426 6th Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50314
Hours:
Mon: 11 A.M. – 6 P.M.
Tues: 9 A.M. – 1 P.M.
Wed: 11 A.M. – 6 P.M.
Thurs: 9 A.M. – 1 P.M.
Fri: 11 A.M. – 6 P.M.
South Des Moines
500 Army Post Road, Des Moines, Iowa 50315
Hours:
Mon: 11 A.M. – 6 P.M.
Tues: 9 A.M. – 1 P.M.
Wed: 11 A.M. – 6 P.M.
Fri: 11 A.M. – 6 P.M.
Sat: 9 A.M. – 1 P.M.
Career Ready 101
This course can open the door to a better job or career. You can sharpen your employment skills and earn a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) that is honored by more than 300 employers.
HiSET Prep
HiSET has replaced the GED. We can help you one on one to improve your skills and confidence in preparation for the DMACC HiSET program.
Financial Literacy
This class is designed to give students a closer look at their financial habits and attitudes, help them create goals, and give them tools to create an effective budget.