A Holiday Table Where Everyone Belongs: St. Vincent DePaul Parish

A Warm Welcome on Cold Nights

On cold evenings in the city, the parish hall at St. Vincent DePaul hums with a gentle kind of joy. A crockpot lid clinks. Someone tunes a guitar. Volunteers tie aprons and set out milk and plates. At the door, a familiar face welcomes people in like an old friend.

“We really try to be a family here,” says Desiray Taylor, St. Vincent’s volunteer and outreach coordinator. “You’re served like a guest at a restaurant… and, most of all, this is somewhere safe you can be for an hour or two.”

That spirit—dignity first, everyone belongs—is what keeps people coming back. Some nights there are 70 guests. Some nights it’s closer to 200 people. However many come, they’re met with music, a meal, and volunteers who remember their names.

A Season of Togetherness

During the holiday season, St. Vincent’s stretches the table even wider. 

There’s TurkeyFest, where parishioners purchase a turkey dinner and buy a second for a neighbor in need. There’s a Thanksgiving Day Meal for the hungry with all the fixings, a place to be when the holiday feels heavier than usual. And for the Christmas Program, volunteers transform the parish hall with lights, music, and gifts. Each event gathers dozens of helping hands — from longtime parishioners to first-time volunteers — all serving side by side.

“For our holiday events like TurkeyFest and the Christmas Program, everyone pitches in,” Desiray says. “There is so much joy in seeing people come together.”

Between those large celebrations are the quieter blessings that unfold every week — hot meals, clean clothes, warm smiles. It’s ordinary service, offered with extraordinary love.

Saving 10+ Hours a Week on Volunteer Scheduling

Behind the scenes, St. Vincent’s uses Unison to keep everything organized so the people can stay front and center.

“Before Unison, it was pretty much just a sheet of paper,” Desiray says. “Now everything’s in one place—contact info, shifts, reminders. People can go to our website and just click to sign up. Unison has saved me 10-15 hours a week on average.”

That quiet efficiency helps Desiray focus less on logistics and more on what matters: creating spaces of welcome and belonging.

“This is why I’m here.”

One afternoon, a young woman stopped by St. Vincent’s in a panic. Her phone service was off, but she had job interviews lined up. Desiray sat with her, helped her get a free phone number, and cheered as the calls came in. The parish’s St. Vincent de Paul Society helped with her electric bill. The lunch window sent her home with food.

“She came back later with the biggest hug and said, ‘I got the job. I’m so thankful,’” Desiray says. “That’s when I thought—this is why I’m here, this is why we serve.”

Joy You Can’t Buy

Ask the volunteers why they keep coming back and the answers sound the same: It fills me up. Desiray hears it all the time.

“Volunteering brings joy—a kind of happiness you can’t buy,” she says. “And you’re only here for two hours. That small part of your day can change someone’s entire week.”

Your Small “Yes” Matters

If you’ve been wondering how to help—maybe you’ve never volunteered, or it’s been a while—consider this your invitation.

In a time of year when so much centers on what we give or receive, St. Vincent DePaul volunteers remind us that the most meaningful gifts are the ones we share — time, compassion, and presence.

Wherever you are, may you find the tables in your own community where you can serve, celebrate, and belong.

Learn more about St. Vincent DePaul Parish.