Steve gets ready to enjoy lunch at the free dining room at the SVdP Family Resource Center.

St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County’s mission is helping our neighbors in need with compassion and dignity. Our neighbors who are struggling to meet their basic needs come to the St. Vincent de Paul Family Resource Center in Pittsburg because they know they will be treated with respect by SVdP’s volunteers and staff who care deeply about them – like our neighbor Steve.

Steve lives in Antioch. Every day he rides the bus to the Family Resource Center to enjoy a delicious, hot meal at the Loaves and Fishes Pittsburg Free Dining Room at St. Vincent de Paul, a snack pack from the SVdP Emergency Food Pantry, and to experience the kindness of the volunteers and staff who help him.

“Everyone at St. Vincent de Paul is so nice,” Steve said. “I come every day to get something to eat, the food is really good. The people at SVdP are really kind to me. And the truck drivers at SVdP got me a walker with a seat on it, which is a huge help because of my diabetes.”

Steve suffers from diabetes, which he said leaves him in chronic pain and makes it very difficult for him to walk. Steve said he receives treatment from UCSF which helps him deal with his disease, but the pain is still there.

“I’ve been on disability because my diabetes has gotten pretty bad,” Steve said. “I haven’t been able to work, because it really hurts for me to walk. But this new walker is a huge help because when I get tired I can at least sit down. It makes getting around a lot easier for me.”
SVdP Truck Driver Morrie Hernandez said he noticed Steve struggling with an old walker, and wanted to see if he could help him.

“Luckily we’re able to help people with what gets donated to our thrift stores,” Morrie said. “I was able to find a better walker at our Brentwood Thrift Store after someone donated one with a nice cushy seat. It felt really good to be able to help someone like that, Steve’s a great guy.”
“The help means a lot to me,” Steve said. “I’m on disability so I need to get by with $1,300 a month. The food is such a huge help because it stretches my money. Also, I can’t stand for very long, so it’s nice to be able to sit in the dining room and enjoy a nice hot meal.”