St. Vincent de Paul | Louisville

Helping people who are poor or homeless rise above their circumstances is at the core of St. Vincent de Paul’s mission. One of the oldest social service charities in Louisville, St. Vincent de Paul is located in the economically challenged Smoketown/Shelby Park neighborhood. Through our homeless shelters, supportive housing programs and professional case management services, we provide compassion and hope for people struggling to overcome barriers to self-sufficiency.

We also address the most basic human needs of the homeless and the ever-growing ranks of the "working poor." For example, our Open Hand Kitchen offers two free meals a day, 365 days a year, to anyone in need. This valued community resource serves about 250 meals each day--about 90,000 meals per year--to hungry men, women and children.

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What is St. Vincent de Paul?

It is a worldwide, Catholic lay charitable organization serving the poor and homeless.

When was St. Vincent de Paul founded?

As a 20-year-old college student, Frederic Ozanam started the organization 178 years ago in Paris, France. St. Vincent de Paul has been in Louisville for the past 159 years, making it one of the oldest charitable groups in the area.

Every night about 200 men, women and children have a clean, safe place to sleep through Vincent de Paul's shelters and housing programs. Each day, more than 250 hungry people are served free, hot meals at our community Open Hand Kitchen. St. Vincent de Paul has been providing food, shelter, hope and encouragement to those in need throughout Louisville, Central Kentucky and Southern Indiana since 1853.