Your Support in Action
$12.5M
direct aid
given in 2024
118,100
individuals served in 2024
10
counties served across Galveston-Houston area
About the
Black Bag Collection
In 1833, our founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and the original members realized they needed money to fund their good works of charity. Because the giving capacity of the members varied, they decided to pass around a simple black bag so that each member could give what they could afford to give.
Today, we continue this tradition. We ask for your generosity to continue serving our neighbors in need.
How to Donate
All parishes in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston will hold a special collection on the weekend of July 12-13, 2025. You can also donate online, by phone, or by mailing a check to our office.
PHONE
Please call 832-538-0325 if you would like to make a gift over the phone.
You may mail a check to our office! Checks made payable to "Society of St. Vincent de Paul" can be sent to: 2403 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77021. Please include "Black Bag" in the check memo.
ONLINE
You can donate online at: svdphouston.org/give
How will the funds be used?
Despite being closely tied to the Archdiocese, the Society does not receive funding from the Diocesan Service Funds (DSF) like some of our sister organizations.
The funds collected during this single month play a crucial role in the Society’s ability to provide direct financial assistance to neighbors in need, educational resiliency programs, food pantry resources, disaster relief, and so much more.
Community Impact
Thanks to the generosity of donors like you and the dedication of our Vincentian volunteers, together in 2024, we:
-
Served 118,100 individuals with direct aid totaling $12.5 million
-
Prevented homelessness for 6,300 families
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Kept essential utilities on for 4,600 households
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Provided 2.1 million meals to 24,000 families
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And much more!
To learn more about our collective impact, please view our 2024 Community Impact Report.




