This is the Diocesan Council which coordinates the activity of its local members in South Central Wisconsin. If you wish to contribute directly to aiding those in need please go the District Council of Madison site or that of the community you live in.The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a non-sectarian organization with no direct funding or organizational control by the Catholic Church, is one of the oldest charitable organizations in the world, founded in 1833 in France by seven students. The Society’s strength is based on its personal contact with people in need; however, the Society does not ignore that there are many systemic causes that affect these individuals. While assistance is usually material and emergency in nature, the Society supports and encourages clients to become personally empowered toward self-sufficiency. Responding to local needs and conditions, members of the Society seek to apply the most effective solutions to the needs of those less fortunate.  This is the Diocesan Council which supports the work of its members throughout south central Wisconsin. If you wish to support the charitable works of the Society please direct your contributions to the District Council of Madison or the Society in your city.The Society’s mission is to help the needy in countless ways, primarily through one-on-one contact of volunteers with children, families, and the homeless. We accomplish this mission through parish- and community-based groups called Conferences and through special projects conducted at the local council levels.