If you want to gauge the level of need in our local community, stop by the St. Vincent de Paul Place Norwich meal site and food pantry.
While there, you’ll also be able to see the immense good this mostly volunteer group does daily out of the old St. Joseph School building on Cliff Street in Norwich to help the neediest among us. It’s at the core of the SVdPP ministry.
Established by the Diocese of Norwich in 1979, St. Vincent de Paul Place’s goal is to provide food, companionship, and advocacy for anyone in need, regardless of race or religion. It’s not only about meeting the immediate needs of those who come to the pantry but also about promoting a more independent lifestyle.
On a recent Wednesday morning, SVdPP Executive Director Jillian Corbin was supervising a community event for children: a chance for them to receive free back-to-school supplies and other goodies, play games, get some free pizza, and meet local first responders from the police, fire, and medical services.
“[Children] can get backpacks in the food pantry, play games,” Corbin said. “It’s all about having a positive experience and also exposure to firefighters, police, and ambulance services if there’s an emergency. Anything to normalize the experience, that’s the goal.”
Corbin also mentioned that the food pantry and meal site is always seeking volunteers, who form its backbone.
“We want people to see someone that looks like them and say, ‘Hey, I can do that,’” she said.
Indeed, volunteers have racked up more than 44,000 hours in 2024, serving 121,246 hot breakfasts and lunches, and distributing 1.3 million lbs. of food—equivalent to the work of 20 full-time workers.
The pantry has also provided 10,000 bags of hygiene items, 3,995 baby goods such as diapers and formula, and 11,440 pet food bags.
A steady stream of people came through the building on Cliff Street to pick up their weekly food distribution at the pantry.
“Today we’re offering some frozen fish and kidney beans,” Pantry Manager Brian Burke said. “Potatoes, carrots, and onions on top of whatever else is on the shelves.”
Burke then rattled off a list of other food items they give out—canned beans, dry beans, tuna, salmon, chicken, pasta, rice, fruit, and vegetables. The pantry also offers baked goods donated from local supermarkets like Stop & Shop, ShopRite, and Big Y.
SVdPP relies on the donations of caring individuals to provide the food it serves, as well as its membership in the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center of New London. The ministry is also partially funded by the Annual Catholic Appeal.
The pantry distributes food three times weekly—Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Burke, a former longtime chef in Connecticut until COVID closed the restaurant that employed him, has headed up the pantry for three years. He was already volunteering his services at a local soup kitchen when he noticed in his church bulletin that SVdPP was looking for a new manager.
“It’s a very rewarding job. I love it,” he said. Burke had at one time contemplated joining the priesthood. “Then I saw the ad in the bulletin and decided that this was God’s call to me, to come to this ministry.”
By Ryan Blessing
Get Involved with St. Vincent de Paul Place
Join us in making a difference! Whether you’re interested in volunteering your time or making a donation, your support is vital to our mission of serving the neediest in our community.
To Volunteer:
Visit our website at SVdPP.org or call us at (860) 889-7374 to learn about volunteer opportunities. Your time and talents can help change lives.
To Donate:
Contributions of food, hygiene items, or monetary gifts are always welcome.
Donate online or drop off items at 120 Cliff Street, Norwich, CT.