Editor's note:
St. Vincent de Paul has been a recipient of Giving Circle funds for all three years of our grantmaking.  There's a reason.  Their straightforward and respectful approach to individuals and families in need has spoken to Circle members every year.  

Here is their report from the 2009-2010 Grantmaking Cycle.  
Anyone interested in volunteering or joining St. Vincent de Paul may contact Fran Trevisan at trevisan@moscow.com 
St. Vincent de Paul - Moscow Conference

Project: St Vincent de Paul 2010 Job Employment Grant
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a worldwide non-profit organization of lay Catholic men and women.  The members of St. Vincent de Paul in Moscow meet weekly in order to help local people in need. We visit anyone who requests our help from Latah County regardless of race, nationality, religion or sexual orientation on a person-to-person basis.  Great care is taken to preserve the dignity of the person served and we visit those in need in their homes.

Last year, 2010 we distributed over $40,000 dollars in emergency funds to families and individuals in Latah county, plus in-kind donations, such as used furniture, clothes, major appliances and even a few cars. We served over 500 people who requested our help. In the past 8 years we have provided for the basic needs of the poor – shelter, medical care, clothing, heating, transportation, medicine and food. 

The 2010 grant from THE CIRCLE: Moscow Women Giving Together was to fund employment challenges. Given the high rate of unemployment due to the ongoing economic downturn we requested these funds to support workers who were at risk of losing their jobs due to financial difficulties and work related expenses and to help job seekers with expenses necessary to find and maintain work.  Between April and December of 2010 we successfully distributed the grant fund of $4,500 to 33 households serving a total of 79 individuals including the children, elderly and other family members of workers. The allocation of funds were divided as follows:

Car Repair                                            $1478.62
Moving Expenses                                    784.81
Gasoline                                                  735.88
Transportation Expenses                            455.22
  (car registration, licenses, insurance)
Clothes, Tools, Work Supplies                     452.12
Communication (phone, internet)                 292.85
Childcare                                                 300.00

Total                                                    $4,500.00

Individual allocations ranged from $22.50 for car registration to $434.00 for moving expenses.  At times we partnered with other agencies, including the Hope Center, Community Action, and the Department of Social Services when the need was great.

Donations to support our work can be sent to:  St. Vincent de Paul, P.O. Box 9888, Moscow, Idaho 83843

Anyone interested in volunteering or joining St. Vincent de Paul may contact Fran Trevisan at trevisan@moscow.com

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From Circle members Mary Silvernale Shook and Dianne Daley Laursen

The Alternative Giving Market of the Palouse shares many of the same aspirations as the Giving Circle by raising funds for local non-profit organizations.  The mission of the Alternative Giving Market of the Palouse is to provide our community with a meaningful alternative to holiday gift giving and an opportunity to support local non-profits. We strive to enhance community well-being and sustainability through celebrating personal charity and community partnerships.

The Giving Market is looking for volunteers to help us this year. A few of you offered specific help at the meeting – THANK YOU very much. A couple of specific needs are:

1) someone to organize musical entertainment at various times throughout the Market. We have some musicians lined up, and if you are a musician and want o play we would love to hear from you!

2) Folks to solicit collect and organize holiday and greeting cards for use at the Market. We have a good start on a supply, but will need more.  These can be your left-over cards from previous years, the freebies you get in the mail, blank cars you create, etc.

3) A Circle member has offered to help organize activities at the children’s table. If you want to help at the Market, or in advance, please let us know. 

4)  We need volunteers the day of for set-up, working in the payment area (1.5 hour shifts), greeting shoppers, and more

5) and lastly and most importantly if you have a long term interest in the Market and would like to be on our planning team /future Board we would love to hear from you!!


The Market will be held on Wednesday December 1, 2010 from 4-8 pm at the Prichard Art Gallery, 414 S. Main St, Moscow, before and during the Light-Up the Night Holiday Parade The Market is sponsored by the City of Moscow Parks and Recreation in partnership with the Latah County Community Foundation, the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Moscow Buy Local with support from the Potlatch No1 Credit Union.  The Market promotes Shop Local. Buy Local. Give Local.

The Market strives to make fundraising as easy and fun as possible for an organization and potential donors. Each non-profit will design a shopping list of cash designations, ranging in value from $5 - $100, reflecting the needs of their organization. For each donation the giver/shopper will receive a holiday card provided by the market and an insert with a description of the organization and gift, which can be sent as a gift to family and friends. 

If you have any questions about the Market or the application process, email agmplaouse@gmail.com  or contact Mary Silvernale Shook, 208-310-9561 or Dianne Daley Laursen 208-310-1231.  

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