1. St. Vincent de Paul Dining Room 1982-2007 Celebrating 25 years of feeding the hungry

2. History In March of 1982 some members of the Society opened their doors to feed three needy guests. By the end of that year, the Society had served more than 12,000 meals.

3. Ten years after serving those three needy guests, the Dining Room of the St. Vincent de Paul Society was serving over 100,000 meals a year. Logistically and financially, this is the Society’s most ambitious, rewarding and visible commitment to the needy within our community.

4. Additional Information According to the Food Bank of Western New York, 1,122,162 meals were served during 2005-2006 year throughout the Western New York area. The St. Vincent’s Dining Room is responsible for 100,000 of those meals served.

5. Additional Information Having the ability to serve over 100,000 meals a year is a remarkable accomplishment for our Society. The St. Vincent de Paul Dining Room serves over 10% of the needy people in Western New York.

6. The Dining Room is by far the largest commitment to the needy. It is through organization, planning and the dedication and support of its members and volunteers that the Society has been able to maintain this level of commitment.

7. How you can help As the numbers and needs of the hungry grow, so do the financial realities associated with this vital program. They will look to the support of its members and benefactors to help meet the increasing need.

8. Due to the generosity of the people of Western New York, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has never, since its inception, turned away anyone who was hungry.