The City of Erlanger is honored to recognize Saint Vincent de Paul Northern Kentucky as a most deserving recipient of the Small Business Spotlight for the month of December. A community steward in NKY since 1911 and a steady presence in Erlanger since 1969, SVDP not only operates thrift stores, but the organization also works diligently to meet basic human needs by providing food, hygiene supplies, household furniture, medical equipment, coats and vehicles to our neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet financially. In the past year alone, SVDP provided an astounding $1.2 million in rent assistance, a program made possible thanks to our generous community. 650 people in our region reached out to inquire how they could best assist Saint Vincent de Paul NKY with its mission and offered their time, talents and treasure to allow SVDP NKY to successfully carry out the organizational vision.
“We love being in central Kenton County and Erlanger is ideal geographically from that perspective due to its proximity to I-75,” said Executive Director Karen Zengel. “We know we’ll be here for the next one hundred years because we know the need will not go away. In fact, we’ve only seen it increase significantly in the last five years alone.” SVDP NKY serves eight counties in the northern part of the Commonwealth. Hired in 2017, Zengel said her strong faith fuels her commitment to the organization because each client who needs assistance deserves to be treated with kindness and respect.
Saint Vincent de Paul NKY operates a central dispatch line in Erlanger, Monday-Friday from 10am-2pm. The organization fields phone calls from prospective clients who outline the challenges they are currently facing and SVDP NKY works to find people and programs who can most optimally address the concerns. Volunteers are needed to answer those calls and sift through material donations at the thrift stores. “And then you get to be a part of the outreach that has so much impact in Northern Kentucky,” Zengel said.
Mayor Jessica Fette said that often the first step in organizations exhibiting civic leadership is asking and answering the question, “How can we best serve others?”
“Saint Vincent De Paul NKY is everything we want our organizations to be in Erlanger–because they thrive in serving clients who might otherwise be homeless, go hungry, or be outside without a coat during the holiday season and throughout the year,” said Fette. “It is such an honor to recognize their wonderful work because it has been a difference-maker in our region for 114 years and counting.”
The City of Erlanger invited Saint Vincent de Paul Northern Kentucky to the City Council meeting on Tuesday, December 2nd and showed their December Small Business Spotlight feature video. The City of Erlanger thanks Saint Vincent DePaul NKY for such steadfast dedication to their stakeholders and our community!
