2026 SVdP Board Members

President – John Plaskon

Vice President – Leo Marshall

Secretary – Donna Horney

Acting Treasurer – Anne Green

Communications – TBD

Development – Mike Klein

Spirituality – Ron Virostek/Deacon Frank

Neighbor Assistance – Julian Domenech

Food Pantry – Kate Mansfield

Thrift Store – Karen McLaughlin

Local Agency Liaison – TBD

Index card questionnaire results ...from the "Meet the Mission" event, held on April 29th:

1. Which one of the 3 essential elements resonates with you most?

- Service: 61%

- Friendship: 24%

- Spirituality: 10%

2. What would make your volunteer experience at SVdP more meaningful?

- Hear more about our impact our Conference has in the community:

74%

- To volunteer in other roles/departments: 28%

- To have a better understanding of the worldwide SVdP

organization: 23%

3. If you could improve one thing at SVdP, what would it be?

- Internal communications (learn more about other depts.): 42%

- Internal operations (more volunteers): 23%

- External communications ( promote SVdP in the community): 19%

A huge THANK YOU goes out to Easton Utilities, for providing complimentary Easton Velocity internet service to our organization, valued at $1,800/year. This token of appreciation from Easton Utilities for how we help our community allows SVdP to use more funds to assist others.

Please consider participating in Easton Utilities' Change for Change program, which means rounding up your monthly payment to the next full dollar. These funds are then held by Easton Utilities and used to help those neighbors identified by SVdP with their electric, gas, water and internet bills. It's a small amount (less than $12 per year), but which can add up quickly with many participants. Click HERE to log into your account and sign up.

Thrift Store “How Are We Doing?” Gathering: About 50 thrift store volunteers gathered recently to celebrate our successes since the September reopening and to look ahead at how we can improve our communication, our processes, and our volunteer experience. Gail Scharre, a boutique volunteer with loads of retail experience, presented merchandising opportunities for us to consider. In addition, each table generated multiple ideas for marketing and inventory processing to increase sales, which ultimately benefits our neighbors in need. It was a fun, positive, productive event!

SVdP Stories...Neighbor Assistance

Life Post Incarceration

It was an ordinary Saturday. A 34-year-old homeless, well-spoken mother, Denise, entered St. Vincent de Paul Society’s Neighbor Assistance for help. She said she had been sober for five and a half years. When she was young, she got in with the wrong crowd and started using drugs and alcohol. This behavior escalated and she became involved in a home invasion. She was arrested, charged with second degree assault, and sent to jail in Baltimore. She also was tried in Drug Court and sent to six months rehab in Baltimore.

Throughout her sentence, she was helped and guided by a probation officer and thanks to that guidance, she was released early this past April. Once on probation, she was reunited with her 12-year-old son. 

Prior to sentencing, she worked for the U.S. Postal Service and Black & Decker. Now, she eagerly was looking for employment. She shadowed an employee at a healthcare facility in Cambridge and was poised to receive an offer. However, a background check revealed her prison time and no offer was received. She had hoped her probation officer would offer a reference, but none was forthcoming. 

Homeless and without a job, she thought SVdP was her last resort. The team immediately went to work providing five nights at the Gateway Inn, food and toiletries, and with an offer for her to return to our thrift shop for clothing for herself and her son. Julian Domenech, Neighbor Assistance Team Leader, referred her to the Neighborhood Service Center and the Talbot County Department of Social Services. He also called Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIS) explaining that he thought Denise was a potential candidate. TIS did not have an opening at that time but was willing to help. 

This narrative captures the turmoil and struggles this young woman faced and what "real Life" looks like for so many after making a bad decision. It was a privilege to meet Denise and hear her story. She shared how she transitioned from a 23-hour prison lockdown during COVID-19 pandemic, navigated a stringent drug recovery program, only to become homeless and alone with her son on the streets of the Eastern Shore. 

St. Vincent de Paul Society offered Denise human dignity, not just another failed background check. She wasn't a former inmate; she was a mother showing her son that neighbors help neighbors. 

Wrong decisions have long-lasting consequences, however, with the right support and a safe place to sleep, it can change the path forward. Neighbor Assistance does so much more than assist with utility bills.

~ Fred Schultz and Carol Meholic, Neighbor Assistance Volunteers

Did You Know...

SVdP's Food Pantry and Neighbor Assistance have been assisting a greater number of families in the past year. Here are the numbers for the food pantry:

Below is information for the number of our neighbors who were

helped by Neighbor Assistance for the same time periods:

*This increase is almost entirely driven by utilities assistance in February and March.

Donations to our Thrift Store largely make this all possible. Along with the greater need for food and monetary assistance, we have an equally greater need for donations. Please help spread the word to your friends and neighbors about what we do and how we do it!

Londonderry Pop Up Sales Event

The thrift store held a spring Pop-Up Sale at Londonderry in early May. It was a labor of love for the many volunteers who turned an activity room into a mini-store for the residents of Londonderry. Smiles abounded, shoppers were thrilled with the selection, and connections were made. It was a shining example of partnering with our community to help our neighbors in need!

Volunteer Opportunities – Please Share!

Strengthening our volunteer network allows us to continue serving our community with compassion and dignity. Although we are a Catholic organization, many of our volunteers come from a variety of faith backgrounds. Please encourage your friends and colleagues to join us.

Current Openings:



Neighbor Assistance – Support our Neighbors in Need through compassionate listening and resource guidance.

Food Pantry Volunteers – All roles needed: stocking, packing, and distribution. We now have a 4pm - 7pm shift!

Ambassadors / Tour Guides – Assist with local events and provide tours for new volunteers.

Thrift Store Volunteers -

Departments: General Merch., Boutique, Furniture & Donations

Sales & Cashiers: Thursdays–Saturdays

Sorting & Display: Mondays–Wednesdays. Please indicate your

preferred department when responding.

Administrative Support – Volunteer Manager, Ambassadors, data entry.

Communications & Marketing – Website updates, graphic design, and social media content support.

To learn more or get involved, contact Donna at: [email protected]

New Volunteers April & May:

George Sass

Bill Ragusa

Bill Behan

Peggy Behan

Betty Monroy

Mark Showacre

Valerie White

Diane Callahan

Iris Monroy

Sunny Ryan