Wherever you live in Leeds someone less than 10 minutes’ drive away is suffering in poverty.
Set up as a special project in East Leeds by The St Vincent de Paul Society in 1996, the St Vincent Support Centre is a vibrant hub for families and individuals, with a commitment to providing a community of help, hope and opportunity, where everyone is valued and able to fulfil their potential.
Support includes debt management, counselling, education and personal development opportunities and emergency help in the form of food parcels or household items for those in urgent need. The community shop and cafe remain central to the work of St Vincent Support Centre, with the emphasis on good quality at affordable prices.
Every day the centre receives requests from families in crisis in the Leeds area, with a desperate need for food, furniture or household items.
What we do
Our support goes way beyond handouts – we work with over 5000 people each year to address the root causes of poverty.St Vincent’s services include:
- free debt service helping people manage their way out of debt.
- free counselling providing long or short term support.
- reading & writing for adults.
- employment support of work experience and job skills training.
- English classes for speakers of other languages.
- volunteering programme giving adults work skills and confidence.
- shop selling low cost, second hand clothing, furniture and household goods.
- community café selling affordable food in a welcoming environment.
- emergency support of food parcels, warm clothing & blankets and Christmas gifts.
- All of our services are free to those on a low income. We give people emotional and practical support regardless of their religion, sex, age, or race.
