Saint Vincent de Paul Society

Emergency Outreach number for the Yellowknife Area: 867-446-1934

The Saint Vincent de Paul Society in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SSVP) is a lay Catholic charitable organization rooted in the Gospel call to serve the poor with compassion, dignity, and respect. While SSVP operates through many local conferences across Canada, each adapting to the needs of its community, in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, this work is embodied primarily by the St. Patrick’s Conference of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.

In Yellowknife and Ndilo, our mission is to respond to local needs through personal encounters in the homes of the people we serve, bringing food assistance, supporting people in accessing clothing and household goods, and advocating for social justice through collaboration with other social service agencies in the Yellowknife area.

Aside from the financial support we strive to share information and programs with families that can support a healthy lifestyle and broader and stronger ties to the community. These include: a resource list outlining a range of services in Yellowknife, including sources of food, shelter, and other community services; Access for All information that helps the marginalized gain free public transportation to access obtain food, and public facilities such as the multi-plex and the pool; a handout on the Healthy Families program for those with young children; provision of a handout and an overview on the Learning Bond (RESP) program run by the Federal government.

If needed, vouchers are also provided for clothing at the Yellowknife St. Patrick’s Vinnies Thrift Store. This thrift store offers gently used clothing, kitchenware, bedding, and other recycled goods for sale, with donations accepted from community members. Proceeds support local outreach efforts while also making basic goods accessible to those in need.

The North of 60 Program: Northern Missions from Edmonton

The North of 60 Project is a distinctive initiative of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul in Canada that grew out of a call in 2010 to address the severe challenges of poverty and food insecurity in northern communities north of the 60th parallel. Initiated by Eileen Orysiuk and our own Sister Fay Trombley, It began with a focus on Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, where the cost of food and basic goods can be prohibitively high due to geographic isolation and limited local economic activity.

Rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all model, SSVP developed a community-responsive approach. Volunteers based in Edmonton and Calgary establish relationships with leaders and residents in remote Arctic communities, identify local needs, and organize collection drives for non-perishable food, household essentials, clothing, bedding, and other requested items. These goods are then packed into large sea containers and shipped north by truck, barge, or a combination of land and sea transport.

The North of 60 Project serves multiple communities across the Northwest Territories and also extends into Nunavut. Volunteers work collaboratively with local Vincentian contacts in each community to ensure that shipped goods support vital services such as food banks and clothing distribution centres without undermining local retailers.

Beyond shipping food and material goods, the program helps to build community capacity. In some locations, North of 60 support has enabled the establishment of food banks, clothing distribution sites, and community spaces. These initiatives aim not only to provide immediate relief but to strengthen local resilience and leadership.

Operating entirely with volunteer support and donations, the project grapples with the unique logistical challenges of the North, such as unpredictable water levels on the Mackenzie River, increased freight costs, and extreme weather conditions. Despite these obstacles, sustained donor engagement has allowed the program to endure.

The North of 60 initiative also fosters ongoing personal relationships: volunteers aim to visit partner communities every few years and maintain contact when residents travel south for work or medical appointments. These connections enrich volunteers’ understanding of the North’s realities and help tailor future support.