St. Vincent de Paul Madison

What St. Vincent de Paul Madison does

St. Vincent de Paul Madison is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, operating under the legal name District Council of Madison, Inc., Society of St. Vincent de Paul (EIN 39-0824876). Founded in 1925 at St. Bernard's Catholic Church as the first parish-based Conference in Dane County, the organization serves more than 100,000 people annually through a portfolio of direct-service programs including a drive-through and online food pantry feeding ~3,000 households monthly, a charitable pharmacy (currently temporarily closed), a microlending program offering $400-$2,500 loans at 4-8% interest in partnership with local banks, the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton homelessness prevention program, clothing and furniture voucher programs, Vinny's Lockers free storage for homeless individuals, and a 1.25-acre community garden supplying fresh produce to the pantry.

The organization operates a hybrid earned-income-plus-donation revenue model. Seven St. Vinny's Thrift Stores across Dane County (Williamson Street, Odana Road, Dig & Save Outlet, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waunakee) sell donated clothing, furniture, and household goods, with a centralized processing center handling 170 racks of clothing weekly and recycling 225,000 lbs of textiles monthly. Revenue is supplemented by monetary donations (including stocks, bonds, estate gifts, and Donor Advised Funds), vehicle donations, an annual Drive Change Car Raffle (5,000 tickets at $100), and the Care Café fundraising breakfast. Twenty parish-based Conferences and 400+ staff and volunteers deliver services through in-person home visits and centralized facilities.

Operations are governed by a Board of Directors (President James Porter, Vice President Patty Bruni, Treasurer Patrick Sippy, Secretary Ryan Zakrzewski) and led by CEO & Executive Director Julie Bennett. The organization is a local chapter of the global Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which operates in 153 nations with over 800,000 Vincentians, and is affiliated with the National Council of the United States headquartered in St. Louis. Recent strategic activity includes the April 2026 launch of a free medication program with Dispensary of Hope and Crescent Community Health Center Pharmacy, a six-pantry bulk purchasing pilot with Second Harvest Foodbank, and ongoing expansion of digital service delivery via the Pantry2Home online food ordering platform.

Name

St. Vincent de Paul Madison

Legal name

District Council of Madison, Inc., Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Website

https://svdpmadison.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

St. Vincent de Paul Madison is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating seven thrift stores and a portfolio of charitable programs — food pantry, microlending, pharmacy, housing, and voucher services — serving more than 100,000 low-income residents annually across Dane County, Wisconsin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Housing Services (62422), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC), Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Charitable social services
• Food pantry assistance
• Thrift store retail
• Microlending services
• Homelessness prevention

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Thrift Store Sales: Revenue from seven St. Vinny's Thrift Stores selling donated gently-used clothing, furniture, household goods. Sales fund charitable programs and provide affordable shopping options to the community.
2. Donations and Gifts: Accepts monetary donations, stocks, bonds, mutual fund shares, estate gifts, and beneficiary designations. Donor Advised Fund giving options available.
3. Vehicle Donations: National program accepting donated vehicles with towing service. Non-working vehicles accepted. Proceeds support local charitable work.
4. Car Raffle: Annual Drive Change Car Raffle selling tickets to win vehicles. 5,000 tickets at $100 each. Proceeds fund food pantry, pharmacy, housing assistance programs.
5. Event Fundraising: Annual Care Café fundraising breakfast - 10th annual event in 2026. Corporate sponsorships available. Registration and breakfast complimentary.
6. Food Donations: Accepts food donations for pantry operations. Amazon Wish List for direct shipping to pantry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

St. Vincent de Paul Madison operates seven St. Vinny's Thrift Stores across Dane County, Wisconsin that sell donated gently-used clothing, furniture, and household goods to fund charitable programs. The organization provides a comprehensive suite of free social services to low-income Dane County residents, including a Food Pantry serving approximately 3,000 households monthly, a Charitable Pharmacy dispensing free prescription medications to uninsured adults, Clothing and Furniture Vouchers, a Microlending Program offering $400–$2,500 loans at 4–8% interest as an alternative to predatory payday loans, the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Program for housing stabilization, and free storage lockers for homeless individuals.

Product overview

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison operates as a membership organization running seven St. Vinny's Thrift Stores across Dane County that fund charitable services. The core product portfolio includes the Food Pantry (serving ~3,000 households monthly), Charitable Pharmacy (temporarily closed), and Microlending Program. Support services include the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Program for housing stability, Clothing and Furniture Vouchers for those in need, Vinny's Lockers for homeless individuals, and Lacy Garden for fresh produce. Fundraising activities include the annual Drive Change Car Raffle and Care Café Breakfast. The organization operates an eBay-based Online Store for vintage and collectible items.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 100,000+ people annually across Dane County
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Partnership with five other Dane County food pantries for bulk purchasing. 20-ton beef delivery launch. Collaborative approach to meet rising food insecurity through cost-saving bulk ordering.
• Dispensary of HopecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2026Medication distributor partnering with Crescent Community Health Center Pharmacy and St. Vincent de Paul to provide free medications to eligible patients. St. Vincent de Paul covers the subscription fee in the first year with plans to seek grant funding thereafter. Program targets uninsured individuals, those without prescription coverage, and households at or below 300% of Federal Poverty Level.
• Crescent Community Health Center PharmacycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2026Dubuque, Iowa nonprofit pharmacy partnering with St. Vincent de Paul and Dispensary of Hope to dispense free medications starting April 15. Part of program serving approximately 2,500 patients.
• The River Food PantryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of six major food pantries in Dane County collaborating on bulk purchasing effort.
• Badger Prairie Needs NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of six major food pantries in Dane County collaborating on bulk purchasing effort.
• Goodman Community CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of six major food pantries in Dane County collaborating on bulk purchasing effort.
• Sunshine PlaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of six major food pantries in Dane County collaborating on bulk purchasing effort.
• WayForward ResourcesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of six major food pantries in Dane County collaborating on bulk purchasing effort.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Goodwill Industries of Wisconsin: Operates thrift retail stores across Wisconsin to fund workforce development and community programs. Closest operational analogue to SVdP Madison's thrift-funded charity model in the same geography.
• The Salvation Army Dane County: Faith-based social services and thrift operations in Madison, providing emergency assistance, food, and shelter. Direct competitor for both donors and program beneficiaries in Dane County.
• Catholic Charities of Madison: Catholic-affiliated social services in Dane County providing food, housing, and refugee services. Shares faith-based identity, similar client base, and overlapping program portfolio with SVdP Madison.
• Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin: Regional food bank serving 16 counties including Dane. Active partner with SVdP Madison in bulk purchasing collaboration. Comparable food-distribution scale and beneficiary overlap.
• The River Food Pantry: Largest food pantry in Dane County, serving meals and groceries to those in need. Direct partner in the 2026 bulk-purchasing pilot and direct food-assistance peer in the same service area.
• Goodman Community Center: Madison-based community center providing food pantry, child care, and senior services. Partner in the 2026 bulk-purchasing coalition and overlapping program beneficiaries in Dane County.

Broad incumbents

• Habitat for Humanity of Dane County: Housing-focused nonprofit serving Dane County with home building, repair, and advocacy. Adjacent to SVdP Madison's housing stability and voucher programs, but more focused on home ownership.
• United Way of Dane County: Fundraising and grant-making umbrella supporting many of the same Dane County nonprofits that SVdP Madison partners with. Frequently linked in donor ecosystems and a funder/peer to multiple SVdP programs.
• Society of St. Vincent de Paul National Council (USA): National governing body of the 800,000-Vincentian movement in the U.S. SVdP Madison operates as an affiliated district council under this national structure, sharing the brand, parish model, and program templates.

Regional players

• Porchlight (Men's Shelter & Reentry Services): Madison-area emergency shelter, housing, and reentry services for men and people experiencing homelessness. Comparable client population to SVdP Madison's Vinny's Lockers and Seton Program.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/svdpmadison
• Xx.com/StVinnysMadison
• Facebookfacebook.com/svdpmadison
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-vincent-de-paul-madison

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about St. Vincent de Paul Madison