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Over 5000 homeless people’s lives transformed after 3 years of Vincentian collaboration

More than 5000 homeless people’s lives have been transformed thanks to the Vincentian collaboration fostered by the Famvin Homeless Alliance over the last 3 years through the “13 Houses Campaign”. The Campaign is one of the main achievements that the FHA presents in its newly published Impact Report, covering the first three years of this global Vincentian Family Initiative.

The Impact Report details all the progress made towards these goals. Beyond the “13 Houses” Campaign, the FHA also highlights the conferences that brought together Vincentians from all over the world, the success of the Vincentian advocacy efforts which resulted in the first UN resolution providing an international definition of homelessness, and the development of Catholic Social Teaching on homelessness. The FHA has also responded to recent events, launching emergency appeals to support the Vincentian response to Covid19 and to support the victims of the explosion in Beirut.

Mark McGreevy, FHA Coordinator said “the FHA has been the witness of the global vibrancy of Vincentians committed to ending homelessness at all levels supported by our 14 trained FHA “Ambassadors” drawn from different parts of the Vincentian Family from across the globe. We thank all of the Vincentian Family branches who have actively taken part in the FHA, the Vincentian Family Executive Board, the FHA Commission members, FHA “Ambassadors” and all donors who have made the past three years possible, keeping alive the Vincentian Charism, and bringing hope to the most marginalized.”

The FHA is already working on a new strategic plan for the future that lies ahead, with the objective of fostering collaboration and exchange amongst Vincentian Family branches, and with the final goal of ending homelessness, one house at a time.

Contact:

Santiago Agra, FHA Communications Manager Fha.media@famvin.org +44 7394176569

Notes for the editor

  • The Famvin Homeless Alliance is a Vincentian Family initiative supporting established and emerging homelessness programs across the globe. We understand homelessness as those living on the street, refugees and those displaced from their home, and slum dwellers in inadequate housing. Our vision is a world where everyone has a place to call home and a stake in their community.
  • The FHA was set up in 2017 to mark the 400th anniversary of the Vincentian Charism and it managed though Depaul International. The Vincentian Family is a global Catholic movement rooted in the spirituality and example of St Vincent de Paul, with a membership of over two million people.




Here you can download the Report in various languages



Statement of the Vincentian Family in the face of racial discrimination

As members of Vincentian Family, we do not want to nor should we remain impassive in the face of the discrimination that millions of people still su er today as a result of the color of their skin, their national origin, their gender, their sexual orientation, their beliefs or their culture. Racism is a cancer that corrodes our society and is present worldwide, in every country and in every society. Not only is it a severe offence directed at anyone who is different, but it is also an insult to our humanity and to the intrinsic dignity of every human being, and a very serious sin. As members of the Vincentian Family and as believers, we trust in a God who created all people equal and thus, all are God’s children. Racism is therefore the complete opposite of faith in the God who gave us life. As Christians, we follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, who never made distinctions among people and treated everyone with dignity and respect. As members of the Vincentian Family, we want to continue to stand by the most forgotten in our society and, among them, especially those who su er discrimination because they are different. Saint Vincent de Paul, our founder, reminds us that we must love our neighbor simply because our neighbor is “the image of God and the object of his love.” We rea rm our commitment to serve the excluded, the needy, the homeless, all those who su er discriminatory treatment for any reason. We commit ourselves to reinforce our actions and take measures so that no one has to su er harassment or death because of discrimination. We commit ourselves to raise our voices in all forums where we are present to denounce these injustices. We commit ourselves to giving a voice to those who are excluded and discriminated against, so that they can be the protagonists of their own history.

Racial prejudice has no place in our society, in any public or private institution and must be combated vigorously. The evil it causes not only affects the person who is abused and even killed, but corrupts and destroys the social fabric and dehumanizes relationships, generating irrational hatred. We therefore urge all authorities to take rm measures to ensure that cases of segregation, racism, differential treatment and violence against any person, based on discrimination of any kind, are not repeated.

Human life is important, whatever the color of the skin, their national origin, their gender, their sexual orientation, their beliefs or their culture.

Elena Grazini
Press Office Vincentian Family +39 338 190 24 36 elena@elenagrazini.it

PRESS RELEASE – International day against human trafficking

The Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of Charity are members of the
Committee of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that at the UN advocate against
trafficking in persons.

The CM representative at the UN is also part of the central
commission of Consecrated of the Americans Life against trafficking in persons (9
regional or national commissions). For this reason, we are also associated with Talitha
Kum, the international network of Consecrated Life against trafficking in persons.
Human trafficking is a crime that exploits women, children and men for numerous
purposes including forced labor, traffic of organs, and sex. The International Labor
Organization estimates that 21 million people are victims of forced labor globally. This
estimate also includes victims of human trafficking for labor and sexual exploitation. While
it is not known how many of these victims were trafficked, the estimate implies that
currently, there are millions of trafficking in persons victims in the world.
The work of many social organizations, religious communities, NGOs, etc. aims to
prioritize victims coming from a context of armed conflict and those identified among large
refugee and migration flows. Its focus is also the work with victims trafficked for the
purpose of sexual exploitation, organ removal, forced begging, forced criminality and
emerging exploitative purposes (e.g. skin removal, online pornography).
In September 2015, the world adopted the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and
embraced goals and targets on trafficking in persons. These goals call for an end to
trafficking and violence against children; as well as the need for measures against human
trafficking, and they strive for the elimination of all forms of violence against and
exploitation of women and girls.

‘Responding to the trafficking of children and young people’

This year, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has chosen
‘responding to the trafficking of children and young people’ as the focus of the World Day.
This year’s campaign highlights the fact that almost a third of trafficking victims are
children. The theme draws attention to the issues faced by trafficked children and to
possible action initiatives linked to safeguarding and ensuring justice for child victims.
We invite you to honor this international day against the victimization of human beings
with your prayer and reflection but also getting informed and joining any local or national
efforts so that this day marks another step in our commitment against trafficking in
persons. We can collaborate with the efforts others have organized in the prevention,
accompaniment, rescue, healing and the social and work relocation of the victims.

Why do we have an international day against human trafficking?

It is not a celebration … it is a day to resist, to sensitize, to raise awareness, to call
attention, to point out that there is an unresolved problem, an important and pending issue
in societies so that, through this awareness, governments and states can act and take
measures or for citizens to demand this from their representatives.

New York July 30, 2028
Congregation of the Mission United Nations Office

press@famvin.org +39 338 190 24 36