The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament’s St. Vincent de Paul Society has in recent months significantly expanded its ministry to the homeless in Sacramento’s downtown area.

Its new Cathedral Square Project started in December, providing temporary housing for five men who share a home in south Sacramento while they look for jobs and permanent housing.

St. Vincent de Paul has also moved its weekday bag lunch program serving homeless persons living in the Cathedral neighborhood.

Previously distributed by St. Vincent de Paul volunteers from the Cathedral rectory, lunch bags are now delivered directly to the Cathedral Neighborhood Senior Center, located at 711 J St. The center serves homeless or low-income men and women living in downtown hotels and boarding homes.

It is the mission of George Usi, a member of the Cathedral’s St. Vincent de Paul Society, to gather snack bags prepared at the rectory by volunteers and transport them to the senior center, where he is quickly becoming a familiar face.

“George comes over at 2:30 p.m. with the snack bags and people are waiting for him,” said Elizabeth White, director of the center.

Usi, who will be ordained to the permanent diaconate in June, makes regular rounds at Cathedral Square to guarantee people who sleep outside know about the lunch program.

“I know them by their first names,” said Usi, who enjoys the fact that several of his friends wave to him out on the street.

“Some of them go to the senior center just to protect themselves. Some have a place to stay, but not enough food,” he said. “It’s a place where no one can bother them.”

—Nancy Westlund

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