Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Room
The Sandwich Kitchen (formerly Sandwich Window) and Food Pantry began in 1980 in a small room in the Parish center.  In June of 2002, a renovated space called the Seton Room became the storage, distribution, and hospitality center for St. Vincent's Sandwich Kitchen and Food Pantry, serving the poor and homeless men, women, and children who come to our Parish.

During the year, parishioner volunteers will serve over 28,000 sandwiches, about 1,000 special holiday meals, and 31,000 cups of coffee from the Sandwich Kitchen in the Seton room.

The renovation of this space was made possible through the many generous donations of money, time, and talent from the people of St. Vincent.  Learn more about Elizabeth Ann Seton.

Open Tuesday - Saturday, every week of the year
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Serve meals (sandwiches, muffins, soup, and coffee) in the Seton Room to the poor and homeless who come to our Parish.
If you're interested in helping out, please contact Matt Doucet at (312) 953-6436.

Making Sandwiches (Saturdays)
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Make sandwiches for the entire week that will be served each morning through the sandwich kitchen. 
If you're interested in helping out, please contact Matt Doucet at (312) 953-6436.

Sandwich Kitchen
We served 3,257 clients and 272 gallons of coffee during the month of August.

Elizabeth Ann Seton - wife, mother, religious, foundress, first American-born saint - was born in New York City, August 28, 1774.  She was the daughter of Dr. Richard Bayley and Catherine Charlton Bayley, devout Episcopalians. 

At nineteen, Elizabeth married William Seton, a prosperous merchant.  Five children were born of the marriage.  By 1803, the Seton shipping firm was bankrupt and William's health failed; he died in Italy, on December 27, 1803.  The Filicchi family, longtime friends of William Seton, welcomed Elizabeth into their home, where she encountered Roman Catholicism for the first time.

Elizabeth returned to New York in 1804 and, despite the opposition of family and friends, entered the Catholic Church in the spring of 1805.  She sought to support her family by teaching.  Archbishop John Carroll of Baltimore invited her to establish a girls' school in his diocese.  Other young women joined her in this ministry of education and eventually they formed a religious congregation - the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph's.  In 1809, they moved to Emmitsburg, Maryland, where their motherhouse is still located.  

The rule of the Daughters of Charity in France, a congregation founded by St. Vincent de Paul seemed applicable to the new community.  St. Vincent's rule was changed slightly to suit the American situation and a foundress with a family.  It became the rule of the Sisters of Charity, who by the time of Elizabeth's death in 1821, we fifty in number.

Living the Vincention Call...
helping the poor, homeless, and those in need with the support of many Parish programs.  If you're interested in pursuing one or more of these opportunities through volunteering or just want to learn more about them, please contact us — in person, over the phone, or by email.