Meet St. Vincent's Leigh Sempeles

Our community is blessed with many dedicated people who work extremely hard to serve those in need.  These are the people who use your donations and prayers and put them into action.  One of the best service organizations in Dayton is the St. Vincent de Paul Society.  I felt it was important to learn more about the leader of that organization since so many ND Club of Dayton members give of their time and money to St. Vincent. 

Leigh Sempeles is the Executive Director of the Dayton Chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.  Below is her tremendous story of dedication and commitment to bettering the lives of others.

What is your background?

I grew up in the Dayton community in the Kettering area and graduated from Fairmont East High School. In terms of an educational background, after high school graduation, I attended Wright State University and graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in History in 1979. After college, I furthered my education at the University of Dayton School of Law receiving a J.D. In 1992, after being in the corporate world for many years, I returned to school and received a M.A. in Business Administration from Antioch University McGregor.

As for my professional life, upon graduation from law school, I practiced law for several years in the general practice areas of domestic relations, probate and bankruptcy and I remain on active status as a member of the Ohio Bar. Prior to joining St. Vincent de Paul as Executive Director in December, 2006, I was employed for more than 20 years at LexisNexis holding management positions in strategy, marketing and product development. Also, periodically, I serve as an adjunct associate professor in the MBA program at the University of Maryland University College.

I am an active community volunteer and board member with several non-profit groups in the Dayton area. I enjoy reading and traveling – particularly to historical sites. I live in Springboro with my husband, Mark where we are close proximity to my immediate family including two adorable nieces.

What are all of the ways in which St. Vincent's of Dayton serves our community?

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Dayton District Council has its foundation in its 36 Conferences, which are based in local parishes and colleges. Partnering with the Community Store and the Food Pantry, the Conferences aid those in poverty in their local communities. For adults and families who become homeless in Dayton and Montgomery County, emergency assistance is provided at two 24-hour Gateway Shelters operated by St. Vincent de Paul. The organization also offers transitional and permanent supportive housing programs designed to help our neighbors in need achieve housing stability by providing case management and life skills training to guests referred from our shelters. These include programs such as the DePaul Center and Kettering Commons. We also operate a new Deconstruction Depot with items from local homes that are being deconstructed by DaytonWorks Plus.

How has the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Dayton grown over the years?

The Society first began operation in Dayton in 1948 and the number of conferences has grown steadily over the years including three new conferences in the last two years. Twenty-five years ago, conference members who are known as Vincentians recognized the need for a homeless shelter in the community and began operations in an abandoned fire house. From our work with the homeless, we realized that many need more than just housing to maintain a stable life and we gradually began adding housing programs where we can support men, women and families emotionally and help them address the personal, financial and education/employment issues they face. Our most recent housing program addition has been the opening of St. Vincent de Paul Kettering Commons which provides permanent supportive housing to families with a parent who has medical or mental handicaps have led to chronic homelessness. Our Community Store supports the work of conferences, shelters and housing programs and also is home to our Food Pantry and the Deconstruction Depot.

How many people does St. Vincent's of Dayton help yearly?

Last year we served more than 80,000 people in the Miami Valley across all of our programs.

How many people work for St. Vincent's of Dayton?

We have approximately 100 employees who are supported in their work by more than 1,000 volunteers each month.

Are any of your employees former guests at one of St. Vincent's shelters?

Yes, several of our employees are graduates of our housing programs who began their journey at our shelter. A few have gone on to receive degrees (including Masters) in counseling and social work and become case managers. They are a valuable addition to our team because of their ability to identify and understand the experiences of our guests. To quote the theme of our annual Friends of the Poor® Walk – they truly have “Walked a Mile in My Shoes.”

On whom do you depend for your funding?

We are blessed that we have a diversified funding mix including government grants, gifts from private individuals, corporations and community foundations and several for-profit entities. St. Vincent de Paul is the owner and property manager of the Job Center and we also own and operate the St. Vincent de Paul Community Store and the Deconstruction Depot. In addition, we are operating a car donation program and a recycling program through our Community Store operations.

How have your finances changed since the start of the economic recession?

Our biggest issue has been the tremendous increase in demand for our programs, which increases our operational expenses. And, like all area non-profits, we have seen a decrease in the dollars directly received from private funders and corporations. To meet the needs of our community, our fundraising efforts have been focused on expanding the number of private individuals investing in our work and being good stewards of every dollar received. I am proud of the fact that our administrative and development overhead remains at a very low level.

What has been St. Vincent's of Dayton's biggest challenge that it has overcome?

As St. Vincent de Paul Dayton has grown it has developed a significant number of operations which until recently operated largely independently. Collectively, our programs provide a full continuum of care to address the needs of those struggling with poverty or homelessness.

Four years ago, our Board made a decision to improve the business operations of their $8 million dollar organization and began a search for a business leader to lead the organizations in working collaboratively and with greater efficiently. I was honored to be selected as their new Executive Director in December, 2006.

Since that time, my team and I have embarked on an ambitious initiative to transform our programs into efficient operations that share resources and best practices and make purchases collectively. We identify and act on opportunities to work smarter including outsourcing services best performed by vendor partners including human resources and information technology. We excel at our core competencies and actively develop collaborations and partnerships with other social service organizations that drive stronger services and best utilize our resources.

What are St. Vincent's of Dayton's goals for the future?

We currently have 92 units of supportive housing available for men, women and families. There is a tremendous need for these services and St. Vincent de Paul has a long history of success in truly transforming lives through our existing programs. We are actively pursuing opportunities to expand our number of units.

Operationally, we will continue to focus on process improvement and developing additional partnerships with other social service organizations that will enable us to provide the most effective services to our clients and use our resources wisely.

What are the most significant challenges that St. Vincent's of Dayton's guests currently face?

There is a lack of affordable housing in our community coupled with an accessibility of good paying jobs. Minimum wage is $7.35/hour but in Montgomery County the living wage is actually $8.55/hour. The living wage is defined as the 40-hour/week hourly rate required for self-sufficiency. A single parent with one child would need to earn $17.16/hour. Without proper education, advanced jobs skills and a market availability of jobs at this salary level, individuals are in a constant battle with poverty. For more information on the living wage please visit http://www.livingwage.geog.psu.edu/counties/39113.
What is the most effective way to address those challenges?

City of Dayton and Montgomery County leaders have embarked on a 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness and Reduce Overall Homelessness. The development of the Gateway Shelter concept and the opening of the Gettysburg Gateway for Men represent the first phase of this comprehensive plan. The next phases focus on expanding the availability of supportive housing and affordable housing. The 2009 Homeless Solutions Report is available on our website. http://www.stvincentdayton.org/documents/2009HomelessSolutionsReportFINAL.PDF.

How can we assist St. Vincent's of Dayton?

To meet the ongoing needs of our clients we have a continuous need for financial resources, in-kind donations and volunteer services. Financial gifts can include cash, stocks or providing for St. Vincent de Paul Dayton in your will. In-kind donations of food, clothing, bedding and furniture relieve our expenses and enable us to fill vouchers for needed items to our clients. We also accept vehicle donations which we auction to fund our programs. Donations of real estate are also welcomed. A house or an apartment building could expand our housing programs. An office building could be a new revenue source. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization and we can make use of assistance across all of our programs. Sorting donations and doing laundry, assisting clients with resumes and interviewing, planning fundraising events and serving in our conferences are just a few of our opportunities for you to serve. Additional details can be found on our website http://www.stvincentdayton.org/ or by calling us at (937) 222-5555.

Meet Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson is a Senior Case Manager at the DePaul Center in downtown Dayton.  In other words, he is one of those people who carries out the work that your donations support.  Let's meet him and learn about the great and extremely important work that he does on our behalf.

What is the DePaul Center?

The DePaul Center is a part of the work of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Dayton. The Community Food Pantry distributes food to the poor, the St. Vincent Hotel Gateway Shelter provides temporary housing for the homeless, the St. Vincent de Paul Transitional Housing facility provides transitional housing for women and families, and the St. Vincent de Paul Kettering Commons provides permanent supportive housing to special needs families. In contrast to all of these, the DePaul Center is a transitional housing facility and a comprehensive case management program that helps men reach their goal of permanent housing.

Where is the DePaul Center located?

Right across the street from the home of ND Club President, Marty Foos, at 15 South St. Clair Street in Downtown Dayton.

How many men do you serve?

Right now, we are at full occupancy with thirty-nine men living in our building. We have a long waiting list.

How long have you been the senior case manager?

Just a few months, but I have worked at the DePaul Center for seven years.

How do you help the men who are at the DePaul Center?

We provide them with a residence, develop a case management plan for them and provide life skills training. Each of the men has a private furnished room on a floor with shared bath and kitchen facilities. They work with a case manager on developing a plan to address the core issues that have impeded their success in the past. Case plans include educational training to improve their job skills by pursuing either a certificate or degree program at Sinclair, Wright State, or UD.  Life skills include everything from housekeeping to conflict resolution. We help them find part-time jobs and they pay 30% of their income in rent and utilities as a way for them to feel ownership in their shared home. The continual focus is on their path towards self-sustainability and good citizenship.

What about your background makes you a role model for the men at the DePaul Center?

I was born and raised in Toronto, Ohio, which is close to the West Virginia border, near Wheeling. My family still lives there. I moved to the Dayton area in the 1970s. I got into trouble with the law – nothing violent or damaging to property – but I was wrong. At that point, I woke up and started doing right. I was given a chance to participate in a prison Boot Camp, so I did and left prison in less than a year. I went to a halfway house and was doing so well I was able to leave after one month instead of the 90 days I thought I would be there. I began going to school at Sinclair and started working at the NOVA House as part of an internship. I learned about an opening on the DePaul Center staff from a friend I met at Sinclair, Louis McCarter. I’ve been at DePaul ever since. By the way, I just completed all of the credits that I needed for my Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Studies in Addiction from the University of Cincinnati. I’ll be receiving my degree as soon as I sign up for graduation.

I tell the guys my story because I want to empower them to improve their lives. We don’t want to take credit for all of the success we’ve experienced around here. It’s not us, it’s the guys who make the changes in their own lives. We just provide the opportunity and the tools for guys to make their own changes.

How do men come to the DePaul Center?

We have a thorough interview screening process. We won’t accept just anyone. Many people want the opportunity that we offer, but maybe they aren’t ready yet to make the commitment necessary. They must be clean and sober and ready to take the next step. When they prove that, then we’ll try to find a place for them here. We receive referrals from the Gettysburg Gateway for Men, the Salvation Army’s Booth House, the Veteran’s Administration, the court systems (both state and federal), and other places.

What motivates you in your work?

For me, it’s the guys – just to hear their stories and to see their progress over the years. It’s both humbling and gratifying. I look at it as a way to give back after living through my own experience. My mother always taught me to remember where I came from. Well, in many ways, I came from where they are now. It keeps me to be humble and helps me to be less self-centered with worrying about my own problems. My problems are not that bad when compared to the guys I am serving.

What are the challenges facing the DePaul Center?

We are dealing with a tough economy, just like everyone else. We depend a lot on donations.

How can we help?

Right now, our greatest need is funding. The federal government supplies some of our funding, but we rely on additional financial support from companies and individuals. Another way to help is by donating to our Vehicle Donation Program. We also appreciate donations of food, clothing, and cleaning and hygiene products.

Another way supporters can help is by volunteering, especially those who have professionals skills to offer. For example, we have two volunteers that work one-on-one with our residents on their personal finances. They help them develop plans for clearing up outstanding debts and to create a personal budget and finance plan.