News file photo Jennifer Kane, a volunteer, sorts clothes at St. Vincent de Paul’s on Friday. The charitable organization is beginning to fundraise to help expand its store and work areas.

ALPENA — The Society of St. Vincent De Paul is seeking donations for a $50,000 match from Besser Company for its capital campaign project.

The News previously reported in February the launch of the Society’s $210,000 capital fundraising campaign. The Society purchased the building next to their current location on U.S.-23 South, which houses the thrift store, food pantry, and offices.

The capital campaign will raise funds to move their clothing sorting operations into the new building, providing more space for sales in the thrift store. St. Vincent President Tom LaCross said they plan to knock out part of the wall so volunteers and employees can easily move between the two buildings. The funding will also be used to renovate the new building.

St. Vincent’s helped 972 people with shelter, clothing, utilities, and more in fiscal year 2025. The food pantry served 6,654 people. In all, St. Vincent provided $200,000 worth of assistance last year.

St. Vincent connects people with other local agencies, like the Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency (NEMCSA) or Habitat for Humanity, to name a few, if their needs would be better met by those organizations.

Tom LaCross said they have raised about $30,000 at this point, and are hoping to get to $50,000 by Dec. 31 to receive the matching grant from Besser Company.

“And that will get us halfway there,” Tom LaCross said.

Part of that $30,000 came from the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan in a $1500 grant. St. Vincent’s also received funding from local businesses and a number of individuals through the letter writing campaign

In the meantime, Tom LaCross said the Society is working on projects as they can afford to do them.

“Right now they’ve connected the two buildings,” Gerrie LaCross, member of St. Vincent De Paul, said. “They put a hole in the wall and a walkway through there. Now we’re starting to do the front of the building.”

Tom LaCross added that a door was placed between the two buildings. He said they are only 18 inches apart. They have also put windows in the new building to let in some natural light and are working on the ceiling.

To make a donation, be sure to specify capital campaign on the memo line of a check or on the front of an envelope.