The saying, “God places people on your path for a purpose,” couldn’t be more true, especially in our vocation as Vincentians. Recently, I attended the SEEK 2026 Conference in Columbus, Ohio, where I met three Young Adults from UC Davis who were eager to involve their Newman Center more in service. At the same time, my SVdP Youth Conference in San Ramon, California, we were searching for our next service project. Recognizing this shared mission, we partnered to organize a meal distribution at UC Davis, bringing our communities together in service!

By staying connected through calls, texts, and a shared planning document, we could delegate responsibilities leading up to the service project. My Youth Conference, the Vincentians of the Arc (VOTA) took the lead in providing most of the meal supplies, including ingredients for turkey sandwiches, pastries, and containers. Meanwhile, the UC Davis Newman Center advertised the distribution in their local community, coordinated the assembly and distribution site, and offered guidance rooted in their knowledge of the local area. With lots of coordinating (and praying!), everything came together smoothly, and we were confident in our plan.

When the day of the project arrived, our plan was put into action. After gathering at the Newman Center to assemble sandwiches and prepare the meals, we transported everything to a local park, where we handed out over 80 meals to our neighbors in the Davis community! By collaborating, we could live out our shared mission to serve Christ in those in need. Every meal, thoughtfully prepared with a hand-written prayer card, reflected the Vincentian spirit within us, and we engaged in hands-on service rooted in love, friendship, and prayer.

So many beautiful blessings came from this partnership. As Vincentians, we understand how essential partnerships are because by collaborating with others, we increase our ability to effectively serve our neighbors in need and share our mission of spreading hope and love. Working together not only enabled us to serve so many of our neighbors in need, but it also truly connected us as one family in Christ. This service project proves that young people in action, driven by a love for Christ and neighbor, can do incredible things. It also reminded me how God can use a small, unlikely interaction like Californians meeting at a conference in Ohio, and create something incredible out of it. So may we remain open and attentive to those God places in our lives, recognizing that even the smallest connections can help build His kingdom and strengthen our shared mission to love and serve.

Image Gallery!!!