Billie Dickens loves to sing. If only she could sing for a living but since Billie moved from Oklahoma to Shreveport in February, she's been out of work.

"Couldn't pay the bills. Didn't have any way of paying my rent. Wow, the light bills here are extremely high. So just had a lot of trouble."

While searching for a job, Billie slipped into poverty.

So she turned to a state-wide service that helps put people in need in touch with organizations that can help.

She was contacted by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

"They came over to visit me, looked through my home, talked to me about my needs."

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a Catholic organization whose local district has an army of more than 300 volunteers.

Volunteers that put in countless hours all for a cause they believe in.

"The number one goal is your spiritual growth. And the second goal is to help those in need," says volunteer Jerry Brill.

"To be the hands and feet of Jesus. I find that the holy spirit connects his people," says fellow volunteer Jane Himel.

"Why do you do it?"
"Because I'm selfish."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I receive much more than I ever could give by making the home visits and visiting people, seeing the face of Christ in everyone we meet," explains volunteer Mike Bauman.

There are thousands of home visits to people like Billie Dickens, who needed help paying her electric bill.

And food pantry events hand out tons, literally tons, of food to those living in poverty here in our area, all thanks to private donations and that army of volunteers.

"We do not know what some of our people are dealing with in a day to day struggle."

"Something can be so simple that can mean so much to another individual. And it's like when you do it, you know that you've done the right thing."

"Helpful. People that are hurting don't need you to kick you when you're down. They need someone who's going to give them a hand up instead of a hand out," says Dickens.

If you'd like to help a group, like the "Society of St. Vincent de Paul", call "Centerpoint Community Services" at (318) 227-2100.

If you need the help of a charitable organization, just dial 211 on any phone in the state.