The largest lay Catholic charitable organization in the world, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in 1833 by a French college student named Frederic Ozanam, so that he and his schoolmates could put their faith into action through service to the poor. Known and loved for its thrift stores and food pantries and the personal visits of its members to the homes of the poor, the Society today has more than 690,000 members operating in 142 countries. The Society's U.S. members donated nearly 6 million hours of their personal time in 2006, aiding more than 20 million of their neighbors in distress and offering services valued at nearly $500 million.