Welcome to the Ladies of Charity
of Chattanooga (LoCC) Website!

Ladies of Charity of Chattanooga (LoCC) is part of the world's oldest faith-based volunteer group. Our roots lie in France, where the Ladies of Charity was founded in 1617 by St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic priest recognized throughout the world as a champion of the poor and underprivileged.

Our Chattanooga work began in 1963 at Lindsey and Vine Streets, with 30 women representing the city's Catholic parishes. There we operated a soup kitchen, serving some 400,000 sandwiches and thousands of gallons of soup to the needy. In 1979, we purchased a building at 1800 Main Street to house our assistance programs and donation-supported resale store. In 2008 we were able to move and expand our ministry headquarters to 2821 Rossville Boulevard, where our new Greater Good Thrift Store opened to the public on January 29th.

Through the efforts of some 400 members and 200 volunteers (both women and men alike) with a staff of two employees, one full-time and one part-time, LOCC raises the money to annually deliver about $80,000 in direct aid plus thousands more in physical assistance to the needy. Our focus is on helping those who might otherwise "fall through the cracks" in our local social services network.

LOCC is ecumenical in its work and in seeking support. We do not ask anyone -- aid recipient, volunteer or donor -- what, if any, faith they follow. LOCC receives NO government funding, so we are free of complications that might delay or prevent us from meeting urgent needs. We serve those referred to us by any Chattanooga area church or social service agency.