The Power to change a life is within us all

This winter, the St Vincent de Paul Society will see an increase in calls for help from families that have fallen on tough times.

When her husband left, Christine struggled to look after their two young children Lily and Jack on her own. Being a single parent whilst holding down a job is hard enough, but Christine’s son was living with autism and required 24 hour supervision.

As the emotional and financial stress began to take its toll, Christine reached out to Vinnies.

What did Vinnies do about it?

Through regular home visits, our Vinnies volunteers were able to provide assistance with:

• food packages and vouchers
• school supplies such as uniforms
• medical fees and monthly bills
• respite care, allowing a rare opportunity for Christine to relax and recharge her batteries while Jack received expert care round the clock and Lily got to play with children her own age

And just as importantly, they also offered companionship and moral support.

But this winter, many families may not be as fortunate as Christine’s.

What can I do about it?

Donate to the Vinnies Winter Appeal online, or call 13 18 12.

Celebrating the Bicentenary of Blessed Frederic Ozanam

April 23, 2013 marks the bicentenary of the St Vincent de Paul Society’s founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam. Today we invite you to celebrate with us his 200th birth anniversary, to honour his memory and observe the lasting legacy he has left.

Frederic’s actions have led to an international charitable organisation that now exists in 148 countries, and his vision is now supported by 780,000 members and 1.3 million volunteers, whose work helps 30 million people across the world every day.

Click to watch the animation.

Signed Finds Sport 2013

Calling all Sports fanatics! Vinnies Signed Finds is back with a sporting twist and we are giving YOU the opportunity to get your hands on signed merchandise from famous sporting legends.

Sports stars who have thrown their support behind Signed Finds include Lucas Neill, Rajo Rondo, Brett Lee, Pat Rafter, Shane Mumford, Shane Warne, Tim Cahill, Libby Trickett, the Geelong Cats and Waratahs.

From April 19 shirts will be hidden in shops and all you have to do is like our Signed Finds pages on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and clues on the whereabouts of the items.

If you happen to be the lucky new owner of a signed find, you can post up a photo of your win on Facebook and Twitter and share it with the rest of the world! Whether you score a signed find or another Vinnies treasure everything you buy (or donate!) supports people in the local community.