St Vincent de Paul Society Australia genetic logo

The St Vincent de Paul Society offers over 200 services that help people in need.

Safeguarding

Find Help

Membership NSW

Volunteering NSW

Careers NSW

Join the Social Justice Network

Vinnies Service Medallion

Vinnies Youth NSW

Donations of goods and services NSW

Gifts in Wills

Philanthropy

Fundraise for Vinnies NSW

Clothing drives, toy collections and food hampers

Corporate partnerships NSW

Financial donations NSW

Sponsorship NSW

Cause related marketing campaigns NSW

Workplace giving - community support NSW

Vinnies and the Return and Earn Scheme

Vinnies Bag O Rags

Vinnies re/CYCLE range

Vinnies Used Cooking Oil Recycling (VUCOR)

Get involved

Get Involved

<h1>Vinnies Shops</h1>
Everything you buy or donate inspires change in your local community.

Vinnies Shops

Shops

Social Justice Statements

Reports and Submissions

Modern Anti-Slavery Statements

Reconciliation Action Plan

Uluru Statement Resources

Energy NSW

Disability Inclusion Action Plan

Advocacy

About us

Contact Us

History NSW

NSW Strategic Plan

Leadership NSW

Policies NSW

Mission and Formation

About Us

News and stories

NSW Media Releases

Vision Magazine

Impact Magazine

NSW Blog

Your Kind of Good Magazine

NSW Disaster Reports

NSW Annual Reports

News and Stories

| Vinnies

Home

ACT & surrounds

New South Wales

Northern Territory

Queensland

South Australia

Tasmania

Victoria

Western Australia

National Council

SVdP Housing Australia

“It’s Never Too Late”

Domestic and family violence is alarmingly common, with one woman per week killed at the hands her a current or previous partner. To help support the many women who represent this shocking statistic, Vinnies provides 16 services tailored to relationship violence support across the state.
<h3>Jenny’s Story</h3>
Jenny was assisted by one of the Domestic Violence Refuges in NSW.
Escaping domestic violence, Jenny was faced with impossible choices at every turn. With three small children to think of, getting out of her situation was far from easy. Not only was Jenny’s husband routinely violent towards her, he even attacked her while she was pregnant.
Jenny had no illusions as to what a tough choice it would be to leave. “I didn’t have a roof over my head,” she says, “I didn’t have anything to eat, I didn’t know anyone.” But she found her courage, and took the impossible choice. “A wife would have stepped back, but a mother has to step forward,” she says.

Rich Text

Image

Despite the risks Jenny decided to find a way out for the sake of her children. “It took me a lot of time, she says. “It took me eight years to say ‘no’, but it’s never too late, as they say. I just hope that no one else has to face the situation that I have: but if they have, they should say ‘no’ straight away.”
By the time she arrived at one of our domestic violence refuges in NSW, Jenny felt like she’d lost her humanity. But the refuge gave her breathing space to heal and grow as a person. “I came to know that I was still human when I was in the refuge, because it was a place where I could focus on myself as well,” says Jenny.
Meanwhile, Vinnies case workers assisted her with Centrelink, Medicare, and bank applications to help her stand on her own two feet. “I can say this,” Jenny explains, “that if I am standing and I am strong it’s because of these people. Because I was scattered, I was hopeless in every way… now I am starting to go out and see the world, expand and explore more of the world and what it looks like.”
The Supre Foundation has generously donated $66,593 so far to Vinnies to help us provide critical support to girls and women across the country impacted by COVID-19, specifically to victims of domestic violence during this unprecedented time. We are so grateful for the Supré community in helping us continue to provide crisis accommodation and shelter, and long-term support and friendship, for women and children wanting to build new lives and move away from relationship violence. In addition, from now until end of December, 100% of proceeds from all Supré Foundation products will be donated between Vinnies, Food Bank and Beyond Blue to help with food, shelter and mental health services for vulnerable women during this uncertain time.
You can make a difference with a Supre Foundation tote, lip balm, tissue pack or mints. They have also recently added a Supre Foundation mask to the collection to help curb the spread during COVID-19.