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

The house Don helped build

The 14th of February 1966 is known as the day Australia introduced decimal currency. The day also marked a significant moment in the life of Don Hewitt who began an association with the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW that has lasted 55 years.
Joining Vinnies as a 27-year-old as a means of living out his faith – “I’m not much good at prayer, but I’m pretty good at action” – Don was recently nominated alongside more than 5,500 people for an Australian of the Year award in recognition of his lifetime of community work.
Among Don’s greatest achievements during his time with the Society was helping to establish Freeman House in Armidale, a service designed to support regional people struggling with addiction.

Rich Text

Image

Spending his early years as a member of St Joseph’s Conference in Armidale supporting people through home visitations, Don identified a cohort of older homeless men who spent their time in local parks accompanied by flagons hidden under a brown paper bag.
“The police used to come around and they had no option but to put them in a jail cell for the night until they dried out, then put them on the street again,” recalls Don.
Making the decision as then incoming Regional President in 1979 to purchase the nearby Crescent Guest House for $25,000, a new Special Work – St Augustine’s – was formed specifically to support people struggling with addiction. The site was also designated as a proclaimed place which provided the police with a legal alternative where people in need could take a shower, enjoy a meal and find comfort in a new set of clothes.
“People found the comfort of the Society members and wanted to stay. Some of the best people who helped us were the people that we’d helped.”
Over time, the service was redeveloped with two adjoining properties purchased to offer additional programs, while funds provided by Vinnies and state and federal governments in the 2000s saw it transformed into a leading residential rehabilitation facility named after Cardinal James Freeman.
Today, Freeman House performs a vital role as the largest residential rehabilitation service in northern NSW. With the closest service offering withdrawal facilities located four hours away in Lismore and Newcastle, Freeman House acts as a haven offering long-term drug and alcohol rehabilitation, crisis accommodation, inpatient treatment, aftercare support and programs to accommodate patients with young children.
While much has changed at Freeman House over the past four decades, Don’s original intent of providing a supportive environment for people struggling with addiction remains as strong as ever.
“Whenever people set foot in Freeman House for the very first time, they’re on the road for success. Their efforts to get into Freeman House is a step in the right direction.”
<h3>Thanks to the support of donors like you, Freeman House has been able to help 875 adults over the past decade address addiction and rebuild their lives.</h3>