Just a phone call away: Picking up, and filling cups, at Vinnies

When she retired, Angela Tait knew one thing for certain. She wanted to give back.

After decades working in customer service and contact centres across the corporate, government and private sectors, she could easily have stepped back into a quiet retirement.

Instead, she chose to step forward and make a difference with Vinnies SA.

“I just wanted to offer my skills in any way I could,” she says. “For me, Vinnies was a natural choice.

“I grew up in Whyalla, where my mum volunteered with the Catholic Women’s League for 50 years, and I could see the same social justice philosophies at Vinnies SA.

“I saw firsthand how good works helped families doing it tough, so I knew that if I supported Vinnies, I would be supporting the things I care about.”

Connection across the generations

Coming from a strong Catholic family, Angela also had connections with the Society through her aunt, who worked in the Prospect Vinnies store.

“My family connections meant I was very aware of the good works that Vinnies does,” she explains. “I’ve always been aware of what a difference the Society makes.”

While community impact is a major inspiration for Angela, it’s her faith, grounded in the New Testament, that provides her most powerful moral compass for helping others.

“Being part of the North Adelaide Prospect Parish, having boarded at Cabra and sending her my own four children to Catholic schools, means my faith has never been separate from everyday life,” she says.

“We all need a hand from time to time, and it really can happen to anyone, so it’s important that we are there to help.”

As is often the case with volunteering, Angela’s journey to the assistance line at Vinnies SA’s offices in Adelaide CBD didn’t follow a straight line.

“I actually saw notices about volunteering in Vinnies stores, but I didn’t think the store was the best fit for me,” she says. “So, I called and asked if there was something else, and the assistance line coordinator gave me the opportunity to work on the assistance line.”

A phone call that changed everything

In one of life’s ironic moments, it was that phone call that changed everything for Angela.

Today, she is back on the phone, but this time she is helping other people who have called Vinnies, and supporting people from all walks of life.

“Some calls happen because of a job loss. Some are because of domestic violence. Others are from people who are simply lonely and need someone to listen,” she says.

“There’s a wide range of areas to help, and every situation is different,” she says.

“For those three to five minutes, you have a connection with the person at the end of the line. You assist them, but you also provide them with hope, you walk with them, and you brighten their day,” she says.

It is work that requires empathy, patience and strength - but also skill.

“I spent years in highly regulated government departments so I learnt how to listen carefully and navigate complex systems. At Vinnies, I use those skills, but I’m also able to enjoy a more rewarding experience,” says Angela.

“I can do that because at Vinnies it isn’t just a process,” she says. “It’s personal, it’s immediate and I’m able to put respect and dignity at the heart of every interaction.”

In those brief conversations, Angela says she sees how powerful it is to simply listen.

The power of a listening ear

“To have someone listening, caring and understanding is so important. And I often think, there but for the grace of God.”

As a chatty, extrovert who genuinely enjoys engaging with people, Angela has exactly the right kind of energy for the Vinnies assistance line.

She also values the diversity she sees there, both in the volunteers and in the community members she is grateful to be able to assist.

“I love that we help everyone, without boundaries, and that there is lots of diversity,” she says.

When she’s not volunteering, Angela enjoys hiking - and she recently completed the Portuguese Camino Trail pilgrimage.

That journey, like her volunteering, was about connection, reflection and walking alongside others for a time.

Her story is a reminder that there is no single path into volunteering, and that whether you are recently retired, building new skills, seeking connection or simply wanting to give back, there is a place for you to do something that is deeply impactful.

It also shows how volunteering doesn’t just support others, because when the fit is right, it’s something that can make you feel truly whole.

“It fills my cup,” she says simply.

If you would like to find out about volunteering at Vinnies SA, please visit the Vinnies SA website at: https://www.vinnies.org.au/get-involved/volunteering