Share
Drive the change
Everyone deserves an affordable and safe home. It is a fundamental human right. We are dedicated to addressing challenges that can cause people to face homelessness - whether they are single, part of a family, children, teenagers, young or elderly adults.
The St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria's homelessness services offer comprehensive support to prevent vulnerable individuals from experiencing homelessness. With “wrap-around” assistance and programs, we address the root causes of homelessness and provide ongoing care to help people rebuild their lives.
2023-2024 | $2,914,723 ASSISTANCE PROVIDED
2023-2024 Impact Report
Could you become homeless?
Yes, homelessness can happen to anyone. Many of us might only be a pay check away from experiencing this issue. Its causes are diverse and include factors such as a lack of affordable housing, unemployment, family violence, job loss, mental health challenges, professional burnout and relationship breakdowns.
The definition of homelessness goes beyond just sleeping rough on the streets. These days you might have heard terms such as 'hidden homelessness', 'working homeless' and 'the new poor' which all relate to homelessness issues. It’s when people have temporary or unstable accommodation, can't pay the rent although they are actually earning a salary.
Victoria is impacted the worst when it comes to homelessness. On Census night 2021, the number of Victorians without a home soared by 24% compared to 2016 and the average of 5% nationally, revealing a distressing rise in housing insecurity in our state.
Some of our service statistics are:
Welfare Assistance Call Centre, 2024 data:
-
- Local conferences, Dandenong, Dandenong North, Doveton and Noble Park, allocated 80%
of total funds provided for food-related support, including vouchers and food purchases. - Nearly half (46%) of calls to our call centre went unmet due to volunteer groups reaching their daily capacity, leaving many in urgent need without assistance.
- Local conferences, Dandenong, Dandenong North, Doveton and Noble Park, allocated 80%
Vinnies Soup Vans:
-
- Melton Soup Van is feeding 65% more people than at the same time in 2024.
- Berwick Soup Van has seen a 50% increase on the number of meals provided compared to the same time in the previous financial year.
- South Eastern Hub (including Dandenong and Endeavour Hills Soup Vans) is feeding 35% more people than at the same time last year.
What do Vinnies do?
- Emergency financial support: We pay for emergency accommodation for people facing hardship or crisis, such as a mum escaping family violence. Our first priority is to get people somewhere safe with a roof over their head.
- Soup Van Service: Our Soup Van hubs deliver meals to rough sleepers and people living in low-cost or temporary accommodation every night.
- No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS): People on low incomes can access no-interest credit to pay for essential household goods and expenses.
- Housing & Homelessness assistance: Our specialised homelessness service and provider, VincentCare, assists some of Victoria’s most vulnerable communities into housing.
Ways you can help
Vinnies CEO Sleepout
#DriveTheChange
The St Vincent de Paul Society's annual flagship fundraising event is held in June to support our good works and homelessness services. CEOs, business and community leaders sleep out on one of the coldest nights of the year to gain just a small insight into what people experiencing homelessness deal with every night. You can be part of this event and help us raise awareness and funds for our services.
Winter Appeal
You can donate to our annual Winter Appeal to raise much-needed funds to support the Society's homelessness services. This year your gift will assist vulnerable people like sisters, Abigail and Isabella who were caught in a life of housing instability, homelessness and neglect. Abigail and Isabella grew up in a volatile household that was ultimately upended when their parents separated. They stayed with their mother who moved interstate but their situation did not improve with isolation from family and friends, housing instability and anxiety levels rising. They decided to returned and live with their father but endured an overcrowded apartment with no respite from the trauma. Eventually the sisters went out on their own and were accepted for temporary accommodation which put them in touch with Vinnies. Since then the sisters' life have stabilised and keeps getting better.
Drive the change
Meet Abigail & Isabella
Stability was one of the things Abigail and Isabella were looking for and finally found with the help of Vinnies.
Meet Rick
Following his divorce and health issues Rick was alone and found himself living in an old caravan, 25 kilometres from the nearest town.
Meet Bec
Escaping from her violent home, Bec left and found herself living in her car. By chance she found food and support from our volunteers.
Meet Luke & Colin
Luke is one of the working homeless and, along with dad Colin, has experienced housing hardship.
Share this page