Time for change

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.

Other confronting statistics for Victoria are:

• 67,000+ people without a home.
• 37,000 people on Victoria’s critical housing list.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Victoria also leads the nation in people living in boarding houses (28%) and other temporary accommodations (5%).

All these figures highlight the ongoing housing crisis and the urgent need for solutions.

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

You can assist the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria in the following ways:

Vinnies CEO Sleepout

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. 

REGISTER OR DONATE

Winter Appeal

You can donate to our annual Winter Appeal to raise much-needed funds to support the Society's homelessness services. Each the appeal highlights a different aspect of homelessness.

DONATE