St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria marks 50 years of soup vans with new hub to meet growing demand

St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria is set to open a new soup van hub to meet a 30 percent increase in demand for soup van assistance in the state’s south-east. 

With rising food insecurity across the state, the expansion marks the latest evolution in the service’s 50th year supporting Victorians in need.

To commemorate the milestone and celebrate the contributions of members, volunteers, donors and partners, the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria will host an event at Melbourne Town Hall on 22 May 2025. 

Since 1975, Vinnies Soup Vans have been providing Victorians with meals, providing an average of 800,000 a year to those in both metro and regional locations across the state.

Beginning as a humble grassroots response to hunger and social isolation, the 171-year-old charity’s fleet of 12 vans now operate 365 days a year, rain, hail or shine. 

Last financial year, the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria's Welfare Assistance Call Centre (1800 305 330) received 65,305 calls for assistance within metropolitan Melbourne.

Alarmingly, almost half of the $20.5 million St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria spent on assistance in the 2023-2024 was spent on providing food ($10.2 million).

Victorian Soup Van Operations Manager Toa Thredgold said: “Increasingly, we’re seeing people struggling with mortgage stress coming to us, saying, ‘I’ve never done this before, but I need help.’ I’ve had some incredibly moving experiences where I’ve come across someone who’s interacted with soup vans, and they’ve now overcome that difficult period in their life. I’ve seen them again, and they’ve been able to donate and give back to us. Whether people rely on the Soup Van for a few months or just a week, we want them to know we're here. If we can take food off their worry list, they can focus on essential things like rent, petrol, and medication.

“We continue to evolve the service, from providing hot meals, to our ‘pantry van’ model, where we offer fresh produce alongside pantry staples like pasta, long-life milk and long-life foods. As demand grows, we’re exploring new routes and expanding our reach to ensure no one goes without, but we can’t do it alone, every contribution makes a difference. Which is why we need help to bring even meals and hope to more Victorians.”

St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria CEO Dr Jennifer Fitzgerald AM said: “Our Vinnies Soup Vans have been more than just a meal – they have been a lifeline. Every night, our vans roll out to communities across Victoria, offering not only food but connection, compassion and hope. For many, it might be the only real conversation or moment of kindness they experience all day.

“From one humble van in Fitzroy, the service now delivers over 810,000 meals each year across Victoria. Fifty years on, the need for our services has never been greater. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we doubled our capacity almost overnight, launched tailored support like rough sleeper packs and haven’t slowed down since.

“Rising living costs are now pushing even more people, families, workers and the vulnerable into crisis. To meet this growing demand, we’re launching a new Vinnies Soup Van Hub in Hallam, combining operations to better serve Dandenong, Berwick and beyond, while strengthening our links into regional areas.

“Ultimately, it’s a commitment to meet people where they are, on their streets, in their neighbourhoods, with dignity and care.”

To learn more about Soup Vans and St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria's services, please visit www.vinnies.org.au/vic.

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ABOUT THE ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY:

The St Vincent de Paul Society and its wide network of members and volunteers provide practical frontline support, advocacy and friendship for the most vulnerable members of our community. Key services include home visitation; Vinnies Shops; youth programs; soup vans; assistance for asylum seekers and refugees; education and tutoring; and professional accommodation and health services through VincentCare. The St Vincent de Paul Society in Victoria has more than 10,000+ members and volunteers, and more than 60,000 across Australia. Internationally, the Society operates in 149 countries and has more than 950,000 members. To find out more visit www.vinnies.org.au/vic.