50 years of soup vans

On Thursday 22 May 2025, more than 200 Vinnies Soup Van volunteers, supporters, members and friends gathered at Melbourne Town Hall for a special thank-you event honouring the 5,000+ Vinnies Soup Van volunteers who have served over the years.

These dedicated volunteers (affectionately known as ‘Vannies’) have selflessly given their time - night after night, every night of the year - for 50 years, offering food and the warm hand of friendship to people experiencing hardship.

From a group of young people serving vegetable soup from the back of a Ford Bedford van to men sleeping rough in Fitzroy back in 1975, the service now provides over 800,000 meals a year to people from all walks of life, with demand growing rapidly.  

Guests were warmly welcomed to Wurundjeri country by Colin Hunter Jr Jr, followed by an address from The Hon. Jacinta Allan, Premier of Victoria. 

The Premier said, “For 50 years, the Vannies have been a quiet force of compassion – offering warm meals, dignity and care to those doing it tough. As more families struggle with the cost of living, their support matters more than ever. They don't seek recognition – they just keep showing up, and our state is better because of them.”

Lord Mayor of Melbourne Nicholas Reece paid tribute to the Vannies, spoke of his own connection to St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria through participating in the first Vinnies CEO Sleepout 15 years ago, and his family connection through his father Mike Reece, a long time Greythorn Conference member, who visits people in the Carlton public housing towers. 

Lord Mayor Reece encouraged leaders to participate in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout, and affirmed the commitment he and the City of Melbourne have to ending homelessness, a goal shared by St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria. 

Victorian State President of St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Michael Quinn spoke of his lifelong connection to the Society, and Group CEO Dr Jennifer Fitzgerald AM launched the bold $5 million plan to expand soup van services across Victoria over the next three years. The aim this year is for the Victorian chapter of the Vinnies CEO Sleepout to raise $1.8 million to expand the soup van service to meet the growing need. 

The event MC was Charlie Spendlove, the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria’s Executive General Manger of Brand & Commercial, and the Mayor of Maribyrnong Pradeep Tiwari (Footscray, where we are building 192 new social housing, is located within the City of Maribyrnong) promised to spend a night volunteering on the soup van soon. 

From all of us at St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria, thank you again to each and every one of you who has volunteered on a Vinnies Soup Van over the last 50 years. Your efforts have made such a difference to the lives of so many.