rebuilding lives - vincent de paul lives a newsletter for supporters of the st vincent de paul...

REBUILDING LIVES

A NEWSLETTER FOR SUPPORTERS OF THE ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY VICTORIA

SOCIETY

FITZROY SOUP VAN - 40 YEARS OF SERVICE

SLEEPING ROUGH FOR A CAUSE

KEEPING YOUNG PEOPLE ENGAGED

SEPTEMBER2015

DEAR FRIENDSThere is nothing more powerful than a person telling you their story sharing their hardship And there is nothing more uplifting than connecting with people assisting them and walking a journey with them This is what the Societyrsquos members do every day

The Societyrsquos Winter Appeal has so far raised over $980000 which is an amazing contribution from the community On behalf of the Society and particularly on behalf of those who seek our assistance when they become

homeless or are sleeping rough couch-surfing or living in unheated boarding house rooms thank you for your generosity With your continuing support we are helping to transform the lives of those who are disadvantaged marginalised or socially isolated in the community

Social Justice in the City presentations are held on the last Wednesday of each month February to November at St Francis Pastoral Centre corner Lonsdale and Elizabeth Streets Melbourne from 12 noon until 1 pm You are invited to attend the next presentation on Wednesday 30th September Our guest speaker that day will be Professor Ruth Webber the Australian Catholic University Professor Webberrsquos presentation is entitled ldquoCatholic Prison Ministry a light at the end of the tunnelrdquo I look forward to your joining us for that or future presentations during 2015

I hope you enjoy this edition of Society which will keep you informed about the many good works of St Vincent de Paul Society in Victoria

Best wishes

Michael LiddyState PresidentSt Vincent de Paul Society Victoria

This years Winter Appeal theme was framed around lsquorebuilding livesrsquo and focused on a story about Grace a mother who lost everything and struggled to care for her son Jack until Vinnies stepped in When Jack was two years old he was diagnosed with autism Not long after Graces marriage ended and she lost her job Suddenly Grace was alone with no income looking after Jack full-time Thatrsquos when she turned to Vinnies for help Ever since wersquove been helping her pay for Jackrsquos medical care keep a roof over their heads and food on their table

Your ongoing support and generosity has helped us reach out to so many people in some of their darkest moments and enables us to do what we do best rebuild lives

To date we have raised over $980000 for our 2015 Winter Appeal which will go towards the Societys various good works in the community Thank you for your ongoing and generous support and for giving hope to those facing hardships this winter

Vinnies has also been fortunate to have Sumo Salad supporting our Winter Appeal this year Their heat up the street campaign asked the public to help make a difference to those in need one soup at a time For every picture of Sumo Salads Soup Slammer that was shared on social media with the heatupthestreet hashtag the cost of a soup was donated to Vinnies Winter Appeal nationally Thanks Sumo Salad

REBUILDING LIVES

2 SOCIETY | SEPTEMBER 2015 SOCIETY | SEPTEMBER 2015 3

PLEASE MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY DONATING TO VINNIES AT VINNIESORGAUDONATE

Visit us online at vinniesorgauwinterappeal or call 13 18 12

$50 CAN HELP US REBUILD LIVES

Give here to the Vinnies Winter Appeal

CLIENT Vinnies JOB NUMBERSTVIN0010 KEY NUMBER PARISHSTORE CAPTION WINTER APPEAL PRODUCTION WINTER APPEAL

TRIM SIZE 594X420 SCALE A2 COLOURS Process DEADLINE 300315 IMAGES POS

PUBLICATIONS

STVIN0010 Winter Street Appeal Parish Store A2 posterindd 1 30032015 515 pm

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORTYour generosity has allowed us in 20142015 to provide

Over $10 million of emergency financial and material assistance to adults and children experiencing hardship This includes help with utility bills food transportation education accommodation etc

Kids activities such as roadshow and Kids Camps to over 500 children and teens

Our six soup vans provided over 200000 meals throughout the year

Our educational programs provided over 8280 tutoring hours to students experiencing disadvantage

Society is produced by Marketing and Fundraising St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc

ABN 28 911 702 061 Supervising Editor Shannon Anderson Editor and Designer Jenny Duong

Correspondence can be sent to fundraisingsvdp-vicorgau

REWARD GOOD SAY THNX CHANGE THE WORLDVinnies in Victoria have partnered with Good Thnx the worldrsquos first peer-to-peer thanking platform that makes it easy to reward good

We see the generosity of Australians every day whether giving their time unneeded goods or money Good Thnx provides an easy way to recognise and reward these people - and hopefully encourage them and others to do more and spread the good vibes

To be part of something amazing visit bitlyvinniesthnx



Recent studies reveal a growing gap between students who experience disadvantage and their more well-off peers In this context the Dandenong Tutoring Program was established and offers a ldquohand uprdquo through the educational support of young people We offer free tutoring for students from Grade 5 to Year 12 in the areas of literacy and numeracy while promoting personal and social confidence The majority of students are from culturally and linguistically diverse families and many have complex social cultural educational or personal backgrounds

In the last 12 months the program has provided over 8280 tutoring hours over 6600 volunteer hours including preparation planning and organisation and over 4140 morning snacks to feed healthy and active minds

However the impact of the Dandenong Tutoring Program cannot simply be measured in numbers It is much more significantly measured in the personal impact of our everyday encounters and the transformative nature of the relationships we form It is always a privilege to be part of peoplersquos stories and it is always an honour to be entrusted with the care and support of young people and their families hopeful for and working towards a better future

At the program we regularly encounter a great strength of spirit and witness the value of positive and supportive relationships From a Grade 5 girl who excitedly told us that she had the courage to answer a question in front of her class for the first time ever to the Year 10 boy who asked for support to fill out a scholarship application for VCE From a mum who spends two hours practicing in order to be able to do a Grade 2 reader with her child to the Grade 4 girl who cried and grieved as she told us of the fears she faces having to return to her country of origin and her dream of returning to Australia

Our vision is to keep young people engaged in education engaged in community and engaged in life

To support the Dandenong Tutoring Program visit bitlydandenongtutoring

Michelle Pereira Youth and Education Development Manager


When I first came I was very shy but now I am more confident and I have friends

Mona Year 5

Thank you My kids happy here and doing good at school now You do good work

Parent

I can quite unequivocally say that my experience here has been among the most rewarding teaching experiences I have had

Walter retired teacher volunteer for 3 years

This winter has seen many schools and community groups braving the elements and sleeping out for a cause Homelessness is a problem often overlooked and misunderstood by the wider community The Vinnies School and Community Sleepouts help students and community members to connect with and better understand the issue of homelessness

All funds raised from school and community sleepout events are utilised by St Vincent de Paul Society to support people experiencing hardship within the same community where local funds were raised

This year we have received over 40 registrations for local events to date Itrsquos been great to see returning groups continuing their support and so many new groups taking the initiative to register and brave the cold A huge thank you to all that have fundraised and supported the Vinnies School and Community Sleepout in 2015

If yoursquore interested in hosting a Vinnies School or Community Sleepout or would like to find out more information visit vinniessleepoutgofundraisecomau or contact Nic Horton Community Engagement Coordinator on 9895 5924

VINNIES SCHOOL amp COMMUNITY SLEEPOUTS

ldquoWe stayed around the fire pit for several hours One of our students told us of his experience as a young child when he spent several months homeless on the streets with his brother after running away from foster careSeveral of our kids are regular couch surfers who intermittently get kicked out of or leave home

This is my third Sleepout with students and I still find it a worthwhile experience for the kids and an eye opening one for myselfrdquo

Teacher Swan Hill College FLO Campus

ldquoLast night we did not just brave the elements to raise money for the homeless but in defiance to accepting homelessness in Australia Since every human being is of infinite value it is not for us to judge their circumstance but to decide whether we wish to extend them the right and the dignity of being humanrdquo

Johnny Bosch Australia

Bosch Australia Sleepout team packing toiletry packs to donate to us Bosch Australia Sleepout

Kaniva College Sleepout Swan Hill FLO Sleepout Preshil Sleepout



SLEEPING ROUGH FOR A CAUSEOn June 18 Vinnies Victoria held their sixth Vinnies CEO Sleepout This event sees CEOs and community leaders sleep rough for the night to raise awareness of homelessness and money to support Vinnies homeless services

On the night itself 213 CEOs and community leaders took part in the event and raised over $1 million more than double what was raised in 2014

After registering participants were given two pieces of cardboard and claimed their space on the steps of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Following a meal provided by the Vinnies soup vans participants then had the opportunity to talk with Vinnies Service Managers at our service expo

The nightrsquos formalities were opened by Martin Foley Minister for Housing Disability and Ageing and consisted of a panel of speakers talking about their experiences

of being homeless supported by VincentCare Service Managers working in the area Participants then bedded down on their cardboard in a chilly 7 degrees

Vinnies will use the money raised from the CEO Sleepout to continue to provide responses both in early intervention and prevention of homelessness and in delivering programs designed to offer a safe haven and potential to break out of the homeless cycle

Thank you to all those who participated in the event donated to the appeal and supported the event through their sponsorships We hope to see you next year on 23 June 2016

2015 Top Fundraisers

Gretel Packer Crown Resorts Foundation $206787 Vedran Drakulic Gandel Philanthropy $33090 Ian Grisold St Vincents Private Hospital $27150

This is the fifth year that Craig Dent CEO of State Trustees slept rough at the Vinnies CEO Sleepout This year though was different For the first time Craig was joined by his entire Executive Team Together they raised over $40000 for Vinnies homeless services

Craig was first motivated to participate in the CEO Sleepout when he learnt the story of his great-grandfather Abandoned as a child Craigrsquos great-grandfather and his siblings lived on the streets scrounging food where they could Learning of this motivated Craig to find out more about homelessness in Australia and he was shocked to discover just how many people this affects particularly women and children

Having participated in the CEO Sleepout previously Craig wanted to broaden his organisationrsquos involvement so this year his Executive Team also participated ldquoMy team didnrsquot know what to expect on the night but I enjoyed watching them get behind the cause and increase their knowledge about homelessnessrdquo

With more staff participating this year there were a series of fundraising events in the office ldquoOur staff love fundraisers involving food This year we had chocolate drives an Anzac Day lunch and regular lsquotea trolleysrsquo where staff bake items for others to buy We also offered staff massages and self-defence courses where a portion of the cost went to the Sleepout appeal Another popular fundraiser was a raffle which local businesses donated items tordquo

Craig enjoyed contributing to the CEO Sleepout in a new and different way ldquoWith my whole Executive Team participating I knew my fundraising effect was multiplied and when they spoke to others more people got behind the cause to help combat homelessnessrdquo

AN EXECUTIVE TEAM MAKING A DIFFERENCE

The CEO Sleepout was an enlightening experience that allowed me to gain a deeper appreciation of the challenges around homelessness The level of interest and discussion created in the workplace was great to see and had a big impact across the organisation

Nial Finegan CEO Environment Protection Authority

The Vinnies team were wonderful and I would highly recommend the CEO Sleepout to others looking to learn more about homelessness and raise funds for a very worthy cause

David Spriggs CEO Infoxchange

I tried to look away from homeless people on the streets as I was walking past them now I look at them in a totally different way

Marco Iacobaccio Managing Director EJM Financial Group

State Trustees Executive Team at the 2015 Vinnies CEO Sleepout

Ian Grisold St Vincents Private Hospital Melbourne

L-R Vedran Drakulic Gandel Philanthropy David Southwick MP Member for Caufield David Marlow Jewish Community Council of Victoria



Households are going without food and other essentials and are unable to pay bills as cost of living pressures rise According to a new survey by consumer group Choice decreasing affordability of electricity petrol and food are the biggest concerns for consumers

Gavin Dufty St Vincent de Paul Society Victorias Manager of Policy amp Research says that households feel cost pressures at different times some households are unable to pay for essential services so they get disconnected when big winter energy bills come around and so households will go without things Some parents will go without food so the kids can eat Older people will not fill their prescriptions

But Mr Dufty said there are ways consumers could save on their energy bill by first getting informed and shopping around for the best deals To read more about our research work into energy prices and relative price index visit vinniesorgauenergy

COST OF LIVING PRESSURES FORCING FAMILIES TO GO WITHOUT ESSENTIALS

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS THROUGH ARTCan you change the way people see the world through an image

Throughout May and June the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria held its first school poster competition for primary and secondary schools Based around the theme lsquoWho are the people in need in Australia in 2015rsquo students were challenged to create a poster which educates encourages and urges people to help those in need in the community The participants had the opportunity to use their creative talents to promote a cause they are passionate about and truly make a difference

Participating schools were asked to choose their own winners from the entries which were sent to the St Vincent de Paul Central Office to be distributed for display at Vinnies stores around the state and showcased on social media Each winning student received a $25 gift card to spend at a Vinnies store

The showcase of the posters will raise awareness for important issues such as homelessness and poverty and will demonstrate to the wider public the passion and conviction of students for Social Justice causes

Cheyne Pettit MampD Officer - Secondary Schools Liaison

THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THOSE IN NEED WARMWe would like to thank Jenny Macklin MPs office and the local community of Jagajaga as well as Vicki Ward MP and Anthony Carbines MPs offices for their generous support and donations of warm clothing blankets new socks beanies and scarves that we were able to hand out to those experiencing hardship this past winter through our Soup Van services

A big thanks also to NAB Brimbank Shopping Centre Ward Avenue and Bentleigh Kindergartens and everyone who generously donated winter items toiletry packs and tinned food to our Winter Appeal

A GIFT IN MY WILL WAS AN EASY DECISIONKathleen came to Australia from Scotland in 1953 as a teenager with her mother and sister Kathleen was a sole parent raising five children and although she didnrsquot ask for help from the Society she knew it was available as her husband was involved in the Society

Bringing up five children was not easy After the children were grown she used her skills as a social worker and began volunteering at Emergency Relief Centres Vinnies shops and Ozanam House on and off for the past 35 years Today Kathleen is an active Society conference member and attends mass each day

For over 35 years l have seen firsthand how the lives of so many people have been touched by the work done by St Vincent de Paul Society And lrsquove been grateful to have played my own small part in that work

ldquoBeing involved with the Society has been a wonderful experience My decision to include a gift in my will to St Vincent de Paul Society was an easy one I am grateful for the work they do the work l can do for others and who knows when l may need helprdquo

Like Kathleen if you have already included St Vincent de Paul Society in your Will or would like to find out how to

include a bequest to St Vincent de Paul Society please contact Sharon Wangman Bequest Manager on 9895 5821 for a caring and confidential conversation

Kathleen St Vincent de Paul Society Bequestor

Artwork by Monique Babic Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs

Artwork by James Chapman St Annes Sunbury



In May Vinnies in Victoria launched the Found it at Vinnies campaign Found it at Vinnies is all about showing how you can mix key pieces from Vinnies shops with items you already own to create a fresh new look Op-shopping isnrsquot just for those who love vintage and quirky clothing ndash itrsquos about finding that key piece and adding it to your wardrobe

As part of the campaign launch we ran a Facebook competition to find the best Vinnies inspired outfit We asked our op-shop lovers to share a picture of their favourite Vinnies finds with the most voted look winning a $500 shopping spree at Vinnies

To keep updated with everything Vinnies Shops related or be one of the first people to be notified about competitions subscribe to our mailing list at bitlyvinniesmail or follow us on Facebook at bitlyvinniesfacebook

FITZROY SOUP VAN - 40 YEARS OF SERVICEThe first Vinnies Soup Van Service commenced operation in Fitzroy Melbourne in 1975 and started out with very humble beginnings where volunteers used to walk the streets of Melbourne looking for and visiting places where people were sleeping rough Much more established today and with the same humble spirit the Fitzroy Soup Van is supported by over 600 volunteers who selflessly give their time and energy to people who are experiencing hardships in the Fitzroy and inner areas of Melbourne A number of our volunteers have been serving on the Soup Van since it started in 1975

Whilst the food offered is important to nourish and sustain people experiencing a food shortage equally or even more important are the friendships that are formed between the lsquoVanniesrsquo and the people being served The stories from the streets that the lsquoVanniesrsquo are privileged to hear are highly respected and held sacred ndash they stay with the lsquoVanniesrsquo for the rest of their lives and provide a source of courage and inspiration for their continued service The lives touched and transformed through the Soup Van Service cannot be measured but the lsquoVanniesrsquo go home each night knowing that they have made a difference that day to someone in need

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Fitzroy Soup Van Service and we would like to thank all our volunteers partners and staff for their daily efforts and valuable contribution in ensuring our Soup Van Services are able to operate and help those experiencing disadvantage every night of the year

Danusia Kaska Soup Van Operations Manager

THANK YOU TASTY TRUCKSFor over the past 20 years Tasty Trucks have provided our Soup Vans in Victoria with almost 150000 quality fresh meals per year As well as providing fresh food every day Tasty Trucks has also played a major role in helping us build and maintain our vans

Thank you Tasty Trucks for your ongoing support For more information on becoming a corporate partner sponsor or supporter of the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria please contact Lucy Menting Corporate Relations Manager at lucymentingsvdp-vicorgau

FOUND IT AT VINNIES

At Vinnies wersquore committed to the ongoing improvement of our shops network It is our goal to ensure that our stores are a great place to shop We are planning to upgrade many of our existing stores and open new stores in areas of high demand In the last six months new stores have opened up in Rosebud and South Morang We have also refreshed our Hoppers Crossing and Hampton stores To find your local Vinnies Shop visit bitlyvinniesshops

NEW VINNIES SHOPS

St Vincent de Paul Society of Victoria43 Prospect StreetBox Hill Victoria 3128

Phone (03) 9895 5800 Fax (03) 9895 5850 Email infosvdp-vicorgau

PLEASE MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY DONATING TO VINNIES AT

VINNIESORGAU

facebookcomStVincentdePaulSocietyVictoria VinniesVictoria VinniesVictoriaCONNECT WITH US

AS WE CONTINUE TO OPERATE MORE COST EFFECTIVELY WE ASK THAT DONATIONS ARE MADE

ONLINE RATHER THAN BY PHONE

DONATE

FEEL GOOD SHOPPINGFeel good knowing that by donating goods or shopping at Vinnies you are making a difference Every item sold at a Vinnies shop generates funds that helps us to support people experiencing hardship in the community By shopping at Vinnies your purchase always makes a difference

DEAR FRIENDSThere is nothing more powerful than a person telling you their story sharing their hardship And there is nothing more uplifting than connecting with people assisting them and walking a journey with them This is what the Societyrsquos members do every day

The Societyrsquos Winter Appeal has so far raised over $980000 which is an amazing contribution from the community On behalf of the Society and particularly on behalf of those who seek our assistance when they become

homeless or are sleeping rough couch-surfing or living in unheated boarding house rooms thank you for your generosity With your continuing support we are helping to transform the lives of those who are disadvantaged marginalised or socially isolated in the community

Social Justice in the City presentations are held on the last Wednesday of each month February to November at St Francis Pastoral Centre corner Lonsdale and Elizabeth Streets Melbourne from 12 noon until 1 pm You are invited to attend the next presentation on Wednesday 30th September Our guest speaker that day will be Professor Ruth Webber the Australian Catholic University Professor Webberrsquos presentation is entitled ldquoCatholic Prison Ministry a light at the end of the tunnelrdquo I look forward to your joining us for that or future presentations during 2015

I hope you enjoy this edition of Society which will keep you informed about the many good works of St Vincent de Paul Society in Victoria

Best wishes

Michael LiddyState PresidentSt Vincent de Paul Society Victoria

This years Winter Appeal theme was framed around lsquorebuilding livesrsquo and focused on a story about Grace a mother who lost everything and struggled to care for her son Jack until Vinnies stepped in When Jack was two years old he was diagnosed with autism Not long after Graces marriage ended and she lost her job Suddenly Grace was alone with no income looking after Jack full-time Thatrsquos when she turned to Vinnies for help Ever since wersquove been helping her pay for Jackrsquos medical care keep a roof over their heads and food on their table

Your ongoing support and generosity has helped us reach out to so many people in some of their darkest moments and enables us to do what we do best rebuild lives

To date we have raised over $980000 for our 2015 Winter Appeal which will go towards the Societys various good works in the community Thank you for your ongoing and generous support and for giving hope to those facing hardships this winter

Vinnies has also been fortunate to have Sumo Salad supporting our Winter Appeal this year Their heat up the street campaign asked the public to help make a difference to those in need one soup at a time For every picture of Sumo Salads Soup Slammer that was shared on social media with the heatupthestreet hashtag the cost of a soup was donated to Vinnies Winter Appeal nationally Thanks Sumo Salad

REBUILDING LIVES



Visit us online at vinniesorgauwinterappeal or call 13 18 12

$50 CAN HELP US REBUILD LIVES

Give here to the Vinnies Winter Appeal

CLIENT Vinnies JOB NUMBERSTVIN0010 KEY NUMBER PARISHSTORE CAPTION WINTER APPEAL PRODUCTION WINTER APPEAL

TRIM SIZE 594X420 SCALE A2 COLOURS Process DEADLINE 300315 IMAGES POS

PUBLICATIONS

STVIN0010 Winter Street Appeal Parish Store A2 posterindd 1 30032015 515 pm

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORTYour generosity has allowed us in 20142015 to provide

Over $10 million of emergency financial and material assistance to adults and children experiencing hardship This includes help with utility bills food transportation education accommodation etc

Kids activities such as roadshow and Kids Camps to over 500 children and teens

Our six soup vans provided over 200000 meals throughout the year

Our educational programs provided over 8280 tutoring hours to students experiencing disadvantage

Society is produced by Marketing and Fundraising St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc

ABN 28 911 702 061 Supervising Editor Shannon Anderson Editor and Designer Jenny Duong

Correspondence can be sent to fundraisingsvdp-vicorgau

REWARD GOOD SAY THNX CHANGE THE WORLDVinnies in Victoria have partnered with Good Thnx the worldrsquos first peer-to-peer thanking platform that makes it easy to reward good

We see the generosity of Australians every day whether giving their time unneeded goods or money Good Thnx provides an easy way to recognise and reward these people - and hopefully encourage them and others to do more and spread the good vibes

To be part of something amazing visit bitlyvinniesthnx












Mona Year 5


Parent










































































FOUND IT AT VINNIES


NEW VINNIES SHOPS




VINNIESORGAU




DONATE













Mona Year 5


Parent










































































FOUND IT AT VINNIES


NEW VINNIES SHOPS




VINNIESORGAU




DONATE





























































FOUND IT AT VINNIES


NEW VINNIES SHOPS




VINNIESORGAU




DONATE





VINNIESORGAU




DONATE


rebuilding lives - vincent de paul lives a newsletter for supporters of the st vincent de paul...

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