The St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia has more than 40,000 members and volunteers, who work hard to assist people in need and combat social injustice across Australia. Internationally, the Society operates in 150 countries and has over 800,000 members.
Our Mission:
The St Vincent de Paul Society is a lay Catholic organisation that aspires to live the gospel message by serving Christ in the
poor with love, respect, justice, hope and joy, and by working to shape a more just and compassionate society.
Our Vision:
The Society aspires to be recognised as a caring Catholic charity offering “a hand up” to people in need. We do this by respecting their dignity, sharing our hope, and encouraging them to take control of their own destiny.
I’D LIKE TO JOIN
Membership
There are three categories of membership of the Society:
Conference members are those who belong to the grassroots groups within the Society known as conferences. They live their Catholic faith in action through the spirit of Christian charity.
Associate members are those who are committed to the ethos, mission, aims and objects of the Society and who assist the work of the Society, but do not attend conference meetings.
Volunteer members are those who respect the ethos, mission, aims and objects of the Society and who volunteer in any of the Society’s works.
Conferences
A conference can be established within any community such as a parish, town, suburb, school, university, workplace, ethnic or social group providing they are endorsed by an appropriate Council within the Society. Conference members usually meet fortnightly, but at least monthly, and no work of charity is foreign to them. Together they visit people in their homes, in hospitals, institutions or wherever else they may be found needing aid or comfort. Conference work is not limited to home visitation, members also meet and pray together at others times.
What can I expect as a member of the Essendon conference?
A member of the Society is a volunteer who joins a conference and attends regular meetings which include scripture discussion, prayer, reflection and how to improve assistance given within the local conference area. A member takes part in the work of the Society providing assistance through charitable works including home visitation.
If you think you’d like to know more about becoming a member of the Essendon Conference of the St Vincent de Paul Society then please contact the President on esdon.conf.pres@svdp-vic.org.au.
I’D LIKE TO DONATE
You can donate to the Society by using the online donation facility at the following link https://www.vinnies.org.au/donate or by calling 13 18 12. Donations of $2 and more to the Society are tax deductible. Alternatively, there are deposit boxes at most entries to the church near the holy water – your gift is greatly appreciated and goes directly to assisting those in need in the Essendon area.
Donations of clothing and household goods can also be made at your local Vinnies shop. This donation will go towards assisting people in our local area.
Our local Vinnies Stores are:
155 Maribyrnong Rd
Ascot Vale VIC
481A Keilor Rd
Niddrie VIC
If you’d like to find out more about our local Soup Van (Footscray) please email soupvans@svdp-vic.org.au. You’ll find us every night of the week at Whitten Oval – Corner Barkly and Gordon St, Footscray at 8pm.
If you’d like to support a school student overseas in our region visit https://www.vinnies.org.au/page/Donate/Assist_a_Student_Program.
I NEED HELP
The Society provides the following services through contact with our Central Office Call Centre:
• Advocacy
• Aged Care facilities
• Budget counselling
• Care and support centres
• Childcare services
• Children’s activities and holiday programs
• Disability services
• Disaster recovery
• Drug and alcohol rehabilitation services
• Emergency accommodation
• Employment support services
• Friendship programs for people with a mental illness
• Home and hospital visitation
• Homeless accommodation and support services
• Low-cost food outlets
• Migrant and refugee support services
• Mobile food services
• Overseas support programs
• Prison visitation
• Refuge accommodation for women and children
• School-base mentoring programs
• Self-care aged units
• Subsidised accommodation for tertiary students
• Support programs for people with a mental illness
• Supported employment for people with a physical or mental disability
• Tutoring program for refugees
• Vinnies Centres
• Volunteer programs
• Youth drop-in centres
• Youth programs
If you find yourself in need, please call 1800 305 330.