The Trustees of the Society of St Vincent de Paul (NSW) ABN: 46 472 591 335 Ozanam Village 2C West Street Lewisham NSW 2049 PO Box 5 Petersham NSW 2049
Press release October 14 2009
Telephone: (02) 9560 8666 Facsimile: (02) 9550 9383 Email: vinnies@vinnies.org.au Website: www.vinnies.org.au Donation Hotline: 13 18 12
Governor of NSW opens landmark Vinnies service for homeless families Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of New South Wales, today opened the St Vincent de Paul Society’s Vincentian House, a landmark new centre in inner-city Sydney for homeless families with children. Vincentian House is a direct response to the increasing rise in family homelessness experienced by the St Vincent de Paul Society across NSW. It will accommodate single fathers and mothers, two-parent families and single women and will provide access to a range of on-site services and agencies, including Centrelink. “This wonderful new purpose-built service will provide stability, dignity, support, comfort and the chance to address issues for many of the families who find themselves with nowhere to live,” Wendy Rocks, executive officer, Client Services, St Vincent de Paul Society, said today. “Every night in Sydney there are countless families who are forced to find somewhere to stay, whether that be in crisis accommodation, on a friend’s couch, or in the back of a car. Come nightfall, these people are often left wondering where they will put their children to bed, and in many instances the only solution they can find is far from safe or comfortable.” Vincentian House has 23 self-contained, fully-equipped family units; with the flexibility to accommodate families of up to seven, and 10 single women’s beds. It is bright and modern, with designated and wellequipped children’s indoor and outdoor play areas and a separate media room for teenagers. A rooftop garden offers children the chance to play outside and their parents to relax. As part of the Society’s commitment to breaking intergenerational homelessness, Vincentian House will run a Kids Engaged in Education Program (KEEP). The program is underpinned by a set of seven strategies that aim to encourage children to maintain meaningful engagement in school and educationbased activities, including school attendance; homework and tutoring assistance; in-house activities; assessment and referral; education for parents; community connections and positive role models, and the promotion of healthy living. “Homelessness is an insidious situation that no human being, particularly a child should ever face” Mrs Rocks said. “Homelessness can all too often be invisible. This new service sits amongst some of Sydney’s most expensive and popular restaurants, which, ironically, is where much of the need is. No one can say that homelessness is about ‘us’ and ‘them’. It is about neighbours. It is about the people next door.” Vincentian House was officially blessed by the Most Reverend Bishop Terence Brady, Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney. The first residents will move in next week. For more information please contact: Marion Frith, Communications Manager, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, Phone: 0417 446 430 or email marion.frith@vinnies.org.au Every day in NSW the Society assists thousands of people through Home Visitation, Migrant and Refugee Assistance, Hospital and Prison Visitation, Aged Care Services, Vinnies Centres, Supported Employment Services for People with an Intellectual Disability, Hostels for Homeless Men, Women and Families, Overseas Relief, Disaster Recovery, Budget Counselling and Youth Programs.