http://vinnies.org.au/files/NAT/AnnualReports/SVDPNAR2007-web

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

Taking it to the streets ANNUAL REPORT 2007

Mission Statement The mission of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia is to deepen the Catholic faith of its members and to go out into our nation to heighten awareness of Jesus Christ.

We do this by sharing ourselves – who we are, and what we have – with people in need on a person-to-person basis.

We seek to co-operate in shaping a more just and compassionate Australian community, and to share our resources with our twinned countries.

Our preferred option in this mission of service is to work with people in development by respecting their dignity, sharing our hope and encouraging them to take control of their own destiny.

“Charity is the Samaritan who pours oil on the wounds of the traveller who has been attacked.

It is justice’s role to prevent the attack.”

PHOTO: istockphoto.com

Frederic Ozanam

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

Beginnings The inspiration and foresight of three people have been instrumental to the establishment and work of the St Vincent de Paul Society.

We pay tribute to our patron and founders and continue to be inspired by their teachings and the example of their lives.

st vincent de paul patron

bl frederic ozanam founder

fr gerald ward australian founder

Vincent de Paul was born in the small southern French town of Pouy (later renamed St Vincent de Paul in his honour) on 24 April 1581 and ordained as a priest in 1600 at the age of 19.

Frederic Ozanam was born in Frenchoccupied Milan on 23 April 1813. He was the fifth of 14 children.

Gerald Ward was born in London 1806 and arrived in Australia on 7 September 1850 after being recruited to work in the Melbourne mission by the pioneer priest Fr Patrick Geoghegan.

As a young man he ministered to the wealthy and powerful. However an appointment as chaplain to a poor parish, and to galley prisoners, inspired him to a vocation of working with those most marginalised and powerless.

Vincent urged his followers to bring God’s justice and love to people who were unable to live a full human life: “Deal with the most urgent needs.

Organise charity so that it is more efficient…teach reading and writing, educate with the aim of giving each the means of self-support. Intervene with authorities to obtain reforms in structure…there is no charity without justice.”

Vincent de Paul died in Paris on 27 September 1660 at the age of 79. He was canonised on 16 June 1737 and in 1883, the Church designated him as the special patron of all charitable associations.

The Society was named after St Vincent de Paul and follows his teachings and compassion for people in need. St Vincent de Paul is the international patron of the Society.

In Paris 1833 at the age of just 20, Frederic established the St Vincent de Paul Society. At this time, the people of France were experiencing tremendous political and social upheaval: changes of government, the Industrial Revolution and unjust employment practices.

Ozanam gathered some colleagues and began to respond in practical ways to the poverty and hardship he saw in the lives of people around him.

They visited people in their homes and offered friendship and support.

This practice, known today as ‘home visitation’, remains a core activity for St Vincent de Paul Society members and volunteers.

The group formed by Ozanam and his friends later became known as the first “conference” of the St Vincent de Paul Society. They met together regularly as a group for prayer and mutual support, to learn and to share ideas about how they could best assist others.

Frederic Ozanam died on 8 September 1853 at the age of 40. He was beatified in Paris by Pope John Paul II on 22 August 1997.

The first conference of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia met in Melbourne at St Francis’ Church on 5 March 1854.

The first president was Fr Gerald Ward. With the discovery of gold in 1851 and the rush to the goldfields of central Victoria, the population doubled and homeless, deserted children roamed the streets.

Fr Ward and the new St Vincent de Paul conference responded to this acute problem by establishing the St Vincent de Paul orphanage in South Melbourne. The foundation stone was laid in 1855 and the first children were accepted in 1857.

In 1855, in a submission to the government of the day, Fr Ward stated that the new conference aimed at “the relief of the destitute, in a manner as much as possible permanently beneficial and the visitation of poor families.”

Gerald Ward died on 14 January 1858 aged 52. A newspaper noted that “he was one in whom many a widow and orphan had found a good friend.” His enduring legacy is founded in such friendship.

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

Table of Contents introduction Beginnings

2

Mission Statement

3

Council and Staff

4

National President’s Report

5

CEO’s Report

6

Statistics

7

state progress reports The St Vincent de Paul Society is a lay Catholic organisation that lives the Gospel message by serving Christ in the poor with love, respect, justice and joy, and by working to shape a more just and compassionate society.

This logo represents the hand of Christ that blesses the cup, the hand of love that offers the cup, and the hand of suffering that receives the cup.

Australian Capital Territory

9

New South Wales

10

Northern Territory

11

Queensland

12

South Australia

13

Tasmania

14

Victoria

15

Western Australia

16

National Council office

National initiatives

PO Box 243, Deakin West, ACT 2600 Phone: 02 6202 1200 Fax: 02 6285 0159 Email: admin@svdpnatcl.org.au

Mental Health and Homelessness

17

Social Justice

18

Twinning Report

19

Home Visitations

19

Education the Key to Social Inclusion

20

Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Migrants

20

Editorial Committee: Syd Tutton, Dr John Falzon, Ramesh Weereratne, Rebecca Comini Edited and designed by Catholic Communications Melbourne PO Box 146, East Melbourne, Vic. 8002 Phone: 03 9926 5677 Web: catholiccommunications.com.au Printing: Doran Printing 46 Industrial Drive, Braeside, Vic. 3195 Phone: 03 9587 4333 Email: sales@doran.com.au Web: www.doran.com.au

financial statements Income Statement

21

Balance Sheet

22

Cash Flow Statement

23

Auditor’s Report

24

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

Meet the Team

National Council and Staff Photo: chris canham

The St Vincent de Paul Society National Council 2007

National Council

Standing Advisory Committees

John Meahan AM

President

Centres of Charity (Vinnies Shops)

Brian Bull

Senior Vice President

Mental Health and Homelessness

Tony Muir

Vice President

Refugee, Asylum Seeker and Migrant

Danusia Kaska

Vice President

Overseas Partnership and Development Assist A Student (Sub-Committee)

John Campbell

QLD President

Website

John O’Neill

NSW President

Social Justice

(ret. September 2007)

Spiritual Advisers

Raymond James

NSW Acting President

Record Editorial Committee

Anthony Thornton

ACT President

Vincentian Vocational Development

Genevieve De Souza

WA President

Youth Team

Jim Grealish

VIC President

Insurance

Bill Burford

NT President

Finance

John D’Souza

SA President

Philanthropy and Promotions

Peter Lyall

TAS President

Syd Tutton

Secretary to Council

Pat Quinn

Treasurer

Teresa Wilson

Youth/Young Adult Rep.

John Campbell

Minutes Secretary

Fr Greg Cooney

Spiritual Advisor

Dr John Falzon

Chief Executive Officer

The Council meets three times yearly and Standing Advisory Committees once a year.

All meetings are held at the National Office, Canberra.

Staff Personnel Jonathan Campton

Research Officer

Julie Schelb

Administration

Amanda Hobson

Administration

Kim Watson

Reception

Volunteer Personnel Michael Moran

Archivist

Jack Matsay

Twinning

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

National President’s Report

Photo: chris canham

Speaking out for Social Justice

I

t is easy to forget that the St Vincent de Paul Society was born as a movement of young people who were inflamed by a practical passion for social justice. Theirs was the dream of a just and compassionate future for the people pushed to the margins in 19th Century Paris.

They did something completely revolutionary, especially for their time and place.

We in Australia at the dawn of the 21st century need to be courageous enough to take up the challenge of our founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam and his young companions. We are blessed with the commitment and integrity of so many dynamic young people in the St Vincent de Paul Society.

We must begin to build the future now or there will simply be no future for us!

We have something very special to offer those who join us: the space in which they can find their God in the people who are pushed to the margins of society.

It is essential that we move forward on a sound financial basis so that we have the material resources to provide assistance to the excluded and marginalised.

But what is of even greater importance is that we have the people to do this! We are nothing without the hearts, the heads and the hands that reach out in friendship and solidarity to our sisters and brothers who suffer the brunt of unjust structures and unfair laws.

The St Vincent de Paul Society began in a time of great social turmoil and heightened inequality between the haves and have-nots.

We must be acutely aware of the current environment in which we work. We have experienced a period of unparalleled prosperity and yet our country is beset by the reality of poverty and disadvantage.

As a nation we have failed, for example, to maintain funding to even keep up with the number of people seeking assistance from homelessness services across Australia.

We have failed to ensure the maintenance of strong public, community and indigenous housing sectors. Indeed, over the last 10 years Commonwealth funding for these programmes has declined by nearly 30 per cent in real terms.

Is it any wonder that we have seen, over the same period of time, an increase of 50 per cent in the number of people imprisoned?

Every day, the members of the St Vincent de Paul Society see the dehumanising effects of this neglect. We see people in their homes, on the streets of our cities and towns, and in our homelessness services, who have been made to feel that they are of no value to society.

These people are pushed to the margins of society. Often, they are blamed for their own marginalisation.

They are the presence of Christ among us. Their stories are sacred. Their lives are sacred.

Things need not remain the way they are in such a prosperous and wealthy country.

The Rule of the St Vincent de Paul Society states: Where injustice, inequality, poverty or exclusion are due to unjust economic, political or social structures or to inadequate or unjust legislation, the Society should speak out clearly against the situation, always with charity, with the aim of contributing to and demanding improvements.

We are able to speak out because of what we do.

I am proud to present this Annual Report to the people of Australia as a small window onto what we do each day as bearers of the Good News that another kind of world is possible. Our nation and our world need not be built on the foundations of greed and meanness of spirit. Our members across this beautiful country quietly demonstrate the power of compassion and social justice. It is my great privilege and joy to be counted among their number.

John Meahan AM, National President

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

Chief Executive Officer’s Report “The distinctive approach of Vincentians to issues of social justice is to see them from the perspective of those we visit who suffer from injustice.” (Society Rule 1:7.4)

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Photo: chris canham

Building the Future, Now ver the past year many members of Vinnies have expressed their anguish to me over the inequalities that beset Australian society.

Similarly, some of the people who are excluded have shared their stories with me in the hope that we can make a difference

fall through (or are pushed through!) the gaping holes in our economic and social fabric. He always advocated that society must change the structures and remove the holes.

Frederic wrote: “Charity is the Samaritan who pours oil on the wounds of the traveller who has been attacked. It is justice’s role to prevent the attack.”

“Something’s gotta give”, one young man said to me. He had just finished telling me his story. He’d experienced homelessness, having had his payments suspended by Centrelink and at one stage having been forced into the insecure end of the labour market. His story was like an animated “what’s what” of social policy failures in recent Australian history. The thing that hurt him even more than hunger was that he felt like he was constantly being blamed.

“Blamed for what?” I asked him. “For being a loser,’ he said. “For being poor.” Living in one of our homelessness services for a time, he produced the most beautiful poetry; words strung together that were born in his blood and flew over the city like dirty angels.

There are many nightmares that we are called upon to turn upside down. In the past year we have worked hard to advocate for people who have been disempowered by punitive welfare laws, people who have been pushed into homelessness, families battling cost pressures, young people who have had the doors of opportunity slammed shut in their faces, sole parents struggling to be treated with dignity in both the workplace and the welfare system, and refugees demonised in the public arena.

When we hear stories like this one, we feel an acute sense of grief. Our grief, however, is not the source of bitterness.

Rather, it gives rise to a song of hope; a hope in a future where resources are shared and dignity reclaimed. This is the future we will build. Today. As the late John Paul II put it: “The future starts today, not tomorrow...”

A redistribution of hope is happening as we begin the twenty first century.

It is an enormous joy to be part of the Vinnies story. In the following pages you will see the thread that runs through all that we are and all that we do across Australia.

Our members have the extraordinary collective gift of seeing the possibility of breaking down the walls that exclude their sisters and brothers; the economic walls, the social walls, the legislative walls, the borders, the boundaries, the margins…

Leadership is strongest from those who have a heart that listens and eyes that read the signs of the times.

Such was the founding of the St Vincent de Paul Society by a young French academic, Frederic Ozanam, and his young companions. His was never a vision of perpetuating society’s reliance on charity to simply catch the people who

I present this Annual Report to you as a sample of our dreaming together to build a new reality.

To all people of good will we extend our deep gratitude for your support to us in building a more socially inclusive Australia. We also extend the hand of friendship to all who wish to join us on our journey alongside marginalised people in this prosperous country. As Lilla Watson and a group of Aboriginal activists in Queensland put it so beautifully: “If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”

Dr John Falzon, Chief Executive Officer

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

National Statistics

Vinnies across Australia State Conferences STATE

CONFERENCES

MEMBERS

ASSOCIATES

New South Wales

478

4695

1415

New South Wales

Victoria

297

3671

1126

Victoria

Queensland

243

2762

600

Western Australia

73

750

77

South Australia

67

2700

442

Tasmania

26

296

46

Tasmania

ACT

27

498

45

ACT

6

43

21

Northern Territory

1217

15415

3772

Northern Territory TOTAL:

Members

Conferences

KEY

Queensland Western Australia South Australia

Associates

Centres of Charity STATE

CENTRES

VOLUNTEERS

258

8738

93

4500

144

4543

Western Australia

43

2100

South Australia

37

1500

Tasmania

30

1200

ACT

26

1100

5

250

636

23931

New South Wales Victoria Queensland

Northern Territory TOTAL:

Centres

Volunteers

“When we dream alone it is only a dream. But when we dream together it is the beginning of reality.�

Photo: Peter Casamento

Indigenous Brazilian Proverb

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

Australian Capital Territory

A Proud History

The Night Patrol program helped over 10,000 people in 2006-2007

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his year the Australian Capital Territory gained representation on the St Vincent de Paul Society’s National Council. It is, therefore, timely to record the development of Society activity in the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra/Goulburn.

The original seat of power for this Archdiocese was in Goulburn. The Society’s activities in the Archdiocese are recorded from the early days of Charles Gordon O’Neill’s influence in the late 19th century with the establishment of a conference in Braidwood and later in that century, Goulburn. The St Peter and Paul’s conference is the oldest conference in the Archdiocese, now in its 112th year of continuous operation.

The earliest recorded minutes of Society activity in the ACT is 1924.

The conference was based in St Christopher’s parish, Manuka. As the city grew and town centres were established the number of parishes also grew. With each parish there was an active St Vincent de Paul conference providing assistance to those in need. Regions were soon established in South and North Canberra and then, as the city grew, in Woden, Belconnen and Tuggeranong.

In 1963 the Church moved the Archbishop’s seat of power from Goulburn to the ACT. At this time, the Society in the ACT was also developing, and in the early 1960s the first centre was opened in Narrabundah, South Canberra.

Others soon followed in Dickson, North Canberra and small outlets were developed in Torrens, Kambah and the City Centre at Turner. The Turner site housed a men’s shelter

which was the Society’s first Special Work in the ACT, staffed each night by conference volunteers. Turner also housed a small centre, including a Catholic bookshop, and the first paid administrative staff to assist with the running of the Archdiocese.

In 1985/86 the Society embarked on an ambitious project to raise funds from the Canberra community to build centres in Tuggeranong, Belconnen and Mitchell. By 1992 this project achieved the objective.

These centres continue to be vital to the Society’s ongoing commitment to serve the poor in the ACT. Special Works became a focus of Society members and, apart from the Turner men’s shelter, there was dabbling in youth drop-in centres, alcohol rehabilitation and women’s refuges. In the early 1970s there was a flurry of Special Works activity.

Ozanam Home for the Aged was opened in 1974 in Campbell ACT; two refuges were established for women in danger of being homeless; and a number of Vincentians took an interest in settling refugees from Vietnam following the Vietnam War. Eventually, in addition to Ozanam Home for the Aged, the Society settled on having six permanently established Special Works: Monica House, Caroline Chisholm House, Blue Door Drop-in Centre (for residents of Ainslie Village and surrounds) and Thomas Cahill Drop-in Centre for youth, Samaritan House and St Jude’s Family Service.

In recent times many of these Special Works were consolidated or transferred to bodies more capable of running them. Monica House,

Caroline Chisholm and St Jude’s have been consolidated into one family service. Ozanam Home for the Aged has had its bed licences transferred to Southern Cross Care. The dropin centre no longer exists but youth services have been expanded through an active holiday program. A night patrol serves Canberra’s homeless and lonely seven nights per week.

The migrant and refugee conference continues to meet the resettlement needs of refugees, and we are expanding our centres’ commitment into new areas such as the Gungahlin region.

And now the Territory Council is an entity in its own right. The administrative office continues to support the Society’s activities throughout the whole Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn. The Society will continue to work at a National and State level to ensure that the needs of those most vulnerable in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, incorporating the Australian Capital Territory, are met.

Tony Thornton, Territory President

act statistics Conferences Members

27 498

Auxiliary Members

45

Vinnies Centres

26

Centre Volunteers

1100

10

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

New South Wales

Growing Vibrantly

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ver the past year the Society in NSW made significant strategic decisions on applying the Society’s resources to the needs of people who are homeless and in danger of homelessness, people marginalised by mental illness, people in despair in rural communities scourged by drought, and newly-arrived refugees with no networks of support.

The developments were fostered by the Society’s decision to move out of providing residential aged care services that had evolved over many decades.

The Commonwealth Aged Care Act 1997 transformed the care of aged by requiring, among other demands, that all providers of aged care services meet the accommodation needs of disadvantaged and deprived aged people regardless of race, culture, language, gender, or geographic location.

Compliance with the Act was making heavy demands on financial resources of the Society for capital works to the disadvantage of the Society’s mission to care for the poorest of the poor.

After careful consideration the State Council on 1 May 2007 transferred the Society’s facilities to Catholic Healthcare Ltd, an organisation with a mission of pastoral care and commitment to aged services similar to the Society.

The needs of homeless people are a major priority for the Society requiring coordination across NSW for the development of services and facilities for homeless people, financial resourcing, staff training, administration and interaction with

This colourful mural adorns the Matthew Talbot Hostel in Sydney.

government at the highest levels to secure recurrent support.

Many of the Society’s current 33 homeless services experience significant challenges in being able to provide rehabilitation services with existing resources. In November 2005 Matthew Talbot Homeless Services (MTHS) was launched by its patron Sir William Deane. MTHS is the state-wide umbrella name for all of the Society’s homeless service in NSW and is a major initiative to generate greater community and business support for all of these services.

Early in 2007 the Society purchased a building adjacent to the Matt Talbot Hostel in Sydney to be refurbished and named the Ozanam Education Centre. The new centre will provide training and education for the innercity homeless and specialised training for members, volunteers and staff working in the Society’s homeless services across the State, as well as administration support.

Through the welfare, education and outreach services, Matthew Talbot Homeless Services will continue to help increasing numbers of people across NSW who are homeless and in danger of homelessness, many of whom suffer from mental illness problems, to re-establish themselves with dignity and live independently in the mainstream of Australian society.

New Special Works were initiated to support rural communities struggling with the effects of the crippling drought. The Rural Taskforce is focussed on understanding the special needs of disadvantaged people in regional NSW and to provide

assistance through the support of Conference members in Sydney and other metropolitan dioceses.

St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids (SPARK) was launched to provide assistance to newly arrived refugee families with children in primary school in their transition to the Australian way of life.

The Volunteering Development Advisory Committee with members from every NSW Diocese was established to plan and implement recruitment strategies. The Committee’s purpose is to ensure the Society continues as a vibrant growing organisation of Catholic lay people and people from other faiths who commit to the Society Rule and the Society ethos in serving the poor and disadvantaged.

The Society’s Compeer Program of volunteer friendships to assist people living with mental illness was awarded the National Australia Bank award for Excellence in Volunteering in NSW. The award included a grant of $10,000.

Raymond James, Acting State President

nsw statistics Conferences

478

Members

4695

Auxiliary Members

1415

Vinnies Centres Centre Volunteers

258 8738

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

11

Northern Territory

More Effective than Ever

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Our conference membership has been maintained but more work is required in this area. Our recruitment campaigns are incorporating the Generation X appeal with young members doing the presentations.

A most successful move has been to place all of our Vincentcare work under one manager. The outreach centres, the hostels in Darwin and Katherine, the transitional housing and the food bus are operating more effectively than ever.

Over the past year, the Society has been blessed with many young people choosing to join in the good works of the Society. The Young Vinnies conference has hosted monthly “Buddies Days” and our new 22 seater bus has proved very handy. These young leaders are positive role models and they provide a safe and fun environment for the young children.

A similar management structure has also been established for our centres in Darwin and Katherine.

These centres have all been upgraded with new signage and are averaging more than 70 customers a day. The quality of the stock is very closely monitored, with feedback of “what a great shop” and “it’s a pleasure to shop here because your ladies are always so friendly” being appreciated by the staff and volunteers. Sales for the year are up over 10 per cent on 2005/06. The centres also help over 20 emergency relief cases each day, with many being referred onto conferences for follow up visits.

At the start of 2007, the Society established a unique partnership with the two Catholic Colleges in Darwin, to assist both schools in providing their students with a greater opportunity to learn about social justice issues in our world and how we can make a difference.

Bill Burford, Territory President

PHOTO: Barry Ledwidge

t has been a year of change for the Society in the Northern Territory. Communication, financial and administrative processes have been streamlined with clear and transparent exchange of information across all our functions and locations.

The Darwin Knockabout Chefs work-for-the-dole scheme provides career pathways for indigenous students, as well as 200 meals a day for Vincentcare projects.

nt statistics

“The outreach centres, the hostels in Darwin and Katherine, the transitional housing and the food bus are operating more effectively than ever.”

Conferences

6

Members

43

Auxiliary Members

21

Vinnies Centres Centre Volunteers

5 250

12

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

Queensland

The Mission Continues

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he Society in Queensland has continued on its spiritual and charitable mission this last year. The Society has continued to place strong emphasis on membership development with many membership induction ceremonies and Festival Masses held throughout the year. Every effort has also been made to encourage ever closer working relationships between Vincentians, volunteers and staff. The annual President’s Weekend, drawing people together from all over the State, and the wide distribution of the Blue Bulletin and SVDP Calling have assisted in the deepening of the shared sense of commitment.

At the heart of much of the Society’s work are the thousands of home visits that Vincentians make each year. It is during these supportive conversations with people who are experiencing distress from myriad causes that Vincentians learn how people in trouble can best be assisted.

It is out of these close relationships that the Society is able to develop an appreciation for the kinds of services that are needed, and also assists the Society’s advocacy to government on their behalf. During the past year,

State President John Campbell receives a $50,000 cheque from QLD Premier Anna Bligh and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

the distress caused to many families by the rental housing crisis has been one such focus. The Society has also responded with new initiatives in housing for the homeless and for those suffering mental illness.

The new hostel in Mackay and the progress of the Families Back on Track project on the Gold Coast are evidence of the Society’s commitment to addressing needs whilst continuing programs such as the Children’s Education Fund have built on existing proven programs.

The Society also recognises that in some areas of need, special skills and understandings are required. A special education program on helping people with mental illness was developed in 2007 and distributed to assist Vincentians, volunteers and staff.

Similarly, meeting the great needs of many of our remote Aboriginal and Islander communities requires special insight. During the year, the Society developed closer relations with several such communities and began important collaborative programs with the leaders of these communities.

were demonstrated by the expansion of the low-interest loans scheme for the reunification of refugee families, the expansion of the Volunteer Refugee Tutoring and Community Support Program, support for the World Refugee Weekend Festival and the Society’s National Council call for support for African refugees and migrants.

The depth and breadth of the Society’s engagement with those who are in distress, poor and disadvantaged in our community has meant that the Society is increasingly consulted by governments at all levels. With the advice of the State Council’s Social Justice Committee, the Society has actively engaged with governments on the rising price of affordable housing, homelessness, “Schoolies Week” issues and emergency relief from rising electricity costs for low-income families. The Society’s leadership on these issues continues to make a difference for those whom we serve.

John Campbell, State President

The Society’s dedication to refugee and overseas development programs qld statistics

“…meeting the great needs of many of our remote Aboriginal and Islander communities requires special insights.”

Conferences Members

243 2762

Auxiliary Members

600

Vinnies Centres

144

Centre Volunteers

4543

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

13

South Australia

Photo: Kylie Stagg

Reimagining our Good Works

Renee and Sammy from Adelaide City Council supported the Society’s 2007 Christmas Appeal by donating to the “Big Change Box” at Rundle Mall, Adelaide.

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n South Australia the Society is acutely aware of emerging fundamental needs that are evident across the community.

The current Vincentian experience in being alongside the most marginalised indicates high levels of need in the areas of mental health care, access to affordable housing and the engagement with young people as both recipients of help as well as leaders.

housing for a much greater number of people in a supportive environment.

FOHA and the Migrant and Refugee Committee have important relationships with the Sudanese community and provided housing for a number of families who otherwise would have struggled for adequate housing. For example the Society was able to provide a five-bedroom house, established by modifying two attached houses, for a family of ten.

The establishment of the Compeer program in South Australia is very significant. Reaching out to socially isolated people suffering mental illness is at the core of the Vincentian mission. The support of the Society in New South Wales and the very significant private donation of funds have enabled this program to become a reality. Collaboration with other agencies in developing better responses to people’s basic social needs is a critical part of the ongoing development of this program.

To respond to the question of engaging young people in a more meaningful way in the organisation, a comprehensive youth review was undertaken. The objective was to enable a more significant influence of young people in all areas of the organisation as well as enhancing the immersion of the Society into schools in South Australia.

Adequate housing for those in severe housing distress has been a significant social justice challenge.

The Social Justice Committee has been a strong advocate for housing reform in this State. At the service level the Frederic Ozanam Housing Association (FOHA) has a proud 20year history of providing community housing for the disadvantaged. In the last 12 months its housing stock has increased by 50 per cent. FOHA began a review process which will hopefully enable it to be recognised as a growth community housing provider, enabling it to provide

Whyalla was opened in May and represents a more visible sense of the Society at work in that community.

Reimagining our good works has been a constant theme that has enabled the heritage of so much Vincentian activity to be built upon in order for the Society to continue to respond creatively to social need. This year has been one in which the Society has continued to evolve as an important voice and social actor in the South Australian community.

John D’Souza, State President

“At the service level the Frederic Ozanam Housing Association (FOHA) has a proud 20-year history of providing community housing for the disadvantaged.”

The appointment of a young Vice President to State Council, Chris Harrap; the establishment of a full-time schools resources officer, integrated into a schools’ resources team; the orientation of volunteer development across the Society having a particular emphasis on young people; and the establishment of a youth programs officer position are examples of living out this objective.

sa statistics

Family Centres in the Port Pirie Diocese are undergoing significant upgrading. The first of these in

Centre Volunteers

Conferences Members

67 2700

Auxiliary Members

442

Vinnies Centres

337 1500

14

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

Working Hard to Make a Difference

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asmania is truly blessed with the Society offering Special Works all different and unique in their own way. From Bethlehem House for homeless men in Hobart to Mt St Vincent state-of-the-art aged care facilities in Ulverstone, the Society in Tasmania is working hard to make a difference in the lives of the disadvantaged and marginalised.

For example, the Society has a particular focus on people living with disabilities. St Vincent Industries Hobart, Tastex Glenorchy and Vincent Industries in Burnie are Special Works of the Society that provide employment for people with disabilities. York Place Social Club in Launceston and Cape Country Housing in Wynyard, comprising five two-bedroom units for people employed at Vincent Industries, are helping people to attain their maximum level of independence with the assistance of support staff.

By the end of June 2007, the Society began investigating accommodation options for hospital/hospice visitors and extensions to Bethlehem House and will further report on this by the end of 2008. The Vinnies Centres of Charity all continue to provide much needed services to the needy.

Moving on from “bricks and mortar” to our most important resource - people. Under the umbrella of the State Council, Tasmania now has a full complement of active committees: young adults, social justice, migrants and refugees, formation and training, disaster

PHOTO: FRANCES BARTLETT

Tasmania

Marillac House, which offers accommodation for hospital visitors, is one of Tasmania’s Special Works.

relief and overseas development. All are encouraged and empowered to carry out their functions to achieve the best result for those we assist.

All Vincentians, both volunteers and staff, are totally committed to the core work of the Society.

“The Vinnies Centres of Charity all continue to provide much needed services to the needy.”

Without a doubt the most encouraging initiative in a long time was the release of the Project X report commissioned by the St Vincent de Paul National Council. This updated view of the Society has fuelled much debate at all levels and has been warmly embraced by many.

One thing in life is constant and that is change and Tasmania has embraced it.

Our vision for the future will kick off in 2008, with a dedicated recruitment year and the training of future leaders.

This is an essential part of supplying the services that are so urgently needed here in Tasmania.

Peter Lyall, State President tas statistics Conferences Members

26 296

Auxiliary Members

46

Vinnies Centres

30

Centre Volunteers

1200

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

15

Photo: Georgia Metaxas

Victoria

Volunteer Vinnies Centre Managers Geraldine and Margaret are among many volunteers who dedicate time and energy to make the Centres successful.

T

he year has seen the Society advance in a number of ways. We have recognised for some time that we need to reduce the average age profile of our members. The move towards attracting younger members requires the Society to acknowledge not only age differences, but also that younger age groups have had different life experiences, and that these need to be understood and accepted. Many of our conferences have been successful in recruiting new and younger members during 2007.

In the past year we have successfully completed the integration of the administrative functions for the Society and our Aged Care and Community Services subsidiary. The aim of this integration is to provide a better standard of service for all of our stakeholders. We have strengthened our executive team and, at the same time, we also sought to maintain our low ratio of administration expenses to revenue. For some years the Society has been one of the most efficient charitable organisations and this year provided another satisfactory result, with administration expenses being just 9.38 per cent of revenue.

In January, State Council and senior management reviewed our strategic plan. It now focuses on a small number of critical performance issues, and senior executives will be responsible for developing and executing business plans arising from this document. The strategic plan will be kept under constant review.

Responding to the Call

State Council also took time out to evaluate its own performance and effectiveness as the body responsible for the conduct of the Society in Victoria. The results were generally good but a number of adjustments to its processes have been made.

There has been an increase in the calls for assistance that we receive.

Last year we had to respond to disasters caused by drought, bushfires and, more recently, flood.

The conference statistical highlights indicate the number of cases where assistance was provided is 4.3 per cent higher than the people assisted in the previous year and the monetary value of assistance has also increased by 22 per cent.

But we also see, every day, an increase in the need for our services arising from the growing gap between those who have benefited from the recent economic boom, and those who have not. There is acute pressure being placed on public and private rental accommodation. Many people at the lower end of the economic scale are paying a disproportionate and increasing amount of their benefits in rent and so are less able to meet their day-to-day living expenses. With our strong research capability, we are continually bringing these issues to the attention of our governments.

While the calls for the Society’s services have grown over the past 12 months, we have been able to satisfy the demands made of us for assistance. We have also produced

a healthy surplus which will be utilised in a number of projects, including the probable purchase of additional land to develop our nursing home at Box Hill.

The Membership and Development Committee and staff have continued to provide training programs for members and have also produced ‘Best Practice Guidelines, which has become a valued resource in challenging members to view situations differently. Occupational health and safety and Special Works have been training focuses in 2007.

Risk management was attended to this year, with a consultant commissioned to assist the organisation in this important field.

We now have a risk register and a defined strategy of review.

Jim Grealish, State President

vic statistics Conferences

297

Members

3671

Auxiliary Members

1126

Vinnies Centres Centre Volunteers

93 4500

16

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

Bringing Justice to Charity

W

estern Australia’s dedicated Society members, volunteers and staff who carry out home visitations and Special Works have this year continued their work and commitment to providing hope, comfort and dignity to the lives of those who need it the most.

Amid the resources ‘boom’ in Western Australia it was compelling to see the generosity shown by the West Australian community through their donations to our Appeals and Special Works. Once again the community met, and in many cases exceeded, fundraising expectations, enabling the Society to continue to respond to the increasing number of requests for assistance. The work of the Society, especially the emergency relief that is provided to the community, could not be provided without the assistance of many corporate and community partners, particularly Lotterywest.

Due to the variable nature of the needs in our community, the St Vincent de Paul Society made some significant changes to the Special Works being provided in Western Australia during the last financial year. As the needs grew in some areas, benefits lessened in others and the Society was forced to evaluate and cease the operations of certain Special Works including our low cost food outlets and food distribution centre with our services now directed into more viable and effective ways of delivering food and necessities to families in need.

With the growing need for assistance and the mounting pressure on our services, it is crucial to the Society’s development that we continue to focus on the recruitment of members and volunteers. And our reformed and renewed Membership and Development department has been working hard at re-invigorating declining conference numbers and looking to new opportunities in new developing suburbs and areas around Perth.

The Society’s conferences that carry out the core work of home visitations have received an increasing number of calls for assistance with subsequent pressures mounting on the conferences, particularly those in regions of higher need. Rising rental prices and increases to the overall cost of living have placed heightened pressures on West Australian families and individuals, and increases to living costs are imminent. These pressures have filtered through to our Special Works and the Society has worked tirelessly to support the specific needs of the community.

Governance, accountability and occupational health and safety have been high on the Society’s priority list and much planning and work has gone into ensuring compliance in these areas.

It has been said that there is no charity without justice. They go hand in hand. To this end, the Social Justice Committee has been successfully reformed, with members

Photo: Joondalup Photo Design

Western Australia

WA Vinnies Youth Camp 2007

and staff passionate about bringing justice to charity.

In accordance with our mission to create a more just and compassionate Society, Blessed Frederic Ozanam would be proud to see how the West Australian community, together with the worldwide network of Vincentians, have embraced the notion of charity, through providing a hand up, not just a hand out.

Genevieve De Souza, State President

wa statistics Conferences Members

73 750

Auxiliary Members

77

Vinnies Centres

43

Centre Volunteers

2100

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

17

National Initiatives

Mental Health and Homelessness

B

who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. There are 18 families in service accommodation and 14 families receiving outreach support. Samaritan House provides crisis accommodation and assistance for 12 men over the age of 18.

We work with people who share their stories of sadness and hope in many settings across Australia.

In Melbourne, Olive’s Place, our new family violence service, is progressing well. A support network of volunteers is being developed to assist paid staff in supporting the women and children escaping domestic violence. Ozanam House continues to be a landmark service to people experiencing homelessness and exclusion.

ecause the St Vincent de Paul Society is a witness to the Australian face of exclusion there is a very strong sense among our members that the people who are pushed to the edges of society are a sign that another kind of Australia is needed.

Many of the people who experience homelessness feel the crushing burden of being de-valued and discarded by society. It is little wonder that this experience can lead to mental health problems and, in some cases, substance abuse.

Vincentcare, in Western Australia, for example, provided over 20,000 bed nights to people in need. Over 36,500 meals were provided. Over 1,000 volunteer hours were dedicated. Passages Resource Centre, another WA accommodation service, runs a variety of workshops, art and craft activities and recreation.

The Compeer Program, which runs across New South Wales , Victoria and South Australia, enables volunteers to step out as real companions to people experiencing the isolation and stigma of mental illness.

Homeless men in Hobart continue to be served by Bethlehem House, which in the past year provided 32,000 meals, 500 beds (42 per month), and 15,000 bed nights for residents, and about 4,000 different types of assistance for non residents.

Significant new initiatives undertaken during the year included tackling the problems faced by prisoners exiting jail in collaboration with the School of Sociology and Social Work at the University of Tasmania, and the acquisition of a four-bedroom home for homeless men near Bethlehem House, Hobart.

The Blue Door drop-in service within the confines of Ainslie Village in Canberra provides food, care, referral and other support services to the 190 residents of the Village and anyone else who needs assistance. The St Vincent de Paul Family Service, also in Canberra, provides crisis and medium-term accommodation and support to families

Kennedy House in Goulburn provides crisis accommodation and assistance for 10 men over the age of 18. A challenge is to support men leaving the Goulburn Mental Hospital and the Goulburn Correctional Centre.

In NSW the Matthew Talbot Homelessness Services includes 15 facilities for single men, six facilities for single women, five facilities for families, two facilities for men with children, seven facilities for women with children and two facilities for youth. Most of these facilities also run outreach programs.

The Society released a DVD Understanding Mental Illness, in late 2006, and it has become an invaluable resource for conferences across Australia.

Sir William Deane, Patron of Matthew Talbot Homeless Services, summed up the work of the Society in homelessness: “The very concept of homelessness is a direct contradiction to basic human rights, such as the right to participate in work and the community. The lack of a place to live has a significant impact on a person’s dignity. It most often results in the loss of connection and access to work opportunities and the community. Through the launch of Matthew Talbot Homeless Services, the St Vincent de Paul Society works to restore these basic human rights and a sense of connection.”

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ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

National Initiatives

W

hen we speak about social justice we go to the heart of what the St Vincent de Paul Society stands for. We follow the teachings of the Scriptures:

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, protect the rights of those who are helpless.

Speak out and pronounce a sentence of justice, defend the cause of the wretched and the poor.

(Proverbs 31:8-9) We are called, as Vincentians, to feed, clothe, house and assist our brothers and sisters who are forced onto the margins of society. We are also called to ask why they are left out and pushed out.

In assisting people who are denied equality and dignity we make a prophetic statement about the dignity and equality of all people in God’s sight. In asking the simple question about the causes of injustice we issue a prophetic call to all people of good will to work creatively to build equality and justice into our society.

Especially through our National and State Councils we give voice to those who are voiceless, standing with them and advocating for them.

As Vincentians we do not close our eyes to the growing division in Australia and the world between the increasingly prosperous and the increasingly poor.

The accumulation of wealth on the one hand is connected with the accumulation of poverty on the other, characterised by race, gender, age, disability, mental and physical illness, forced migration, homelessness, unemployment, insecure and poorly paid work and declining levels of social security and public infrastructure.

We seek to share both bread and hope with our brothers and sisters, recognising Christ in their painful stories and witnessing to the Good News of justice and compassion.

They entrust a little of their lives to us. We honour this trust by speaking the truth of their stories and calling on the people of our nation to address the structural causes of poverty and inequality.

In the past year the Society has been engaged on many fronts in seeking to tell these stories and provide a critical analysis of unjust laws, policies, and structures. In denouncing the

PHOTO: istockphoto.com

Social Justice bad news we are always careful to also announce the good news that alternative policies are achievable and affordable.

Some of the issues we have engaged in include: • The call for a national social inclusion strategy • Intergenerational poverty • Climate change, expressing concern for those who we expect will be structurally excluded and forgotten • Utilities pricing • The punitive aspects of welfare-to-work legislation, especially when combined with WorkChoices • The problems with quarantining welfare benefits for so-called “bad parents” • Our refusal to participate in the financial case management scheme, resulting in a mass refusal by the community sector in Australia • Research on relative price indexing, highlighting the different impacts of various cost pressures on different households • Housing and homelessness, the crisis in private rental with the supply of social housing identified as main concern • Don’t Dream It’s Over, a report on housing stress in the private rental market, released July 2007 • Support for the Centre for an Ethical Society • Joining the Australia Fair national poverty-awareness campaign, developed by ACOSS with its national member organisations • The cost pressures on older Australians • Problems with the proposed Access Card • Concerns with the Northern Territory intervention.

• The impact of bank fees and penalties on low-income households • Youth homelessness The Society advocated on each of these issues by using a variety of strategies. These included submissions to Senate Inquiries and lobbying Members of Parliament; collaborative campaigns with other civil society organisations; keynotes, lectures, speeches and papers to various gatherings and extensive media interviews.

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

19

National Initiatives

Twinning Report One of the responsibilities we take seriously as members of the St Vincent de Paul Society in a highly developed country is our relationship with developing countries in our neighbouring region.

projectS

australian twins by country

India Philippines Thailand Bangladesh PNG Cambodia East Timor

1438 240 103 25 10 8 1

Kiribati Indonesia Pakistan Myanmar Fiji Vanuatu Carolyn Is.

1 293 168 60 21 9 1 2368

total twinning partnerships twinning grants

($A)

PNG India

$88,190 $63,628

Phillipines Vanuatu Pakistan Indonesia

$7,594 $5,410 $4,086 $3,563

Thailand Bangladesh totaL

$3,272 $200 $175,943

A$496,834

Twinning Grants of A$60 increased to A$80 in July 08

total grants

Christmas Grants Easter Grants

In the spirit of solidarity we refer to these countries as our “twins” as an expression of our closeness and shared sense of hope.

A$173,797 A$61,887

disaster relief

Indonesia Philippines Solomon Islands total

$10,000 $10,000 $5,000 $25,000

Home Visitations

F

or almost 175 years home visitation has remained the core work of the Society.

Inspired by the Society’s founders in 1833, members continue to visit people in their homes to provide support, friendship and material assistance. In the financial year 06/07 our members provided material assistance to 591,550 households and provided friendship and support to countless thousands of other people in goals, hospitals, nursing homes and on the street.

By visiting people in their homes, wherever their homes may be, the St Vincent de Paul Society aims to help people break the cycle of poverty and disadvantage. While some visits are a once-off event, many are part of a continuing friendship assisting an individual or family through crisis like unemployment, eviction, personal injury and loss.

Assistance is provided in many forms.

Material assistance is provided in the form of food, bill payment, furniture, clothing and household goods, often in cooperation with the local Vinnies Centre. Assistance is also provided by way of friendship and support.

One of the most significant changes to home visitation in the financial year 06/07 was the move by major grocery retailers from voucher arrangements to store gift cards.

Many conferences have reported a high level of satisfaction with the gift cards. The gift cards provide flexibility for household budgeting and restore dignity. Other conferences have used the opportunity to explore different options, such as traditional food hampers or voucher arrangements with local stores.

state

homes visited

ACT

17,011

NSW

215,386

NT QLD

450 174,135

SA

14,574

TAS

31,925

VIC

115,941

WA

22,128

total

591,550

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ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

National Initiatives

Education the Key to Social Inclusion

A

groundbreaking education program that is working to break the cycle of poverty and social injustice for disadvantaged and marginalised Australians saw further expansion in 2007.

The Clemente-Catalyst education program is an initiative of the St Vincent de Paul Society and Australian Catholic University (ACU National). It offers free universityapproved humanities and arts courses in a community setting to people who, for a variety of reasons, are excluded from society.

With a focus on authentic learning opportunities, participants are enabled to build self-esteem and selfreliance, and create links with the community, thereby opening up pathways to a better future.

The program focuses on humanities subjects, allowing participants to reflect and become more intellectually engaged which can, in turn, promote a broader reengagement with society.

The Clemente program originated in the United States and was first offered in Australia by the St Vincent de Paul Society and ACU National in 2003, with financial support by the Sisters of Charity and Sydney City Council.

The setting for the program was the community centre of Vincentian Village in East Sydney.

In 2006, the Catalyst program was established in Brisbane, and this year the program expanded to Canberra and Campbelltown, 80 km from Sydney’s central business district.

It is anticipated that the program will start in Perth in early 2008 in partnership with Edith Cowan University, and in Melbourne, Ballarat, Hunter Region, and Adelaide in 20082009. The Clemente and Catalyst programs in Australia have become known as “Clemente-Catalyst”.

The program is also part of a collaborative research project between the St Vincent de Paul Society, ACU National, Melbourne University, Murdoch University, Queensland University and Mission Australia. The research project is designed gauge the success of the program in re-introducing the socially-excluded to active participation in community life It includes the development of new quantitative measures to assess the impact Clemente-Catalyst has upon the program’s participants through the use of pre-existing quantitative measures, together with new research measures that are sensitive to the particular circumstances and characteristics of disadvantaged people.

In 2005, ACU National responded to the acknowledged relevance of the program to the disadvantaged by collaborating with Mission Australia to establish a second site for the program in Surry Hills, East Sydney. The second program was named “Catalyst”.

Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Migrants

T

he National Refugee, Asylum Seeker and Migrant Committee advocated on issues such as detention centres, off-shore processing, citizenship testing and protection visas. The Committee has also sought to improve assistance both formally through Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy programs and informally through the many works of the Society across Australia.

The Committee has expressed its concerns to the Federal Government about the financial stress felt by newlyarrived refugees as a result of the increased cost of rental accommodation. Another area of great concern has been the support available for people acting as proposers for refugee families. While the Committee expressed appreciation to the government for increased funding, further commitments are needed to educate and ease the burden on proposers.

In recent years the National Council has developed a keen focus on Africa., through National President’s role as Chair of the International Council General’s Africian Commission and the passion of National Vice President Danusia Kaska working with AIDS orphans in Africa and Asia. This work is being supported domestically by the Committee as it seeks to strengthen relationships with local Sudanese communities.

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

21

Income Statement for the year ended 30 June 2007

revenue

2007 ($)

Government grants

50,474,029

Sale of goods

95,690,908

Client contributions

9,933,125

Fundraising

32,951,702

Other income

14,111,852

Changes in value of investment total revenue from operating activities

7,542 203,169,158

other income Net gain on sale of property, plant and equipment

1,183,912

operating expenses Sale of goods

66,295,861

Administration

16,956,951

Fundraising

5,316,088 88,568,900

total funds available for client services

115,784,170

client services expenses People in Need Services

52,345,500

Aged Care Services

18,077,504

Homeless Services

34,638,104 105,061,108

total expenses surplus/(deficit) for the period

193,630,008 10,723,062

22

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

Balance Sheet for the year ended 30 June 2007

current assets

2007 ($)

Cash and cash equivalents

79,389,413

Trade and other receivables

9,205,605

Inventories

1,151,275

Financial assets Other assets total current assets

21,055,167 3,824,194 114,625,654

non-current assets Property, plant and equipment

336,359,873

Financial assets

23,042,892

Intangibles

14,514,761

total non-current assets

373,917,526

total assets

488,543,180

current liabilities Trade and other payables Interest bearing loans and borrowings

27,896,373 847,565

Provisions

10,622,039

total current liabilities

39,365,977

non-current liabilities Trade and other payables

538,836

Interest bearing loans and borrowings

3,274,398

Provisions

3,614,949

total non-current liabilities

7,428,183

total liabilities net assets

46,794,160 441,749,020

equity Reserves

63,332,652

Accumulated funds

378,416,368

total equity

441,749,020

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

23

Cash Flow Statement for the year ended 30 June 2007

cash flows from operating activities: Receipts from operating activities Receipts from customers Payments to suppliers and employees Dividends received Interest received Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

2007 ($) 145,425,898 57,925,435 (188,203,905) 234,162 7,031,756 22,413,346

cash flows from investing activities: Proceeds - sale of property, plant and equipment

10,637,709

Proceeds - sale of investments

44,086,138

Payment for property, plant and equipment

(37,633,692)

Payment - purchase of investments

(56,019,351)

Payment for other non-current assets Payment for financial assets Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

(8,065,824) (328,828) (47,323,848)

cash flows from financing activities: Repayment of finance leases Proceeds from residents’ accommodation bonds

(93,211) 4,092,945

Repayment of borrowings

(1,527,801)

Repayment of residents’ accommodation bonds

(4,431,557)

Conferences and councils accumulated funds transfers Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

(101,629) (2,061,253)

Net increase (decrease) in cash

(26,971,755)

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the financial period

106,361,168

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the financial period

79,389,413

24

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

Auditor’s Report

how you can help Help the St Vincent de Paul Society to help others St Vincent de Paul Society Australia PO Box 243, Deakin ACT 2006 Units 4-5, 22 Thesiger Court, Deakin ACT 2006 Phone: 02 6202 1200 Fax: 02 6285 0159 Email: admin@svdpnatcl.org.au Website: www.vinnies.org.au Donations: 13 18 12 ABN: 68 879 107 149

Making a financial donation Credit card donations can be made nationally by visiting our website at www.vinnies.org.au or calling the donation hotline on 13 18 12. All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.

Volunteering your time Become a member of a conference or volunteer some time to assist people in your community through any of the Society’s services.

Making a Bequest Consider remembering the St Vincent de Paul Society in your Will. The Society is able to assist thousands of people because of the generosity of those who have remembered us in their Will.

Donating goods Donations of quality clothing, furniture and household goods can be made to any Vinnies Centre.

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ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2007

National Council of Australia, PO Box 243, Deakin West, ACT 2600. www.vinnies.org.au