St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc. ABN: 28 911 702 061 RN: A0042727Y 43 Prospect Street Box Hill Vic 3128 Locked Bag 4800 Box Hill Vic 3128 Telephone: (03) 9895 5800 Facsimile: (03) 9895 5850 Email: info@svdp-vic.org.au Website: www.vinnies.org.au/vic
Vinnies material aid distribution process The St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria is a recovery agent in crises such as the Victorian bushfires. As such, the Society will focus on the long-term effects of this disaster, and will support affected communities to rebuild their lives again over the long-term. This includes providing material goods, financial aid, practical support, counselling, and referral services according to the needs presented. Vinnies is currently the only organisation still accepting material aid for the bushfire relief efforts. Vinnies has the expertise and experience in managing the logistical complexities of distributing material aid to those in need. The Society has been able to call upon these vast resources to enable the smooth processing of donations from all over Australia, and now even as far afield as Florida, USA.
The material aid distribution process is as follows: Central Sorting Depot •
A 10,000 square metre warehouse in Rowville (about the size of the MCG oval) has been set-up as a main collection point to accommodate the current supply of donations.
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To manage the current volume of bushfire donations, surplus material aid from Vinnies Centres is relocated to the warehouse for sorting and redistribution to bushfire survivors.
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Each day, 200 – 400 volunteers sort new and used items at the warehouse. Items are sorted according to quality, type and size.
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Material donations from other states have been delivered to the Rowville warehouse. Supply of material aid to other relief agencies
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A detailed itinerary of new goods is updated daily and distributed to other relief organisations to assist with the supply of immediate requests for specific material aid. This is supplied and distributed by Vinnies.
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Other relief organisations are invited to contact Vinnies with requests for specific material aid which Vinnies then delivers for their distribution. Supply of material aid through Vinnies Centres and the Society’s conferences
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The Society liaises with its 99 Vinnies Centres throughout Victoria, including 45 Centres located in fire-affected regions, to determine current needs and to manage material aid.
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Bushfire survivors can visit any Vinnies Centre for any items they require, which will be freely provided to them.
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The Society has over 300 conferences with 3,000 members throughout Victoria. In the case of the bushfires, conference members help their fellow community members by assessing and meeting their needs for financial and material aid, referrals and other services. Vinnies Centres also provide material goods directly to bushfire survivors according to the needs reported by conferences. Into the future
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The Society will be setting up satellite distribution centres which will be located in fire-affected regions for more immediate distribution to those in need. Consultation with a number of government bodies to source these warehouses is under way. 1
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As Victoria moves into the recovery phase, Vinnies will relocate goods from the Rowville warehouse to the satellite warehouses which will continually be restocked according to the changing need of bushfire survivors.
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Initially these warehouses will supply survivors with basic necessities such as clothing, toiletries, non-perishable food and slowly this list will grow to include furniture and heavy items in the reestablishment of homes.
The Society will continue to manage this process for as long as the community continues to give. The St Vincent de Paul Society has been helping Victorian Communities for 155 years, and as always, is it in for the long-haul.
For more information • •
To find your closest Vinnies Centre, phone 03 9895 5800 To donate to the Vinnies Victorian Disaster Appeal, go to vinnies.org.au/vic or call 13 18 12
- ENDS Media enquiries: Lauren Coleman lcoleman@porternovelli.com.au 03 9289 9555 0413 254 545
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