Vinnies vans help tackle poverty

The Woy Woy Vinnies Van assisted 974 people during the past year, including 157 referrals to services for additional support.

With Anti-Poverty Week (October 12–18) underway, the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW has revealed that food assistance is the number one request for help across the state.

The Society operates 13 Vinnies Vans across Sydney and regional NSW, with 106 runs a week to provide food, connection and referrals to other services.

More than 115,000 people turned to the Vinnies Vans for food support in the past year, increasing by 13%, as poverty drives soaring demand for the most basic of needs.

“It is shocking that so many people are being forced to choose between a roof over their head or food,” St Vincent de Paul Society NSW CEO Yolanda Saiz said.

“Our Vinnies Vans are a lifeline for so many people; often they’re the difference between someone going hungry or eating that day.

“We should not accept poverty as an unfortunate but unavoidable part of life.

Yolanda Saiz

“Government, service providers and the wider community must work together to ensure that everyone can live with dignity.”

Figures released by Anti-Poverty Week show that one-in-seven adults and one-in-six children are currently living below the poverty line in Australia.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics found that more than one in 8 Australian households experience food insecurity.

The Society distributed more than $15.1M in financial and material aid over the past year throughout the state, including $6.5M in food vouchers, $1.9M in food parcels and $1M in Christmas hampers.

“In a nation as fortunate as Australia, it is unacceptable that anyone should be left without food on the table or a safe place to call home,” St Vincent de Paul Society NSW State Council President Peter Houweling said.

“Our members meet people facing hardship every day, providing immediate relief through food while also working alongside them to understand and work on the longer-term support they need. 

“We call on leaders to act with courage and compassion, driving the structural change needed to end poverty and ensure every individual can live with dignity.”

Every day in NSW the Society helps thousands of people through home visitation, hospital visitation, prison visitation, homeless services for men, women and families, migrant and refugee assistance, support for those living with a mental illness, supported employment services for people with intellectual and other disabilities, Vinnies Shops, overseas relief, financial wellbeing advice and youth programs.

St Vincent de Paul Society NSW Vinnies Vans operate every night across NSW.

To volunteer, donate or access support, visit www.vinnies.org.au/vinniesvans.