Northern Territory CEO Rob Lutter

From the Casuarina Head Office

I hope you have had a lovely April. We are now officially in the dry.

The celebration of Easter is always special. The Society helped with support on the annual 3 am Good Friday walk from Palmerston to Darwin. Thank you to Kerian and Mark.

This year we require more volunteers. In our stores and with Emergency Relief and all other areas.

If you or someone you know would love to help please contact us at the Darwin Office (08) 8948 8100 or email us at  volunteering@vinniesnt.org.au

Thank you to all our volunteers we cannot do our good work without you.

The NT CEO Sleepout is on Thursday 23^rd June at the old gaol in Fannie Bay.

Please join me for the night to experience just a little of what it is like to sleep rough.

All funds raised will stay right here in the NT and will go to much need support for our homeless.

There has been some disruption to our stores and services in April due to Covid we apologise if this has caused any inconvenience.

The coming Saturday the Council will be busy with their Strategic Retreat, to develop our next Strategic Plan.

I am forever grateful for the dedicated and hardworking team of members, volunteers and staff who demonstrate their compassion for those in need every day, thank you and take care.

Become a Volunteer

St Vincent de Paul Society offers our Volunteers training, mentoring and a chance to make a difference, with a few laughs along the way…

Applications available across the Northern Territory, Darwin Region, Palmerston Region, Katherine, Tennent Creek, Alice Springs

🤝Confidential Emergency Relief: Work with a mentor and receive training to become an Emergency Relief case worker who provides assistance to people in dire need of support at our Emergency Relief Centres. This work requires confidential information and data collation used in government reporting providing insight to the immediate needs of the poor and disadvantaged in the Territory. -Stuart Park -Palmerston -Alice Springs

🍜Ozanam House Day Centre for the Homeless: Preparing nutritious meals and serving all with understanding, compassion and without judgement. Fostering relationships based on respect, trust and friendship to restore dignity through laundry services, showers and bathroom facilities and community care work. -Stuart Park

🏪Vinnies Retail Stores: Community donations resold in Vinnies is our most active fundraising front. Accept and sort donations, maintain stock levels and create eye catching merchandising displays. Assist customers from all walks of life with enquiries and purchases. -Cavanagh Street -Stuart Park -Fannie Bay -Winnellie -Casuarina -Palmerston -Coolalinga -Katherine -Tennant Creek -Alice Springs

🚛Warehouse and Transport Services: Logistic operations team collects, sorts and delivers donations across town, helping to reduce waste in landfills. Receive training to operate a forklift and drive a truck on your automatic C-Class license and deliver donated furniture to families in need. -Coconut Grove to Great Darwin & Palmerston Region -Alice Springs

🛠Building and Maintenance: Use your handy-helper skills to build merchandising stands, shelves and racks for our retail stores to showcase and sell our donated stock. -Coconut Grove

⌨️Office Administration: Welcome visitors at reception, answer phones, direct enquiries, enter data, organise files, prioritise tasks, promote Office environment and engage with Vinnies mission vision and values to service those in need. -Casuarina

Required Documents: -COVID 19 mandate Vaccination Certificate. -National Police Clearance -Working with Children Check Vinnies will work with you to collect these required documents.

Our Volunteers come from all walks of life, working together toward a greener future and in service of the poor.

Reach out & register you interest: Vinnies NT Facebook Page / Darwin Office (08) 8948 8100 / volunteering@vinniesnt.org.au

CEO Sleepout 2022 REGISTER NOW
Registrations are now open!

Be a part of the solution. Advocate for the Northern Territory. Register for the CEO Sleepout!

This year, on Thursday June 23rd you and your mates can help change the lives of struggling Territorians now!

This year we are welcoming our Business, Government and Community LEADERS to the famous Fannie Bay Gaol thanks to Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory who have kindly donated the location to the cause www.magnt.net.au .

The Northern Territory has 12 x the national average of homelessness, that’s 1 in 17 Territorians who wake every morning uncertain where they will sleep, shower, wash their clothes or get their next meal. Let’s do something about it.

Many families live below the poverty line, often in remote communities; parents can’t afford to put a meal on the table for their kids; people lose jobs and can’t afford to pay the rent; people have health issues that prevent them from working; people suffer addiction to alcohol and drugs, people live in danger due to domestic and family violence … Help St Vincent de Paul Society’s good works and make a difference!

Reach out for more information: ceosleepout@vinniesnt.org.au / 08 8948 8113

C.T.M. Mobility Scooter is looking for a new home… See it for yourself on display in the Casuarina Vinnies Store!
Checkout the below Scooter Specs and a link to a price guide...

This beautiful piece of equipment is worth $7,455 brand new... And we would like to raise $4,000 in the resale... Are you interested!?

Checkout the below Scooter Specs and a link to a price guide...

The CTM HS 928 is a stylish new look scooter with LCD display, tiller storage compartment and large 15"tyres.

Heavy Duty Frame, Heavy Duty 800 Watt Motor, 38cm Front and Rear Wheels, Front & Rear Suspension, Hand Brake, Movable Tiller, Mirror, Head Light & Indicators, Captains Seat with Head Rest, New LCD Display, Tiller Storage Compartment, Maximum Speed 12.5 km/hr, 2 x 100 Amp Hour Batteries, Weight Capacity 226kg

🦼📞For more information call Vinnies NT Donations Team on (08) 8948 8113

The resale of this generous donation will go directly to helping Territorians in need through St Vincent de Paul Society Transitional Housing Facilities, Emergency Relief Services or our Ozanam House Day Centre for the Homeless. 🙏🙏🙏

Supporting Territory families since 1949.

Mid Year TAX Appeal 

Vinnies NT

Domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children.

Your support this TAX TIME will help provide emergency accommodation, financial support, as well as material assistance to help families to start again.

Food

Your donation can provide basics like food and toiletries for a parents and children after they have fled from an abusive situation, so they can survive the first few days.

Help with the essentials

Your donation can help cover essentials like bills, or larger expenses, such as whitegoods and furniture, so parents can provide a safe home for their children.

Support to keep safe

Your donation can help with rental bonds or payments so that parents and children can have a place of their own to start again.

Donate now to support Territorians in crisis!

Territorians urgently need your help

Vinnies supports people from all walks of life when things get tough.

We provide Emergency Relief services in Stuart Park, Palmerston and Alice Springs with food and groceries, relieving hunger and removing a major stress for families. This service also includes clothing and essentials such as blankets, household items and toiletries.

Vinnies operates Transitional Housing Services in Stuart Park, Coconut Grove and Katherine with links to other services such as money management, counselling to get Territorians back on their feet.

Well known locally, Ozanam House Day Centre for the homeless is a placeto rest and recoup for individuals and families when they have nowhere else to go.

Donate to help Queensland’s Flood victims now!

Australians affected by disaster urgently need your help!

Food and essentials: When a family loses everything, they urgently need the basics. Your gift will purchase emergency food, toiletries and essential household items for a disaster-affected family.

Clothing: You can provide a family with basic clothing when they've fled with nothing.

Emergency Housing: Rebuilding can take months, even years. When a family’s home is flooded, they need a temporary place to live. Your kindness will help provide basic furniture to stabilise their family, pay rent and get them back on their feet.

Donate to help NSW’s Flood victims now!

Australians affected by disaster urgently need your help!

Food and essentials: When a family loses everything, they urgently need the basics. Your gift will purchase emergency food, toiletries and essential household items for a disaster-affected family.

Clothing: You can provide a family with basic clothing when they've fled with nothing.

Recovery: Your donation enables us to be there for the long haul, helping families to move back home and replace damaged furniture.

CathCroc

Catholic Diocese of Darwin - supporting young people in their Faith journey.   

To further assist parents, grand parents, teachers, guardians and other carers involved in children’s faith life journey, the Catholic Diocese of Darwin has developed an animated character called CathCroc with whom children can engage and pose questions. After questions are recieved, periodically a video will be shared on the Diocesan digital channels featuring CathCroc acknowledging the question/questioner. CathCroc would then request Bishop Charles Gauci (who would also appear in the video) to share his thoughts and answer the question.

If you have any questions about the beautiful creations around us emailaskcathcroc@gmail.com

Bequest with Vinnies NT

Help those in need

Have you considered including the St Vincent de Paul Society in your Will? A bequest to the Society makes lasting positive change. It is a powerful reflection of the values and principles you treasure. It enables you to create a legacy of love and care for those who most need assistance and it will continue your life’s aims beyond your own lifetime.

If you would like to consider making your community a better place through a bequest to the Society, please contact us for a fact sheet or brochure detailing the Territory’s specific requirements.

Reflection on the life of an Alice Springs Vincentian

“In my life I want to become better and do a little good.” — Frédéric Ozanam

Patrick Monaghan was connected with the Society for many years in Alice Springs. For several years, especially during the Presidency of Wally Litvensky, Patrick was a member of the NT Council. Patrick's funeral was on 25 February 2022. Below is an excerpt from the Eulogy delivered by his son, Barney, and contributions from David Reilly.

Patrick was born on the 4th of May 1938 in the town of Loughrea, County Galway.  He was a middle child with five sisters, Doris, Nancy, Philomena, Mai and Ursula.  At an early age Pat contracted Polio. The hospital said that there was no hope of recovery, but on the Feast Day of Saint Jude, he moved his toes and was eventually able to walk again.  After completing high school in Loughrea Pat went on to study Theology. He then travelled through various countries before arriving in Australia.  Initially he lived in Western Australia, before moving to Sydney where he met his wife, Helena. Soon after they moved to Alice Springs where their children Barney and Seán were born.  Pat and Helena loved each other dearly, and together they made wonderful parents, and great contributions to the community. Helena pre-deceased Patrick.

Growing up, Pat raised Seán and Barney to have a strong moral compass.  After talking in circles with Barney about the complexities of Kant, Bentham and Plato, Pat would always bring it back to the basics. He would say, “Barney, if you look inside yourself, you will know what is right and what is wrong." 

Pat made significant contributions to the Aboriginal community in Central Australia. In the 1970’s he worked as a house parent at Yirara College, before working for various Aboriginal Development agencies.  His work often took him to remote communities, and he always loved making a cup of tea in a dry riverbed and spending a night in his swag under the stars.  Pat and Helena were heavily involved in the Alice Springs refugee resettlement scheme for fifteen / twenty years. They helped many families make their home in Australia and forged strong and lasting friendships as a result. 

Pat's work with the Society tied into the Refugee resettlement scheme work Pat and Helena did. Pat was a Vincentian for close to two decades and was a member of the Heart of Life Conference in Alice Springs all the way through its existence.  He and David Reilly paired up to do home visitation to mostly single men and Pat often covered Emergency Relief including when Bernie O'Grady was President. Unfortunately when Polio came back in his later life Pat could no longer get around.

Pat was open and welcoming to everyone he met and was especially fond of his close circle of friends with whom he shared many occasions camping out bush, playing a late-night game of 500, or most importantly, discussing religion and politics over a glass of red wine. 

R.I.P. Pat

Warehouse Wonderers

Open Warehouse Sale Weekend Saturday 23^rd of April

Thank you to our sunny Saturday morning shoppers! Coconut Grove was decked out with all our recent most favourite treasures and unsorted goodies!

Thank you shoppers for your patience as Volunteers processed payments that directly fund our good works – WE RAISED over $5,000 in FIVE hours!

Thank you to Volunteers Denise Ford, Liesel Gungher, Kaye, Zoran and Shane who blasted the music while they smiled and waved goodbye to all the good buys!!

The work of Vinnies Volunteers means we can use funds raised directly into providing resources for those in need. Vinnies Warehouse Sales are special ‘one off’ events to clear donation stock and for shoppers to find a hidden wonder. Shopping with Vinnies is good for the environment, good for the community and good for your wallet with the best prices in town….

Proudly supporting Territorians in need since 1949.

Dollys Bar & Darwin Comedians

Thank you for Supporting the Territory Community

On Saturday April 30^th Dollys and the Darwin comedians put on a free comedy show for all the workers in the Community Services Sector!!

Thank you to the ridiculously talented comedians

Headliner -Kelly Gulliver Gray (2020 NT Raw Comedy Winner)

MC - Scott McGowan (Raw Comedy national finalist)

Will Crawford (the Naughty Lawyer and roastmaster)

Nicole Stevens (2018 Darwin Fringe Festival Super Producer)

Darren McCallum (multiple NT Raw Comedy finalist and slashie comedian/poet/painter).

Thank you for supporting our vivacious volunteers, sensational social-workers, caring counsellors, terrific therapists and community carers!!!

Thanks to Dolly’s Bar, Will Crawford & The Darwin Comedians for this fantastic initiative.

Darwin Community Health Fundraiser – Darwin Comedians

Thank you for Supporting the Territory Community

Two Two One Mental Health Charity started due to the high rates of mental health problems in the NT and limited preventative services and education.

Services include mental health education for community groups, schools, businesses and organisations as well as wellbeing programs.

All education and programs are practical and designed to reflect the unique and diverse environments of the NT.

Let’s create a healthy NT together.

Saturday, 14th May from 7pm at the Railway Club – All proceeds go to helping Territorians with Mental Health problems!