Holy Spirit President - Northern Territory

Frances Abbott

Welcome to our October newsletter. No snakes in this edition! October is looking just as busy as September which ended with a fitting finale – our annual festival Mass attended by staff, volunteers, Mini Vinnies and members and celebrated by our SVDPNT Spiritual Advisor Fr Adam Crouch MGL, assisted by Fr Dan Benedetti MGL from St Martin’s and Fr John Kelliher MSC from St Pauls. Sadly there were no new members for a commitment ceremony but existing members were able to formally renew their commitment to the society and its mission.

Don’t forget Vinnies in your cyclone clean-up! We constantly need household furniture, whitegoods etc in good condition.

The issue of homelessness and lack of affordable housing nationally continues to grow. A busy October has started with an information session on our new housing strategy and the associated new constitution. 

This is closely followed by an open day on the 3rd at Vinnies Palmerston. We pray that new volunteers and members may grow from this initiative and that there is an increased awareness in the community of people’s needs and our good works. We need more volunteers especially in our stores and Emergency Relief service.

It is that time of year again – planning and organising for the Christmas hamper deliveries! The first meeting is this week and hopefully all conferences were represented. Again we owe a big thank you to Damian for getting the ball rolling and providing a well organised and documented action plan!  However we still need someone to take over as coordinator. During October there will be a few conferences’ members away so calls for help with ER referrals will probably go out!

Thank you everyone for your ‘good works’.

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, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs

🤝Emergency Relief Case Worker: 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 -Casuarina -Palmerston -Alice Springs             Times and Days may vary.

🍜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        Monday to Friday 7am – 12noon.

🏪Vinnies Retail Stores: Community donations resold in Vinnies are 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        

Monday to Saturday  9am – 5pm. Times and Days may vary.

🚛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 licence and deliver donated furniture to families in need.

-Coconut Grove to Greater Darwin & Palmerston Region -Alice Springs.       Monday to Friday 8am –4pm.

🛠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.

-Locations and times can vary. Previous experience required.

⌨️Office Administration: Office Administration:

Welcome visitors at reception, answer phones, direct enquiries via email or phone, enter confidential data, organise files.

-Casuarina          Monday to Friday 8.30am – 4pm.

Required Documents: -COVID 19 mandate Vaccination Certificate. -National Police Clearance -Working with Children Check for people 15 years and older (Vinnies will work with you to collect these required documents). Under 15 years are welcome, however must have a Parent or Guardian with them whilst volunteering with Vinnies.

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

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

Donations stay in the NT! To DONATE NOW  Call (08) 8948 8113 or Visit https://donate.vinnies.org.au/appeals-nt/emergency-appeal-nt

Vinnies relies heavily on Government and community donations support to continue our good works.

The cost-of-living crisis and the price tag on Territory rental properties are adding pressure to Territory households. Current approximate government weekly support payments for a person on Job Seeker is $321, the Disability Support Pension $493, An Age Pensioner $417 and Youth Allowance $265. With the average private unit rental price at $530 week, vulnerable Territorians have 0% affordability.

Donations help provide countless nights of accommodation, food and basic essentials, help with living expenses, caring and personalised support, and more! Families are suffering. We’ve seen a 13.7% increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness since 2011, that’s 1 in 17 Territorians who will sleep unsafely tonight.

With 116,000 individuals and families across Australia currently at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

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.

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 email askcathcroc@gmail.com

Reach out: to Bishop Charles Gauci and the Catholic Diocese of Darwin for more information.

http://www.darwin.catholic.org.au/ / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQDlciT27HM

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.

Visit Vinnies NT Wills and Bequests: https://www.vinnies.org.au/page/Donate/Wills_and_Bequests/NT/

WHAT WE DO AT VINNIES!

Making a difference in our Territory Community.

Our Vinnies Centres of Charity are a vibrant and visible Society presence in the Northern Territory, with ten retail stores and a warehouse across Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine, Tenant Creek and Alice Springs. For our community, they are often a treasure trove of amazing bargains, vintage wear, a special costume or sometimes a designer label – you never know what you may find at Vinnies. For the poor and disadvantaged, they are a place to meet a need, whether for clothing, connection, household items, or on a more serious note, a safe place to ask for help, with triage to Emergency Relief Services. To our operations, Vinnies Centres of Charity underpin our capacity to deliver services, with the revenue distributed through Society Services.

Please RSVP volunteering@vinniesnt.org.au or (08) 8948 8100 or in our Palmerston Store

DATE Tuesday 4^th October 2022

TIME 9:30am to 11:30am

LOCATION Vinnies Palmerston, 3 Royalt Street Palmerston, NT.

FEATURING Light Refreshments and Engagement Activities

Save this date

All Vinnies Conference Members

St Vincent de Paul Society Annual General Meeting

DATE Thursday 10th November 2022

TIME 5:30pm - 9:00pm

LOCATION Mary MacKillop Hall

FEATURING Tea, Coffee, Juice and Light Refreshments.

The agenda will be emailed out to members in early October.

Thank you to all our Members who dedicate their time to the Society’s good works, without you we could not reach those in need.

Bless you.

Save this date

All Vinnies Members, Volunteers and Staff

St Vincent de Paul Society Christmas Celebration will take place at Silks.   

DATE Saturday 3^rd December 2022

TIME 5:30pm

FEATURING Delicious Dinner and Non-Alcoholic Beverages

RSVP’s Will be taken in early November

Thank you to all our Members, Volunteers and Staff – Let’s celebrate this Christmas!