A Winter Appeal with Heart

Vinnies Winter Appeal

This week, representatives from Mazenod College’s Young Vinnies and Vinnies Coordinators facilitated the collection and distribution of donated food, toiletries and clothing for the Vinnies Winter Appeal.

The Vinnies Winter Appeal directly supports core programs that provide vital assistance to people, both young and old, who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, poverty and cost-of-living pressures.

The first call of the day was The Shopfront in Bentley. The Shopfront relieves poverty and suffering by assisting people experiencing challenges such as homelessness, mental health issues, including depression and loneliness, and hunger. It also refers clients to specialist organisations through mutual help programs to assist with accessing emergency accommodation and to offer relief from sickness, distress and suffering within the general community.

The Shopfront also provides daily hospitality in the form of morning tea and lunch, as well as an opportunity for clients to socialise and make friends. The students had the opportunity to meet with Manager Damian Walsh, who shared his story and the stories and backgrounds of The Shopfront’s clients.

The second stop was St Pat’s in Fremantle. St Pat’s is an independent not-for-profit and accredited community housing provider that provides a comprehensive range of high-quality services to help break the cycle of poverty and disadvantage. These services include accommodation, health support, crisis intervention and emergency relief, social inclusion and specialist support services.

Students unpacked, shelved and sorted the donations before being shown around the facility, which includes free dental, optometry and medical services, as well as freshly made meals and support services.

The last call of the day was Tom Fisher House in the Perth CBD. Tom Fisher House is an intensive intervention service for those experiencing long-term homelessness. The service provides support to people facing complex challenges that may prevent them from accessing other programs. Free overnight accommodation is provided with few barriers to entry, as well as a place of engagement where an individual’s life-impacting issues can be identified and supported. On any given night, the facility can accommodate up to 12 adults, including singles, couples and pets.

Glenn Pabst and Helen Botica

Vinnies Coordinators