St. Vincent de Paul Society Launch $250,000 Winter Relief Appeal

The St. Vincent de Paul Society has launched what it describes as its most critically important fundraising campaign in a decade. Vinnies Winter Appeal has set a goal of raising $250,000, and the charity says it will need every cent to help vulnerable Tasmanians across the State.

St. Vincent de Paul Society Acting CEO, Bernadette Ulbrich-Hooper, warned that Tasmania is about to witness the fallout from the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic that plagued the vulnerable and underprivileged in 2020.

“As government support comes to an end and casual work opportunities contract, vulnerable Tasmanians turn to Vinnies for support. Last financial year, which only accounts for half the COVID19 period, Vinnies distributed $1.2m in aid to people and families in need. Food accounted for 74%, or $880,000 of our expenditure. That represents over $2,400 every single day,” Ms Ulbrich-Hooper said.

“On another front, we are facing increased demand for referrals and assistance with housing. So many people are calling the back seat of a car or a tent their home. People think that the homeless are just those sleeping rough. Sadly, it isn’t. For every person sleeping on a park bench or in a doorway, there are 13 sleeping in cars, sleeping on the floor in the home of a friend, or in crowded, unsafe, unsecure multi-person dwellings.

“Across Australia, the first cut to JobSeeker from $550 to $250 in September 2020 pushed 370,000 people back into poverty, including 80,000 children. The second cut from $250 to $150 in January 2021 pushed a further 190,000 people into poverty, including 50,000 children.

“It has also placed 124,000 more families at increased risk of homelessness, with low wage earners, casual workers and single parents experiencing greater rates of job insecurity and lost income than other groups. That means, Australia-wide, more than 25,000 children under the age of 18 face homelessness every night.

“As children move from one temporary accommodation to another, routines are lost, friendships are broken, and education suffers. The critical years of childhood become filled with trauma, with long-term impacts for their future and placing a terrible strain on health service.

“Our members and volunteers are on the frontlines every day, working with families, intervening early to help people find accommodation as quickly as possible and supporting people to maintain stable housing. Our Vinnies’ Loui’s vans are out at night – across Tasmania – serving food, soup, and hot beverages to many in need. Last year, we served 17,000 meals and assisted 21,043 individuals.

“All indications are that a perfect storm is brewing this winter. JobKeeper and JobSeeker are finished, employment opportunities have dried up, and rents have sky-rocketed for many people on benefits or on low incomes. We are going to need – and use – every cent of the $250,000 we are hoping to raise with Vinnies’ 2021 Winter Appeal.

“With generous support from the public, we can help maintain the dignity of those on the edge and restore hope to people who have fallen on hard times,” Ms Ulbrich-Hooper said. To donate to the 2021 Vinnies Winter Appeal please visit www.vinnies.org.au/winterappeal or call 13 18 12.