Linh and Mai's story is one of resilience, dreams and the transformative power of support provided by their local conference.

Arriving in Australia Linh, a mother of two, was looking for a brighter future. Sadly her husband couldn't adjust and left her and the children to struggle through making ends meet. On seeing her mother struggling to continue running their small business, Mai offered to leave school to help her but Linh said no and reached out to Vinnies for assistance to ensure that her children remained at school with the opportunity to realise their educational dreams.

On Tuesday 18 February 2025, a special gathering at Government House, hosted by Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, Governor of Victoria, marked a significant milestone in the history of St Vincent de Paul Society. This event was a heartfelt tribute to 170 years of dedicated service in Australia and a fitting conclusion to a year of celebrations.

Every act of kindness has the power to change a life...just ask Zahra!

Today, we are sharing a heartfelt letter of appreciation from Zahra, a bright and determined grade 6 student from Footscray, who has been supported by the incredible volunteers at the Footscray Conference.

St Columba’s Primary School in Ballarat North is celebrating a decade of ‘good works’ in partnership with St Vincent de Paul Society.

Over the years, the school has made a significant impact on its local community through a range of volunteering and social justice projects, raising over $5,000 last year alone.

Randa leads Reaching Out in the Inner West, an incredible charity that serves around 500 people in central Footscray every Monday evening.

Vinnies Soup Vans regularly share excess produce with Randa’s team and coordinate our services to ensure we don’t overlap - helping resources go further and reaching as many people as possible.

Muna Albasri started volunteering in August 2023 at Vinnies Pakenham and transferred to Pakenham (Princes Highway) in October 2023.

"I was interested in volunteering at Vinnies to help improve my language skills, get experience in retail operations and give back to the community. Since starting at Pakenham I have been coached and mentored in all aspects of retail, I have completed a Future Leaders Program, and obtained a position as a Duty Manager.

"I have learned many new skills, and I am learning more about English every day. I have made lifelong friends with my colleagues and I will be forever grateful for Kim and Bree for all of the time and effort they have taken to help me."

Vinnies making a difference.

Established on 5 March 1854, the St Vincent de Paul Society has been providing support and assistance to people in need. Our history spans Melbourne's infancy in the 1850s to today, 170 years later.

As part of our 170th celebrations two major events were held, the Ozanam Oration and our Anniversary Mass in March and the Good Works Exhibition in May.

All these events celebrate our members and volunteers and the amazing journey of good works they been part of.

Learn more about these events: