DePaul House emergency housing provider celebrates 30 years

depaul house

DePaul House has just celebrated its 30th anniversary last month.

Staff joined with volunteers and past and present families of the house, for a small celebration which included speeches, flowers and cake..

Over thirty years, the Northcote emergency housing provider has found homes for 904 homeless community members.

DePaul House provides housing support for all families, regardless of religion or race.

It aims to provide people with the advocacy and the provisions needed to successfully re-establish themselves in the community.

A lot of families who come to stay in emergency housing have had issues with repayment of loans.

Others use the accommodation after relationship breakdowns, losing their jobs or developing health problems.

Following concerns about the amount of homeless people, DePaul House was established in 1986, on behalf of Auckland’s Catholic Diocese.

Originally, DePaul House’s building was a Catholic boarding college called St Dominic’s.

In the 30 years DePaul House as grown its facilities, and has extended its services.

Manager, Jan Rutledge, says the house has gone from being a volunteer-led organisation, to now having 12 units and 70 beds on site.

In 2011 an increasing need for emergency housing on the North Shore prompted a $2.5 million extension.

Bedsits that catered for up to two people were made into 11 units to accommodate larger families.

In addition a new childcare centre was built on the ground floor with a purpose-built learning centre.

Programmes now assist families with advocacy, living skills, parenting, employment and family outreach support.

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News category: New Zealand.