After joining the All Saints Presbyterian Church Fruit and Veges scheme last year, the foodbanks are able to access fresh fruit and vegetables for food parcels at the best possible price.

The big charities' involvement over the past year is encouraging, says a Fruit and Veges scheme spokesperson.

"We feel privileged to be involved in doing that work with them — it is good to know that our wholesale buying power is being used for good.

"Their involvement has definitely increased the volume we buy and they are quite easy to supply, as they pack up their own produce."

About the scheme

All Saints set up the not-for- profit project ten years ago. It's going strong - and keeps on growing.

During the past year, two new distribution centres joined the five established centres working with the scheme.

Between these centres and the main foodbanks, the scheme today has a presence throughout Dunedin (apart from Mosgiel where no volunteers are available), says Rev. Canon Michael Wallace from All Saints.

How the scheme works

The not-for-profit scheme uses bulk-buying power to supply bargain price, top-quality fruit and vegetables.

Fruit and vegetables are provided through the MG Dunedin fresh produce suppliers' group, where a volunteer buyer selects produce for the distribution centres.

In addition, locally sourced eggs, honey and milk are now providing extra ways to enhance the scheme.

The good value food is intended for households battling rapidly rising food prices. Hundreds of Dunedin families benefit.

Who uses the scheme

People need the scheme for many reasons, says a volunteer.

"We have people who are unable to get out and shop for themselves, so we collect the bags for them and distribute them."

The number of local families accessing the fruit and veggies scheme waxes and wanes depending on the time of year, but remains strong overall.

"Recently we've had a lot more students coming in to buy affordable produce — although, interestingly, it is mainly flatting groups of young women. The guys don't seem as keen" the volunteer adds.

"An interesting development is that we are getting more people who want to come in on a Thursday and browse our produce stall at All Saints rather than having us pack up bags for them" he said.

"Some people prefer to come and make their own choices, which is great as well. The main thing is that people are able to access good quality produce at the lowest possible cost."

In Port Chalmers about twelve people access the produce bags each Thursday.

"It is important for us to help look after our community and it is a good outreach programme for our church" a helper says.

Source

• ODT

"Shifting the needle on homelessness statistics in a truly meaningful way will take a collective and sustained effort" says Vinnies South Australia chief executive Evelyn O'Loughlin.

She says organisations like Vinnies (the Society of St Vincent de Paul), all levels of government, businesses and the community at large - "that's you", can help.

"It's easy to turn a blind eye when we are confronted with homelessness, mostly because the average person doesn't know where or how to start" O'Loughlin says.

"However, I truly believe there is a great sense of goodwill in the community when it comes to wanting to support those without a home - I see it firsthand with leaders turning up for the Vinnies CEO Sleepout and through our generous community of donors."

O'Loughlin says financial support makes it possible for Vinnies to provide the necessary safety net for people who "for whatever reason" don't have social or community support.

That support is crucial during difficult times, she says.

Some practical advice

Many people want to help end homelessness but not everyone knows what to say or do when they come across homeless people, O'Loughlin says.

If people are looking for ideas about how they can make a difference, she suggests they:

• stop and have a chat with someone who is sleeping rough. Ask them what they need - it's not always food.
• raise awareness across your networks - online and offline - about homelessness. Knowledge is power.
• take a keen interest in policy around homelessness/housing and cost-of-living support. What are your local MP's views?
• give some of your time and expertise or make a financial donation to Vinnies or another charity which supports people experiencing homelessness.

Getting involved and encouraging others to join collective efforts to raise awareness and combat homelessness helps, she says.

This can contribute to a larger impact in the fight against homelessness, by creating more supportive and compassionate community.

Source

• InDaily

National poverty critical

St Vincent de Paul's Hamilton manager, Mike Rolton (pictured), says New Zealand is currently experiencing poverty on a level unknown in modern times.

"Six years ago we gave out 600 food parcels. Last year we did 6,000 parcels. This year we've forecast we'll do 7,000 parcels, so you can see the increase" he says.

Where in the past the public made donations to "Vinnies" Hamilton, that's dwindled as people can no longer afford it, Rolton says.

"We're using more of our own money to buy food. In the past we would have been lucky to spend $20,000 a year. Now we're spending about $100,000 a year on food to put in our parcels."

Doing it tough

One of the Hamilton families depending on Vinnies food parcels has a single mum.

She was left with eight dependent children five years ago after her partner was killed in a car accident.

Today she still has five children aged five to 17 at home.

"I have a budget of $100 ... I buy frozen vegetables, the cheapest meat ... and I try to get a bag of spuds each week which we ration out."

She is on a benefit and after $480 for her two-bedroom rental is gone, the power paid for and her $100 weekly family food budget spent, she's left with next to nothing.

"Tossing up between paying my rent or buying food is pretty much where I'm at" she says.

The Vinnies food parcels are essential - though a last resort.

"I don't see Vinnies every week as I don't want to abuse them. I try to use them every second week when something like the power bill comes in.

Her food parcels generally include canned food, pasta, long-life milk and a pack of mince.

"The ladies at the food bank are awesome. Every now and again I get some muffins. I take them home and it's a treat for my little ones."

Everyone's scraping the barrel

Vinnies Hamilton estimates that while half their food parcels go to beneficiaries, the other half go to people in paid employment. Rolton says Vinnies is seeing a growing number of people dropping from "middle class" to the "working poor".

"We're seeing a lot of workers who you wouldn't expect to be asking for help with food. But we've seen their budgets and they need help.

"A number of people working for government organisations are coming to us ... social workers may need help, working couples are coming in ... they're in tears when we give them parcels."

Children suffer

Child Poverty Action Group states one in eight Kiwi kids are living in material hardship.

This means they can't afford six or more basics including fresh food, heating, doctor's visits, car maintenance and unexpected bills.

Over a fifth of Maori children and a third of Pasifika children live in poverty.

The Group also says half of Kiwi kids in poverty are in households where parents work.

Source

• NewsHub

A pivotal visit by St Vincent de Paul Napier council member Dan Sussmilch helped the organisation develop a multifaceted strategy to offer immediate relief and assist in facilitating the community's long-term rehabilitation.

As part of its community involvement in Wairoa, St Vincent de Paul is helping clean up and restore 25 homes.

With specialised silt crews employed for this essential work, St Vincent de Paul is allocating funds for necessities such as digger fuel, carpentry supplies and building materials, as well as covering the costs of essential plumbing and electrical works.

In addition to the repair and restoration, Vinnies has distributed hampers to 320 families.

Filled with goods purchased from local businesses, who themselves were impacted by the cyclone, the move is designed both to provide essential aid and help rejuvenate the local economy.

Ongoing commitment

St Vincent de Paul's commitment to helping Wairoa recover is ongoing.

The collective effort, particularly the invaluable contribution of volunteers, is pivotal in the management and execution of relief operations.

"The involvement of Vinnie's volunteers embodies the spirit of communal solidarity in overcoming adversity," a St Vincent de Paul member told CathNews.

As the recovery journey progresses, the Napier branch of St Vincent de Paul remains resolute in its mission to deliver critical support, highlighting the effective results of united action.

"Last year St Vincent de Paul Napier also assisted those affected by the devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle," said Christine Tong, area president of St Vincent de Paul Napier.

"We were extremely grateful for the Funds Appeal launched throughout New Zealand by our St Vincent de Paul Society's National Office and the wonderful generosity shown during this extremely difficult time", she said.

Lotto millions sit with Internal Affairs

The government Cyclone Gabrielle Appeal Fund received $11.7m from the special Lotto draw in March 2023 and was bolstered by more than $1.7m in public donations - plus interest earned over the past 12 months.

The money sits with the Department of Internal Affairs - unspent.

Those wanting to know where the Lotto draw and public donation funds will go are set to get answers sometime in mid-February.

Sources

• Supplied
• Newstalk ZB

The groundbreaking move is an initiative of the Society of St Vincent de Paul, affectionately known as Vinnies.

The innovative initiative programme promises to arm residents with strategies to save approximately $1000 annually on power bills.

Healthy Homes marks a significant step forward in the region's battle against financial strain.

It is an ambitious target to slash household power consumption by 30 to 40 percent.

The programme starts with a home inspection aimed at educating residents about the most efficient use of appliances and adopting energy-saving practices.

The architect of this visionary programme, Mike Rolton, is also the general manager of Vinnies.

Rolton highlighted the tangible benefits of the initiative, particularly the significant savings from the simple act of replacing traditional lightbulbs with LEDs.

"We give 12 LED bulbs per house, and the saving for each household per light bulb is approximately $37.80 per year. That's a saving of $465 just from lighting" he says.

Moreover, Vinnies is advocating for a switch to a power provider that offers a flat rate, eliminating extra or disconnection fees, which could save households an additional $500 depending on their power usage.

This move is part of a broader strategy to alleviate many people's financial burdens, especially in light of the increased demand for food parcels witnessed in late 2023.

Rolton says the conception of the "Healthy Homes" programme was a direct response to the rising need for support within the community to provide a more sustainable solution to financial hardship.

"We started to think about healthy homes in November, and we hired two new people because we knew it would be tough this year" he explained.

The programme addresses the immediate need for energy savings and reflects a deeper understanding of the interconnected challenges faced by families in the region.

Stories from residents struggling to afford basic necessities highlight the critical importance of initiatives like "Healthy Homes."

Source

• Waitako Herald

Her host said he would invite some other people, but when Carman got there she was surprised to find out just how many other people there were, she said.

Most of them from Vincent de Paul where Carman volunteers.

And the surprises kept coming. A woman from the St Vincent de Paul Taranaki area conference stood up and gave Carman a certificate for all the work she'd done for the Society, she said.

"I thought OK, wonderful." Read more

Last week's out-of-control fire in regional Queensland burnt tens of thousands of hectares. It claimed two lives. Dozens of properties were destroyed. People - families - have nothing left. Zilch.

Tara's Parish priest Fr Jack MacGinley, who stuck to the Tara and districts' Mass timetable throughout the disaster, says the local Catholic community are stepping up to help.

They're keeping their op shop open - all hours. "Goods all free, clothes all free, help yourself" says the sign at the front.

It's clearly a good idea. The need is obvious. MacGinley says bushfire survivors had been picking up clothes and goods at 6am.

Survivor Amelia Windsor echoes MacGinley's comment. "There's so many people who have lost their houses and, it's just like, what do you do? You don't know where to go,' she says.

Vinnies steps up

Hundreds of evacuees moved from Tara to nearby Dalby one hour east of Tara when the fire threatened the township.

Dalby's Catholic community had its doors wide open. St Vincent de Paul Society president Carmel Hart says they are seeing a lot of urgent need.

"It's just really hard because some of them had lost everything" she says.

Some people have lost their lovely homes. Others had been living in sheds and the like and struggling.

It is the second time some of the survivors have had fire steal all their goods this year.

"They had only just been getting things back together and it's happened again," she said.

"It's a pretty sad story."

The Dalby Vinnies' conference's 13 volunteers are working around the clock handing out clothes and blankets.

"At the moment, that's about all we can do," Hart says.

"It will be ongoing and down the track when everything settles down, we will know more about what people want."

By Saturday, most survivors had either returned home or found accommodation with friends. Others have been accommodated by the housing department in motels in town.

Source

• Catholic Leader
• The Guardian

Without the help of young people, St Vincent de Paul Napier would not have been able to respond so positively, reports the Catholic charity in its most recent national newsletter.

While the media focus has moved on, Cyclone Gabrielle's devastation continues and St Vincent de Paul's outreach is ongoing.

"Because it's no longer on the News doesn't mean Cyclone Gabrielle is over," Julie, a Taradale resident, told CathNews.

Initially, the focus was clothing, food, possessions and personal necessities but now, as the community transitions into the recovery phase, the needs also change, reports the Church charity.

Focus change

As the needs change, St Vincent de Paul's response changes to meet those needs.

St Vincent de Paul's primary focus is now on aiding families and children displaced or emotionally affected by the cyclone.

Initially, Catholic schools in the region were reluctant to seek financial assistance from a special cyclone relief fund.

Children's mental health

However, the increasing need for mental health support has become evident.

One school has reported a spike in anxiety levels among its students, highlighting the urgent need for professional counselling services, reports the Church's social outreach.

In its newsletter, the St Vincent de Paul Society notes that at one primary school it supports, students are so traumatised by the cyclone that they never talked.

Encouragingly, the school reports positive changes.

This ongoing mental health assessment has been met with gratitude from the educational community.

Some families continue to be displaced, and others have lost their jobs due to the cyclone's far-reaching impact.

The Society reports that while the need for food parcels has seen a decline, regular support activities such as providing uniforms and stationery continue.

Additional assistance has been extended for after-school care fees, transportation and special events like the Year 9 Big Day Out, which benefited 75 students.

Christian charity with community relationships

Through the Christian charity of its donors and volunteer members, St Vincent de Paul works to provide practical and effective help to those in need and promote human dignity, justice and self-sufficiency.

The Napier branch of St Vincent de Paul says that through its relationship with WHIT (Whatever It Takes), the outreach centre and its own work, the Society continues to deliver in accord with its values of generosity, compassion, empathy, responsiveness, advocacy, respect for people and respect for the environment.

• Source: Supplied

The metal bar the thieves used to break into the Catholic charity's North Rd store caused thousands of dollars of damage. Then they stole money, food, the roller door remote - and the Vinnies van.

The food intended for Southland's needy families included a freezer containing a year's worth of meat. That was all stuffed into the stolen van.

The meat - all mince - had been donated by a local farming family. It was meant to be distributed among the community.

"That's the thing, they didn't steal it off us, they stole it off families who would have benefited from it," says St Vincent de Paul treasurer Tony Rae.

"We're all volunteers [at Vinnies], so that's a kick in the teeth for us who put in all the time into helping people."

The van, which was used for collecting and delivering donated goods around the community, was eventually found at the estuary.

Invercargill City Council said when they found it, it had been hotwired, dumped and damaged.

Trying to carry on without the van involves "lot of mucking around", says Rae.

He says insurance would cover some of the cost but not the difference needed to buy a new van.

While searching for a new vehicle, Vinnies has hired a van to help with collections and deliveries.

Despite the thefts, Rae is positive about most people.

"It's got to be said also that the percentage of people like [the thieves] is offset by the very generous people like all our volunteers, people who donate food, clothing, furniture, money," he says.

"Good people, they far outweigh the negative. It's a kick in the teeth, but we'll carry on."

St Vincent de Paul has been involved in the Invercargill community for about 90 years, working with Christian values to deliver practical and effective help to those in need.

Source

• ODT

Its low priority is just one of the changes Delphina Soti, General Manager of the St Vincent de Paul food Hub in Auckland is seeing.

Covid has a long tail and there are many layers of need in the community, she says.

"There's a lot of talk about things coming back to normal but in reality recovery takes a couple of years."

What is not normal is the spiralling cost of living leaving people struggling to keep their heads above water. Fixed costs come first.

"Food is becoming so expensive that it has become a discretionary item. People opt to pay for housing and amenities before food," says Soti.

She notes some families are juggling three or four jobs that don't pay as well as the jobs they had pre-Covid, observing many are industrial type jobs to pay the bills, the work is harder and takes a toll on family members.

Soti says the 'new normal' is also impacting many young Pasifika and Maori who are opting to work rather than taking up tertiary education.

They need to help pay for housing, rent, debt-servicing, food and petrol, she says.

Soti also points out Covid's 'cost' on people's mental health is "a big concern".

About a third cannot work - reasons include health or mental health issues, and very young children. Many are business owners. Many have families to support.

With money tight and mental health fragile, food banks are frantically busy, says Soti.

She says that when the pandemic began to escalate in 2020, Vinnies Auckland expanded its operation from a 200 square metre warehouse to one of 1100 square metres with a drive-through system allowing people who have already registered to come at an allocated time to pick up their food boxes.

"Hundreds of boxes are pre-packed by staff and volunteers throughout the week.

"On pick-up day, it's like a drive-through takeaway service," says Soti.

"We had to figure out a way to meet the huge demand and keep it safe, dignified and non-contact."

Vinnies works with networks, farms and food producers to procure nutritious food at cost price.

Soti says the parcels are based on larger family units, are high in nutritional value and make a significant difference to families.

Vinnies Auckland distributes around 500 food parcels a week - but peak demand this year saw 1,200 parcels flying out the door.

Source

• Supplied

Centre and pastoral co-ordinator Sarah Strang said the Dunedin City Council had done a collection around all its staff and brought in "the most extraordinary amount of food'', just when the foodbank needed it most.

"I actually can't believe it."Read more

"Their generosity has been outstanding, and it restores my faith in human nature", he says.

"They will literally help make Christmas for many who were likely to miss out".

His comments come after burglars broke into the Cathedral Saturday night stealing thousands of dollars of donated food and gifts collected by its local St Vincent De Paul (Vinnies) conference.

Grayland told CathNews that the Police are hoping to find the thief as they have timed security camera footage of the burglar entering and of his vehicle.

"I'm sure Vinnies would have tried to help him had he asked", Grayland said.

The stolen goods had been earmarked by Vinnies for families in need over the Christmas season.

Vinnies Palmerston North president Mike Keenan (pictured), discovered the burglary on Sunday.

He says thieves got away with 10 Christmas-wrapped and decorated parcels donated from a food drive at St James' Catholic School, plus cans, jam, coffee sachets, biscuits, chocolate bars, 500g packets of sugar, bread and 20 kilograms of meat.

He says the food would have been given to around 20 families in time for Christmas.

The church usually delivers 800 parcels a year, helping 3000 people.

"I was pretty upset all day yesterday. I can't understand why people would do that sort of thing," he says.

The burglars trashed the room as well as stealing the donated food and gifts.

"It was a huge mess," he says.

"Food had been tipped out everywhere and dropped as the burglars took what they wanted.

"There were two panels removed from one of the windows, which must have been how they got in."

Exactly how much food was taken is difficult to estimate, because the food bank doesn't keep detailed ledgers.

"We're grateful for the donations from the Manawatu area and wish everyone a great Christmas," Keenan said.

People wanting to help replace the Christmas gifts and hampers are welcome to donate food to Vinnies Shop on Rangitikei Street.

Police area prevention manager Senior Sergeant Darren Paki says police are asking for anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning to come forward.

Anyone with information should get in touch by phoning 105 and quoting file number 201129/3944.

Sources

• Supplied
• TVNZ
• Stuff
• Image: Stuff

"No one has gone over the top, they only took what they need", St Vincent de Paul area president, Lynlea Forbes told CathNews.

"The generosity of people abounds", she said.

Forbes told CathNews that because it is 'Free Week' even more people dropped in donations to give away and others, still give a donation when they take 'free' goods.

"People are truly amazing," Forbes said.

The timing of a "Free Week" at the Vinnies shop in South Dunedin was spot on, St Vincent de Paul centre and pastoral co-ordinator Sarah Strang says.

The "Free Week" ran from Monday this week and finishes today.

After what was an "awful" year for many people due to the impact of Covid-19, the timing for the event was right, Strang says.

People are allowed to take as much as they like from the donated clothing, shoes, bedding, crockery, bric-a-brac, children's books and toys. Most are good-quality items, says Strang.

A call was made to Dunedin's Catholic primary schools to have a clean-out over the school holidays. The items people decided to give away were collected for the shop last week.

"Some of the things people have donated have been amazing — brand new things."

Forbes says shoppers are being encouraged to help themselves to free juice and food for themselves or their children's lunchboxes. Free cat food was also available.

She says Free Week is a way for the shop to give back to the community. It was "overwhelmed with generosity" over lockdown.

While some shoppers left with free items, others stopped by just for a chat with the volunteer staff.

Forbes says shop prices are usually $1 or under, which doesn't allow the shop to make a profit. The sale of donated items only pays for the rent and power costs.

Shop volunteers often give items to people who can't afford them.

St Vincent de Paul Centres and Shops aid the most vulnerable in the community. Members and volunteers assist to alleviate suffering and promote human dignity and personal integrity in all their dimensions.

In the 150 years since the Society has been in New Zealand, it has given practical assistance to thousands of people.

Source

• Otago Daily Times
• The Society of St Vincent de Paul New Zealand
• Image: Otago Daily Times

The seminars, run by the Society's National Spiritual Adviser Fr Jeff Drane, are being held in the coming months in response to requests from Vincentians at the grassroots level.

The theme of the seminar series is: There's work to be done - renewing the Society's vision in New Zealand.

"The seminars will provide an opportunity for people to be inspired once again by the vision of the Society and to be re-motivated in putting their faith into action," says Jeff.

"Together we will re-look at the mission of the Society and re-evaluate what we are doing locally to meet the needs of the disadvantaged, particularly those on the fringes of society."

At the seminars, there will be a strong focus on recruiting new members and pooling members' experience of what works well in attracting new and younger members.

"The membership of the Society is ageing and we need fresh blood," says Jeff.

"We need to invite people from a range of faith communities - Maori, Pasifika, Filipino, Indian, Korean for example - to set up Vinnies groups in which they feel comfortable.

"There is a great opportunity to harness the vitality of these communities in the service of those most in need in society."

The Society's Youth Adviser to the National Board, Paolo Minehan, says there is huge potential to attract young people to the work of the Society.

The challenge for the Society is to be flexible enough to engage with them, says Paolo.

"We need to come up with projects which young people can do and which fit in with their schedules.

"Young people have lots of skills and talents and they can offer those to the Society if you give them the opportunity.

"The way the Society is organised, meetings can be hard for young people to get to and it can be a bit of a closed shop."

Source

Supplied: read the complete press release

Marlena Hoeft-Marwick has been involved with the Society of St Vincent de Paul since she was in primary school and has come up through the ranks of the Society.

Her roles in the Society have included two terms as Marlborough Area Council President and National Council member for four years.

Marlena has a strong commitment to social justice. She is very experienced in working in an advocacy role with clients to get the support they need from government agencies such as the local DHB, WINZ, Barnados Child and Family Services, and Migrant Services.

She brings to the role a broad range of governance and business experience. She has worked in the legal and medical administration sectors in Australia and London.

She has managed a number of businesses including the family building business, and has been the creator and operator of several start-up businesses.

Marlena is married with three grown-up children and lives in Picton. She and her husband Ian are involved in several community projects that protect the local environment through pest monitoring and trapping programmes.

She is also the coordinator of Community Fruit Marlborough which arranges for excess fruit to be donated to the local food bank which distributes it to schools.

The new National President is a keen netballer and tennis player.

"It is time for a new beginning, time to bring fresh energy to the challenge of feeding the poor, housing the homeless, visiting and sitting with the sick and lonely and listening to what they are telling us," says Marlena.

"Now is the time to embrace our mission of service with fresh energy and a clear sense of purpose."

Marlena says her leadership style will be one of truly listening to the membership and then working collaboratively and decisively to put plans into action.

"Effective leadership begins with listening. Everybody has something to contribute, whether it is expressed eloquently or simply.

"There is always a message, and it usually comes from the heart. We must at all times treat our fellow brothers and sisters with the Vincentian spirit of love and charity.

"It is my intention to be a servant leader by providing an encouraging forum at all levels of the Society to increase our membership and the number of conferences. My goal is also to see our spirituality nourished and shared with others.

"If we do that, it will be a natural progression to expand our works of charity throughout New Zealand."

Source
Supplied: St Vincent de Paul Society

We don't see the likes of — well, let's call him 'John' — coming to our soup vans every day.

When you've been visiting the streets of Melbourne serving food to many of the city's hungry, lonely and dispossessed for a couple of decades you do get used to seeing the same old faces.

But John reminded me of a very important lesson. That homelessness hasn't got a 'look' — and the word 'homeless' never describes the person, only their circumstance.

It's a big idea. Perhaps that's why some people struggle to grasp it. But as a soup van operations manager I see it every night.

The people we see are experiencing homelessness in one way or another and it's clear that with homelessness there's no one size that fits all.

It could be an older person, a couple in a car, a woman in a domestic violence situation or someone with mental health, trauma or substance abuse issues.

Of course, the main thing we serve is soup, because it gives people a great deal of comfort, and every night we have a wonderful team of volunteers chopping up vegetables to make 70 litres of soup.

We also create thousands of sandwiches a night.

If that sounds like a great deal of food that's because it needs to be. There are people right now in all our capital cities who are experiencing food shortage.

We have some people who come to us and say that once they've paid their utilities and rent there's very little left over to provide meals for the whole week. So we might see them two nights a week.

Others we see every night of the week, because they come for friendship and social connection. Continue reading

• Danusia Kaska is Vinnies Soup Van Operations Manager for Melbourne.

It appears that while a few don't know the difference between a landfill and a charity Op Shop, the Vinnies in Hamilton say the good outweighs the bad by a country mile.

Last month TVNZ ran an episode of their documentary series Gutsful about dumping rubbish on OP Shops.

The promo said "We uncover some un-charitable dumping in the Waikato, where Hospice donations have gone to the dogs."

"Mike from St Vinnies has had a gutsful of sorting through sex toys and soiled goods."

But Rolton told the Waikato Times "The really good stuff that people know we can recycle, that's 99 per cent of it."

"We don't get a big pile of useless things, we get the occasional useless thing,"

The Hamilton St Vincent de Paul FaceBook page gives a good picture of the scope and variety of the things that people are doing to support the Society's works.

The Vinnies in Hamilton provide food parcels for families, school lunches for students and run a soup kitchen two nights a week.

"For just food alone, if you want a number, we feed everyone in Hamilton city once a year, and that's growing. Rolton​ said.

"On a dollar value, we put out $15,000 of food into the community every week."

"Our shops are basically our fundraisers because we don't get Government funding, so we have to survive on our own money."

Others, is seems are not so fortunate. Earlier this year the Manawatu Standard ran a piece about the Methodist Social Services Goodwill.

Manager Lyal Brenton told the Standard that that the accumulated junk left outside the city's charity op-shops was estimated to cost the sector $70,000 a year in disposal fees.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

They are being told to shape up with their paperwork or ship out - back home or somewhere else. Anywhere else.

They have until 1 October to produce the documentation the Government wants.

Vinnies National Council CEO Dr John Falzon says the ultimatum "is cruel, morally reprehensible and a fundamental repudiation of the Government's moral and legal obligations to those seeking asylum in Australia".

Federal Government Minister of Immigration Peter Dutton says the 7,500 asylum seekers have been living in Australia for up to five years without progressing their claims for refugee status.

In his opinion, their were thousands of "fake refugees", who won't provide information about their need for protection.

Falzon points out "many of the asylum seekers were not invited to apply for a protection visa until relatively recently".

It's not a simple task to get this work done, he says.

The paperwork in question can involve applicants submitting up to 60 pages of documentation.

At the same time, he says the Government has reduced funding for legal and interpreting services, forcing individuals and families to work through complex legal processes on their own.

In most cases the asylum seekers will be denied access to a fair and proper process, he says.

Source

• Catholic Leader
• Independent Catholic News
• Image: Relevant Magazine

The "Assist a School" educational project appeal is a new initiative from the Society of St Vincent de Paul and is aimed at raising funds to support schools in the Asia /Pacific area that struggle to access the quality educational resources that are fundamental to the learning of their students.

Each year, schools will be chosen from partner countries to develop a nominated project based on the educational needs of their students.

This year the proceeds from the "Assist a School" educational project appeal will go to projects in two schools in Samoa: the refurbishment of the Food and Technology room at St Mary's College and providing specialised training to improve the skills of the staff and caregivers at the Fiamalamalama School for IHC (Samoa).

St Vincent de Paul hope to extend this programme to their four partner countries next year.

The launch will take place on Friday 20th July at Liston Hall (corner of Hobson and Wyndham street next to St Patrick's Cathedral) at 6:30pm till 8:00pm.

Source

• Society of St Vincent dePaul
• Image: Facebook