St Vincent de Paul Society Winter Appeal
Providing accommodation, financial support and material assistance to help families start again.
- Food for hungry people
- Help with the essentials
- Housing for the future
Homelessness is Just One Sudden Crisis Away.
As winter approaches, the St Vincent de Paul Society is calling on Australians to support the Vinnies 2026 Winter Appeal, with new data showing the increased depth of financial pressure now facing households that were already struggling to get by.
This winter, more and more people are being pushed into homelessness. All it takes is one sudden crisis.
A new YouGov survey commissioned by St Vincent de Paul Society* found more than half of Australians (55%) say they have had to reduce spending on essentials such as medication, groceries and bills just to keep a roof over their heads.
The survey also found nearly three in 10 Australians (29%) disagree that they have enough savings in their account to cover an emergency expense, with 17% (approximately 3.7 million people) strongly disagreeing.
The findings show just how many people are entering winter with little to fall back on.
Winter is one of the toughest times of year for those households the Society supports, but these figures show financial insecurity is now hitting many Australians harder than ever. For households with little or no savings buffer, it only takes one setback, like an illness, accident or job loss, to go from just getting by to going under.
Every donation to the Vinnies Winter Appeal will help the Society provide practical support to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, poverty and rising cost-of-living pressure, including assistance with food, bills and other essentials needed for a decent life.
With global uncertainty, households will continue to experience economic pressure in the months ahead. Your donations help Vinnies plan and respond to these demands, which are unlikely to ease quickly.
The Society welcomes the recent increase in Commonwealth Emergency Relief funding, in response to the impact of the Iran War, which is helping to address rising demand for financial assistance. However, charities continue to struggle to support everyone in need, and we look to the upcoming Federal Budget for more sustainable, long-term measures.
Donations to the Vinnies Winter Appeal can be made online at the link below, or by calling 13 1812, or at Vinnies Shops. Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.
Your kindness this winter can help someone who has lost everything – through no fault of their own – get back on track and rebuild their life.
Donate
You can also donate by completing the envelope in the bulletin and placing the envelope in the collection bags at Mass, or return the envelope and enclosed donation by post.
Thank you for your assistance in providing vital support for those less fortunate.
Pymble Conference Members
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
Further information on Vinnies work
The St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia has around 40,000 members and volunteers who operate on the ground through over 1,000 groups located in local communities across the country.
*All figures are from YouGov online survey commissioned by St Vincent de Paul Society, undertaken between 12–16 March 2026. Total sample size was 1,000 adults.