The St Vincent de Paul Society’s National Council President, Claire Victory, has supported calls for a bipartisan National Anti-Racism Strategy to address increasing incidents of racism in Australia. As co-signatory to an open letter to the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison and the Leader of the Opposition, Anthony Albanese the Society has joined with 23 other organisations urging our political leaders to create this urgently needed blueprint for change. 

The St Vincent de Paul Society’s National Council has called on the Federal Government to maintain JobSeeker and JobKeeper until an expert group has been established to provide advice on payment rates that keep people out of poverty. Either the current JobSeeker rate should be retained (an additional $560 per fortnight) or the payment should match existing aged and disability pensions (an additional $370 per fortnight) but people should not be forced back to the old Newstart rates. In its submission to the Senate Select Committee on COVID-19 and the Australian Government’s response to the pandemic, the Society also called for an investment of at least $7.7 billion into social housing.

June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). Elder abuse, whilst seldom talked about, is more common than we know. It may be perpetrated by a family member, friend, neighbour or carer, and may take various forms, such as physical abuse, psychological or emotional abuse, financial abuse, sexual abuse or neglect.

The Victorian Government’s $9.8 million funding to extend the emergency accommodation of people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic, and plan pathways into longterm housing, is a positive step towards the goal of every Victorian having access to safe and secure housing, says Jesuit Social Services.

VMCH Board Chairman Julien O’Connell AM says he is thrilled to have been added to the Order of Australia honours, and has dedicated it to the people he works alongside. He was awarded an Officer of the Order (AO) for “distinguished service to community health in the aged care sector through executive roles, and to higher education” on Monday, June 9. It compliments his Order of Australia (AM) in 2013. Congratulations to Julien from everyone in the Catholic Social Services Victoria community. 

MacKillop Family Services' annual #Paws4Kids campaign aims to raise funds to help kids who've been through childhood trauma to feel safe and to learn again by using therapy dogs. Any donations made on Wednesday 22 April will be tripled until MacKillop reaches its goal of $300,000 so donors will have 3x the impact making a donation to the campaign.

A new podcast series from St Vincent’s Health Australia is telling the compelling stories of caregivers on the COVID-19 frontline. It’s being driven by Catholic ethicist Dan Fleming, working from a spare room at home, connecting with staff that work at St Vincent’s hospitals and aged care facilities across Australia.

"We have now completed our first week in lockdown and I thank you all for the positive support and feedback we have received over the week. It means a lot to our team to have such great support." CEO of Assisi Aged Care, Paul Cohen, provides a message to the wider community. 

Tuesday 10th March 2020 was a history-making moment in the life of Highways and Byways: A Community of Service and the Missionary Sisters of Service (MSS). They launched their first ever longer-term program of community support, ‘Seeds of Connection, a partnership with Megan Brown of Chandra Yoga and Wellbeing in Roma, Queensland and supported by Jen Coggan of Injune. More than 50 community members gathered at the launch to hear more of the program and to witness the commissioning of Megan and Jen as partners with Highways and Byways by Emeritus Bishop Bill Morris.

JoCare is hosting a Social Isolation and Loneliness forum on Tuesday 31st March, from 9:30am - 12:30pm at St Joseph's Parish Hall, 47 Stanhope Street, Malvern. The forum speakers include Dr Lidia Engel, Health Economist, and Mr Geoff Sharp, Director of Volunteering Victoria. This forum aims to bring together local community groups to begin to work together on small community initiatives to decrease social isolation and loneliness in the local community.