By Paul Dobbyn
HOUSING and Public Works Minister Tim Mander visited a St Vincent de Paul Society support centre in Brisbane as part of his efforts to pay tribute to thousands of volunteers who support Queensland’s homeless each year.
Mr Mander, marking National Volunteers Week (May 12-14), thanked the volunteers for their efforts in helping the state’s most vulnerable.
During a visit to Frederic Ozanam House, the St Vincent de Paul Society’s Spring Hill support centre, he said the hard work and dedication of Queensland’s volunteers were key to meeting the needs of the state’s homeless community.
“Volunteering is worth billions of dollars to Queensland’s economy each year, with two out of three Queenslanders engaged in some form of informal or formal volunteer work each year,” Mr Mander said. “The housing and homelessness sector is supported by thousands of volunteers who donate their time to helping those in need and St Vincent de Paul’s Spring Hill support centre is an excellent case in point.
“Last year, this facility helped more than 1200 people with the St Vincent de Paul Society helping nearly 300,000 needy people across Queensland, which is an amazing contribution. The centre helps women from refuges, people with mental health problems and rough sleepers.”
Vinnies’ Brisbane City and South diocesan president John Harrison said Volunteers Week was an important celebration for an organisation so dependent on volunteer contribution.
“As one of Australia’s largest volunteer-based organisations, our volunteers are our backbone,” Mr Harrison said. “We have more than 8500 volunteers in Queensland alone, who undertake thousands of home visitations and deliver our programs and services to those facing tough times in our communities.
“The devotion our volunteers have to helping others is inspiring and is a constant source of motivation for me and other members of the St Vincent de Paul family.”
