Vinnies shops throughout New England urgently need more volunteers to help with retail operations. Some stores are facing the possibility of reduced opening hours or closure without additional volunteers.
Vinnies has 17 shops across the New England region including Inverell, Tamworth, Armidale, Gunnedah and Quirindi.
Those who give their time to volunteer with Vinnies are directly helping St Vincent de Paul Society raise vital funds, which provides assistance to people who are experiencing disadvantage such as homelessness, domestic and family violence, and poverty.
“We would be very grateful to anyone who can dedicate their time to helping us run our shops in the New England area,” says David Powter, Retail Area Manager.
“Our members and volunteers are the backbone of the Society. Their generosity and compassion enables us to help people in need and make a greater impact in our local community.”
Vinnies shops couldn’t open without the hard work and dedication of incredible volunteers and staff. Volunteers donate a few hours of their time each week to assist customers, sort donations and maintain the day-to-day running of the shops.
Anyone who is interested in volunteering with Vinnies is encouraged to apply online or visit their local store to meet the team in person.
In the past financial year, approximately 5750 retail and logistics volunteers helped Vinnies to sell over 3.4 million items of pre-loved clothing and goods around the state.
“Vinnies volunteers share our vision of a more just and compassionate society,” says Mr. Powter.
“They may have busy lives, but sparing just a few hours or a day or two each week can make a huge difference.”
In the past year, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW assisted over 3,300 individuals in the New England area and distributed over $450,000 in financial and material assistance to residents in need—this was a 41 per cent increase on the previous year. Of the people reaching out, 82per cent needed food assistance and 50 per cent were experiencing housing stress.
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