CatholicCare Victoria

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, from our family to yours! We wish everyone joy, love, peace and hope during the holiday season 💖 It's been a big year at CCV, so we're gearing down for the holidays. Visit our website to check our office closures for the holiday period: https://lnkd.in/gCici47H

With support from people like you, we helped Heather and Noah on their journey to recovery after experiencing family violence. But there’s thousands of families who still need your support this Christmas. Donate today to support families who need: - Counselling for trauma, mental health & relationships - Help accessing NDIS and disability support - Financial support in times of crisis - A place to call home - An advocate to stand with them and help get the support they need. Make a donation:

Last month we held an end-of-term celebration for our Settle Well CALD Women’s Group. It was a fun day filled with footy, dance and choir performances! We were also joined by students and teachers from Sacred Heart College Geelong, who prepared and donated Christmas hampers for our CALD families. Thank you so much to Sacred Heart College Geelong for these generous donations. We also thank Geelong Cats for running the footy clinic with fun activities; and the City of Greater Geelong for enabling us to use St. Mary’s Sporting Club rooms and oval! Last but not least, we thank NORTH GEELONG SECONDARY COLLEGE for their ongoing partnership, and for hosting the Settle Well CALD Women’s Group. This enables CALD families to meet every week at school to learn about available social services, socialise with other mums, and learn handicrafts including weaving through traditional looms and tapestries.

Thank you so much to Catholic Development Fund (CDF) for donating to support struggling families and individuals this Christmas. We’re so grateful for your ongoing support and partnership!

Last week the amazing team from Catholic Development Fund (CDF) volunteered their time to pack food hampers for Victorians in need! They packed a total of 533 hampers in one day! Thank you so much to all CDF staff who were involved – it was a great day with such a significant positive impact. If you'd like to support Victorian families this Christmas, donate to our Christmas Appeal today at https://lnkd.in/gsNaKfHh

It was an absolute pleasure to celebrate 70 years of impact by the Give Where You Live Foundation! We are so appreciative to the Foundation for their generous and continued support enabling our important work helping refugees and asylum seekers settle in Geelong.   Congratulations to everyone at the Foundation, and everyone who gives so generously, on 70 years of amazing impact in Geelong! #givewhereyoulivefoundation

In October, we had the privilege of presenting to our Victorian Members of Parliament. We shared insights into the challenges and opportunities within their electorates and highlighted the urgent need for support for social services organizations to continue supporting Victorians in need.    We are advocating for adequate indexation, multi-year funding agreements, and expanding brokerage for social services.     CatholicCare Victoria operates across 23 locations in Victoria. CatholicCare Victoria Housing has built 51 homes in four communities and is currently constructing 223 new homes to address the housing crisis.    This collaboration with the government will help many struggling families, children, and individuals thrive.  We extend our gratitude to all members who attended to listen and discuss. A special thank you to Joe McCracken for enabling this opportunity and hosting the meeting at Parliament House, Melbourne. Pictured below: 1️⃣ Iwan Walters MP, Michael Galea MP, and Kathleen Matthews-Ward MP  2️⃣ Richard Riordan MP, Georgie Crozier MP, Renee Heath MP, Joe McCracken MP, Gaelle Broad MP, Kathleen Matthews-Ward MP, Iwan Walters MP, and Michael Galea MP with our CCV and CCVH team. 3️⃣ CCVH CEO Fiona Williams with Kathleen Matthews-Ward MP 4️⃣ Brad Battin MP, Ella George MP, Ann-Marie Hermans MP, Bev McArthur MP, and Peter Walsh MP with our CCV and CCVH team.

Peplow House - A refuge for thousands! 🏠 Today, I had the privilege of visiting the iconic Peplow House in Ballarat. This incredible facility has been providing vital short-term crisis accommodation for single men aged 18 and over since 1976. Over the past 48 years, Peplow House has been a safe haven for countless men, offering them not just a roof over their heads but also essential support. The need for these services remains as crucial as ever, and I am deeply inspired by the impactful work being done here. A huge thank you to James Treloar and John Vermont for welcoming me and sharing their mission. I encourage everyone to visit https://lnkd.in/gp9u_Guk to learn more about the important work being done at Peplow House. Want to make a difference? Join me and CatholicCare Victoria in the fight against homelessness. #homelessness #ballarat #communitysupport #peplowhouse #catholiccarevictoria

Last week, our Team Leader of Family and Relationship Services, Gerard, visited St Joseph's Primary School Red Cliffs! Thank you St Joseph's for inviting us to present to your Year 5 & 6 students. We offer free presentations to schools across Victoria to talk about the work we do to support community; social justice; and Catholic Social Teaching. If your school is interested in a booking for 2025, contact us for a chat! E: engagement@catholiccarevic.org.au

Last week we were privileged to host a high tea at The Hotel Windsor in honour of our cherished Parker Moffit Society supporters. The unwavering generosity of our supporters empowers us to provide transformative, life-changing services across Victoria. We thank our partner Catholic Development Fund (CDF) for sponsoring this event and sharing the afternoon with our supporters. Thank you Matthew Cassin, Gerard Bibile & Bernard Docherty – it was great to have you there and to hear about CDF’s history and how you’re supporting a wide range of education, healthcare and social welfare initiatives. We also heard from our CEO Agnes Sheehan who spoke on compassion; our Acting Chair Sara McIvor; and our Group Director Nick Collins who shared impactful stories and insights in the work we do to support families and communities. Thank you to our event team, and our newly appointed Group Director Philanthropy, Joshua Donchi who led the proceedings for our event. Nevin Verghis Bertrand F. Jaclyn Fraser Elizabeth Gellel