OUR PURPOSE

St Joseph’s Outreach Services was founded in 1998 as an “Emergency Housing Association” to provide accommodation opportunities for  the homeless and marginalised in the community. The first facility to open was a crisis shelter for families with housing emergencies, and this was followed by the refurbishment of the old St Joseph’s Primary School, creating another 12 units. The vision of SJOS is to provide temporary, emergency and transitioning accommodation, and food services, to those in need in the community who are homeless or disadvantaged.  All the services we provide rely heavily on the support of financial donations via fundraising, private donations, corporate and trust donations.

THE PEOPLE

All our services are delivered by a very dedicated volunteer team, made up of different people from all works of life, who come together, volunteering  their time and skills, with a common goal, to help others in need. SJOS has a close link to The Parish of South Yarra as the facilities we use are rented from the Parish. However, the volunteers come from all over the surrounding areas, with different ages, genders and ethnic backgrounds.

 

 WHO IS INVOLVED?

Anyone who has the time and the inclination can get involved with St Joseph’s Outreach Services. SJOS is an important provider of community services for the homeless, marginalised and disadvantaged of the area and all the services are provided by volunteers.

 WHO STAYS IN THE UNITS?

Through a nomination from HomeGround Services, singles, couples and small families, who are on waiting lists for Government Public Housing, but otherwise homeless, may apply to stay in the units

 HOW CAN I HELP?

St Joseph’s Outreach Services is always looking for volunteers, to help clean and re-stock the transitional housing units between residents, to help clean the public stairs, corridors and hallways in the housing units, to serve in the Food Store, to purchase groceries, to stock the shelves, to pick up the bread, to bag the bread and to stock the purpose built Bread Bank freezer. CLICK HERE TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER

 CAN SCHOOLS VOLUNTEER?

Schools can support SJOS through “Fund-raising”. Whether a “gold coin” day or through a specific event, the opportunity to raise funds for SJOS is extremely important as it helps to cover the costs of maintaining the services offered to the community.

 HOW CAN I GET SUPPORT?

The transitional housing units provided by SJOS are managed by HomeGround Services, the letting agent. HomeGround Services accepts nominations from housing agencies across Melbourne and HomeGround Services can be contacted on 03 9537 7999.