Homelessness Week, 7-13 August

"We, Sisters of Mercy Parramatta Congregation, will open our hearts to the cries of the poor...especially for...the homeless..."(Chapter Statement)

Homelessness Australia hosts Homelessness Week annually to raise awareness of the impact of homelessness, and the solutions needed to end homelessness.

The theme for Homelessness Week 2023 is “It’s time to end homelessness”.

St Vincent de Paul Society tells us:

"All over the country, requests for assistance are increasing and we are seeing people who have previously never sought our help.

‘More and more people are seeking emergency relief to cover the basics, such as food vouchers, while they prioritise accommodation costs over other essentials. These are choices Australians should not have to make,’ said National President Mark Gaetani.

The Society is acutely aware of the extra pressures the cost of living and the growing housing crisis is placing on people, increasing their risk of homelessness. Many more people are contacting the Society for help with rental arrears to avoid eviction. Others are couch surfing, living in tents and caravan parks, or forced to seek emergency accommodation.

The Society continues to help with rental and accommodation options. Today’s reality is that people in crisis accommodation are on an endless cycle, forced to transition from one form of temporary accommodation to another simply because there are too few affordable and permanent housing options. 

The statistics on homelessness are damning. One in seven are children, one in five identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, and 23 per cent are aged 12 to 24 years.

‘With more than 122,000 people homeless each night, we need all governments to act now."

• Read the St Vincent de Paul Society media release in full here
• Read the St Vincent de Paul Society Housing and Homelessness policy paper here
• Read the St Vincent de Paul Society Housing and Homelessness pamphlet here