Homelessness in Australia remains a pressing and complex social issue, which has only been exacerbated by a worsening housing crisis that continues to push more individuals and families into homelessness.

Rental prices have continued to soar, and affordable housing stock has dwindled resulting in the number of people at risk of or experiencing homelessness rising. This includes not only those sleeping rough, but also the hidden homeless: people couch surfing, living in cars, or staying in crisis accommodation.
 
Homelessness can happen to anyone. However, it disproportionately affects vulnerable groups such as women escaping domestic violence, First Nations communities, younger and older people.

Our sincere gratitude goes to Dignity’s past guests and residents who bravely shared their story for our Many Faces of Homelessness video.

In sharing these stories, we hope to educate by breaking down the myths and stigma surrounding people experiencing homelessness, and to motivate by encouraging government, businesses, services, and the community to come together to find the solutions needed to ensure homelessness is rare, brief, and not repeated.

Coinciding with Homelessness Week this week, we are thrilled to announce the opening of Dignity’s latest longer-term housing program, Transition To Work, a program for women and women with children in Southwest Sydney. The 9 brand new units and family home will not only provide stable housing for women with children experiencing homelessness for up to 12 months but will also provide wrap around support, work readiness and employment opportunities for our residents to secure a job.

We are grateful for the contribution made by NSW Government’s Homelessness Innovation Fund (HIF) grant, in partnership with Homes NSW that helped realise this innovative new program.

Thank you also to our corporate partners Fantastic Furniture for providing all of the furniture for the new homes and Winning Group/Appliances Online for supplying the appliances and for joining us on site for a day of corporate volunteering to set up the new properties.

Dignity was founded in 2015 and over the past ten years, the organisation has grown from one guesthouse for women and children experiencing homelessness to multiple guest homes and housing residences across 25 locations, supporting and empowering up to 400 people experiencing homelessness each night.

Two weeks ago, we hosted out first-ever Gala Dinner to mark Dignity’s 10th Anniversary and raise much-needed funds to support even more people in the future. What a night it was! We are deeply grateful to the many individuals and businesses who contributed to making the evening such a success.

Thank you to our event sponsors Endeavour Energy, Winning Group/Appliances Online, Fantastic Furniture, HSL Group, 5 Star Builders, SDJA and Happy Hair Brush. We asked our event sponsors to share why they choose to support Dignity and people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

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Thank you to those who volunteered their time including emcee extraordinaire Sarah Macdonald, videographer Rob Leggo, Photographer Rob Lloyd, Dignity Dish volunteers and Brigidine College St Ives students. And to everyone who joined us on the night, and to those who joined in from home buying raffle tickets and bidding on the auction items, thank you for your generous support of people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

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Our 10th Anniversary video reflects on this journey—highlighting key moments, stories and the collective effort of our team, volunteers, partners and community who have all played a part in ending homelessness in Australia, one person at a time.

A very big thank you to our partner Birribee Housing and artist Uncle Dave for the gift of this meaningful artwork. Representing the importance of partnerships within community, the artwork symbolises how working together and valuing Aboriginal voices can lead to stronger, more connected and culturally safe communities. It also celebrates unity, belonging and the ongoing strength of Aboriginal culture and identity.

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Throughout Reconciliation Week this week, our team have attended community events to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures and more about this year’s theme, Bridging Now to Next. The theme is a call for all Australians to step forward together, to look ahead and continue the push forward as past lessons guide us.

Dignity is committed to looking ahead and pushing forward to progress reconciliation. We are also committed to walking alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specialist homelessness and housing organisations to improve outcomes for First nations people experiencing homelessness in Australia.

Over the 10 years, Dignity has grown from one guesthouse for women and children experiencing homelessness to multiple guest homes across 25 locations, supporting and empowering up to 400 people experiencing homelessness each night.

To mark the occasion, we will be hosting our first ever Gala Dinner to raise much-needed funds for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

Join CEO and Founder Suzanne Hopman and emcee, journalist Sarah MacDonald, and the Dignity team for an evening of fine food, beverages and lively entertainment including a live auction and music to dance the night away.

Together we can create lasting change, empowering people to prevent, respond to and end their homelessness.

We hope you can join us!

EVENT DETAILS
Date: Friday 15 August 2025
Time: 7pm–11pm
Where: Doltone House Hyde Park, Sydney

Buy tickets here

After three impactful years of partnership, working together to make a difference, the Raine & Horne Foundation have pledged additional support contributing $100,000 in 2025 to enable Dignity to further advance our ‘1 Million Meals’ project as well as explore interstate expansion for Dignity’s supported temporary accommodation and longer-term housing programs.

With more people at risk of or experiencing homelessness than ever, this donation will ensure Dignity is there to support and walk alongside as people are empowered to find their way forward.

“Thank you Raine & Horne foundation for believing in Dignity’s mission of empowering people with Dignity to prevent, respond to and end their homelessness. On top of the financial donations, the Raine & Horne team has provided countless hours of corporate volunteering over the years and launched creative collection drives to support people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. We are grateful for their continued support. Collaboratively, we can end homelessness in Australia.”

Suzanne Hopman, Dignity CEO

In Partnership with Homes NSW and NSW Government’s Homelessness Innovation Fund (HIF), Dignity’s new Transition To Lease Housing program is an innovative initiative designed to help families experiencing homelessness to secure private rental housing. Many families experiencing homelessness face barriers such as poor rental history, existing debts, or sudden life changes, which make it difficult to compete in the increasingly competitive rental market.

The Transition To Lease Housing program provides residents with a  leased home, complete with furniture and appliances, along with essential support and tenancy education to support families towards a transfer of lease during the 12-month program period.

Stable housing, tailored wrap-around support and tenancy education will provide families with the opportunity for long-term tenancy success, empowering them to end their homelessness.

Dignity recently secured grant funding as part of the NSW Government’s Homelessness Innovation Fund (HIF) for a new program that will enhance Dignity’s cultural capability to effectively support our First Nations guests in our Temporary Accommodation and longer-term housing programs through enhanced collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services and specialist support and advice.

Australia’s First Nations people have long been overrepresented among those experiencing homelessness. By enhancing Dignity’s cultural capability through the implementing of speciality programs and practices, and improving our collaboration with Aboriginal services, we look to improve housing outcomes for First Nations people experiencing homelessness.

Commencing this month, Dignity’s Fist Nations Specialist Jess Eather, along with National Housing Manager Tanya Field, will deliver the Cultural Capability Building program activity over an initial 12 month period.

At Dignity, we pride ourselves on living and upholding our values – Core Dignity, Show you Care, Strive to Innovate and Act with Integrity. These values are what sets the high standard to which we hold ourselves.

This month that high standard has been recognised with the announcement that Dignity has achieved Australian Service Excellence Standards (ASES) accreditation, accredited at Certificate Level.

“Your achievement is a culmination of hard work and dedication by the people within your services to create a quality organisation. Your organisation’s commitment to quality and continuous system improvement is commended.”

ASES

This Sunday is Neighbour Day and as a Very Neighbourly Organisation, Dignity celebrated this year’s theme ‘Create Belonging – Share Belonging’, with a series of events with our longer-term housing residents.

A BBQ lunch was held for our younger and older residents at Dignity’s Intergenerational Studios while our Ready To Work Housing residents joined our Meet Your Neighbour evening..

“In 2020, Dignity joined the neighbourly movement being named by Relationships Australia as a ‘Very Neighbourly organisation’ to help build ongoing community connections, respectful relationships, sustainable connections and reducing loneliness in our communities.”

Suzanne Hopman, Dignity CEO

The annual Neighbour Day events provide the perfect opportunity to increase social connection in your local area.  To learn more visit www.neighbourseveryday.org

Learn more about Dignity’s longer-term housing programs Intergenerational Studios and Ready to Work Housing here.