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.”
With a vision of scaling our impact to assist more people at risk of homelessness, Dignity’s ‘1 Million Meals’ project will see our Food Relief program expanded, distributing one million meals to people doing it tough around Australia.
Dignity’s food relief meals are provided to partnering community centres around Australia and are a mix of ready made meals, generously donated by Youfoodz, and homemade meals, prepared by our ever-growing team of student, corporate and individual volunteers.
Recognising that food relief is just one of a number of services available to people who are doing it tough, Dignity’s food relief freezers are located within community-based organisations, where food relief recipients can be connected in with other available services to prevent homelessness from occurring.
“Dignity’s Food Relief program not only eases the financial burden of putting food on the table, but it also connects people with additional support. At a time when living costs are challenging for many people, this is a critical step in homelessness prevention..”
Suzanne Hopman, Dignity CEO
The Raine & Horne Foundation has generously contributed $100,000 towards this ambitious project, which has enabled us to progress further on our journey to 1 Million meals.
Dignity, Raine & Horne and PCYC Blacktown Representatives
Would you like to get involved?
Distributing 1 million meals will require collaboration, which is why we have created a number of ways for schools, businesses and individuals to get involved. From volunteering and fundraising programs to donation opportunities!
Choose from the programs below for more information about how you can join us on our mission of distributing 1 Million meals and make a difference.
Schools Involvement Program
Dignity’s School Involvement Program is a great way for students (and teachers) to gain greater awareness of the issues of homelessness, while making a tangible contribution. The program involves interactive school presentations, fundraising and collections as well as volunteering opportunities.
There are many ways businesses can get involved and make a difference for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness including volunteering. We’ve created a wide variety of options for your team to get involved.
Do you love cooking up a storm in your home kitchen? Would you like to spread your love of homemade food? Dignity Dishes is a popular and flexible way to get involved with Dignity and make a real difference.
We appreciate all donations: big or small, one-time or recurring. Our work has been recognised by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, and you can assured that 100% of your donation support people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
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.
Reaffirming their commitment to social change and supporting people at risk of or experiencing homelessness, Fantastic Furniture has become a PLATINUM partner for 2024, pledging support to the value of $100,000.
The Fantastic Furniture team has supported Dignity since we opened our very first guest home in 2015 for women and children. Since then, our partnership has grown to include the donation of furniture for all of our guest homes, a dedicated space in Fantastic Furniture’s warehouse and over 1,200 corporate volunteer hours.
“Fantastic Furniture has supported Dignity for almost a decade with generous donations, skilled volunteering and advocacy opportunities. Our values are aligned and we share a common purpose to empower people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.”
Suzanne Hopman, Dignity CEO
In 2022, Fantastic Furniture partnered with Dignity to launch Ready To Work Housing and became the program’s major Employer Partner. Of the 74 people, who have been supported through the Ready To Work Housing program to date, 16 participants have been provided with an employment opportunity with Fantastic Furniture.
Watch how Dignity and Fantastic Furniture’s partnership has grown and evolved over the years.
Thank You Fantastic Furniture for supporting Dignity on our mission of empowering people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
In 2023, more than 30 businesses supported Dignity through corporate volunteering activity to help support people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
Teams lent a hand in our warehouse, sorting donated supplies; onsite in our homes, building furniture and setting up new homes; and in the kitchen, preparing home-cooked meals for our guests and people in the community in need.
Thank you Agency for Clinical Innovation, Amazon, Atlassian, BNP Parabis, Bravura Solution, Cisco, Office of Dai Le MP, DCJ, Deloitte, Endeavour Energy, Equalution, Fantastic Furniture, George Institute, Herd MSL, Hilti, HSBC, Kinkera & Etika, KPMG, Optus, Power 7 energy, Project Managers Movement, PWC, Pymple Ladies College, Raine & Horne, RGA, Sapere Forensic, TAL Life Insurance, TPG Telecom, William Buck Foundation and Winning Group.
“Love everything Dignity do to ensure people are treated with the utmost respect and dignity at extremely difficult periods of their life. Always come away with the feeling that we have been able to contribute (if only in a tiny way) to making things incrementally better for someone who needs help.”
Cisco Employee
Is your team looking for a way to give back in 2024? Why not join us for a day to learn more about the issues surrounding homelessness in Australia while making a tangible impact.
Dignity’s School Volunteer program is a great way for students (and teachers) to gain greater awareness and dispel the myths and stigmas that surround people experiencing homelessness, while making a tangible contribution.
The program involves interactive school presentations, fundraising and collections as well as volunteering opportunities. These include packing essential amenity packs and preparing homecooked meals for guests staying in Dignity’s homes and people doing it tough in the local community.
Our program has worked in partnership with Duke of Ed for many years, which has resulted in over 10,000 volunteer hours supporting people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
As a Duke of Ed Employer, we are excited to elevate this partnership this year with the skills gained through the award such as teamwork, community mindedness and leadership empowering this next generation of social changemakers.
This Christmas, join in the festive fun of building a gingerbread house and help end homelessness in Australia.
Gingerbread Folk Gingerbread House Kits not only make a wonderful gift for family, friends, staff and clients, but will also help Dignity to meet the increasing demand for our services and support and empower people to end their homelessness.
Christmas Gingerbread House kits are Australian-made, all-natural, are egg and nut free and include royal-icing mix, baseboard, piping bag and instructions. All that is left to do is grab your lollies and get building – either at home or build together for a festive team or community event.
Use Dignity’s fundraising link to purchase Gingerbread House kits and receive a 5% discount on your purchase. Buy 10 or more kits and receive bulk purchase discounts.
Build a House for Dignity Gingerbread Houses cost $44.99 per kit and are available now.
To purchase Dignity Gingerbread House kits, simply click the Purchase Now button below.
Did you know that when someone finds themselves experiencing homelessness in Australia, there is government support available for supported temporary accommodation in most states.
However, for those people not eligible for government assistance due to their citizenship or visa status, it can be a particularly challenging time when life takes an unexpected turn.
Dignity’s new Ineligible for Government Housing Assistance (IHA) program is designed to support people experiencing homelessness where possible, regardless of their citizenship or visa status.
This support includes food relief, supported temporary accommodation and opportunities to participate in Dignity’s longer-term housing programs such as Ready To Work Housing.
Dignity currently supports three IHA residents in the Ready To Work Housing program.
Capturing all that has been achieved in the last 12 months and mapping our future intentions, Dignity’s 2022/2023 Annual Report highlights the current issues facing people at risk of or experiencing homelessness, celebrates our major milestones and recognises all of the sponsors, donors, partners and volunteers who have collaborated with us as we empower people to prevent, respond to and end their homelessness.
