Rebuilding hope for families in need

The heart finds its haven at home.

The Victorian Homeless Fund (VHF) is making strides in addressing homelessness, one home at a time, by offering a sanctuary for those without a place to call their own.

Founded in the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless, the charity’s mission is to provide transitional and long-term accommodation for women and children escaping family violence.

Jane, for example, is just one of many Australians the charity has assisted. From the start of her lifetime, Jane faced adversity. After a challenging upbringing, she found herself pregnant at 15, stuck in an abusive relationship. Despite enduring hardships and raising four boys independently by age 25, The Victorian Homeless Fund intervened, providing her family with a transformative home.

A fresh chapter for families without homes.

Supported by the Housing Industry Association (HIA), the fund collaborates extensively with builders, philanthropists, councils, and government agencies, repurposing idle residential land into family homes.

Upon completion, these homes are entrusted to nonprofit community housing organisations such as WAYSS, Women’s Property Initiative, Salvation Army, Launch Housing, and Wesley Central Mission to help people without housing.

Colleen May, VHF Director and Chair, believes there are many opportunities in the housing industry to make a real difference.

“We want to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty for families and children.” – Colleen May

“Making a difference in my community is the focus of my work with the Victorian Homeless Fund. We all know that in Victoria and Australia, we have a crisis of homelessness, an overwhelming huge problem,” explains Colleen.

“I know that I can’t solve that problem by myself and that even my colleagues can’t solve the problem. However, we can make a difference and do that one house at a time. We believe that if we all give a little individually, we can collectively change people’s lives.”