St Vincent de Paul Society Wellington Area, known locally as Vinnies Wellington, is a lay Catholic organisation working towards a more just and compassionate society. Based at Ozanam House in Newtown, Wellington, the Society describes itself simply as "people helping people," and is a registered charity with the New Zealand Charities Commission (CC34707).
Vinnies Wellington runs a range of support services and a food bank, encouraging the community to donate non-perishable food through local Vinnies op-shops. Beyond food support, the Society offers several ways for people to get involved, including volunteering, fundraising, becoming a member, joining Young Vinnies, or becoming a Friend of the Food Bank. The organisation also accepts goods donations, food bank donations, and bequests, and operates a Vincentian Foundation alongside its broader support services.
The Society keeps its community connected through a newsletter sign-up and social channels on Facebook and Instagram, sharing updates on how Vinnies is supporting the local community.
On Riddiford Street in Newtown, Vinnies Wellington operates out of Ozanam House with a mission summed up in five words: "people helping people." As the Wellington Area branch of the St Vincent de Paul Society, a lay Catholic organisation, the group works towards what it describes as a more just and compassionate society.
St Vincent de Paul Society Wellington Area is registered with the New Zealand Charities Commission under CC34707, giving its work a formal footing within New Zealand's charitable sector. The organisation runs its main office out of Ozanam House, Level 1, 207 Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington, with office hours of 10am to 2pm, Monday to Friday.
One of the most visible parts of Vinnies Wellington's work is its food bank, supported by donations of non-perishable food dropped off at local Vinnies op-shops. The Society actively encourages this kind of giving, making it one of the simplest ways for locals to contribute directly to people in need in their own community.
Beyond food donations, Vinnies Wellington offers several structured ways for the public to support its work. People can make a general donation, donate goods directly, contribute specifically to the food bank, or leave a bequest to the Society as part of estate planning. Each of these giving pathways is set up through the organisation's website, making it straightforward for supporters to choose how they'd like to help.
For those who want to contribute more than money or goods, Vinnies Wellington runs several avenues to get personally involved. Volunteering is one option, alongside fundraising on the Society's behalf. There's also a formal membership pathway for those who want to join the organisation more fully, and a specific programme called Young Vinnies aimed at engaging younger people in the Society's work. For supporters who want to commit to ongoing help specifically for food security, the Society runs a Friends of the Food Bank programme.
Vinnies' network of op-shops serves a dual purpose: they're a place for the public to shop for secondhand goods, and they double as drop-off points for food bank donations. This structure means every op-shop visit is also an opportunity to give back, whether through a purchase or a bag of non-perishables.
Alongside its day-to-day support services, Vinnies Wellington also operates a Vincentian Foundation, forming part of the broader infrastructure the Society uses to support people in the Wellington area.
Vinnies Wellington can be reached by phone on 04 389 7122 or by email at [email protected], with office hours running 10am to 2pm on weekdays. The Society also maintains a presence on Facebook and Instagram, and offers a newsletter sign-up on its website for those who want regular updates on how Vinnies is supporting the community.
For Wellingtonians looking to give back — whether through a food donation, a volunteer shift, a membership, or simply a purchase at one of the op-shops — Vinnies Wellington positions itself as an accessible, locally rooted way to help people in the community who need it most.