What Vinnies Tasmania does

Vinnies Tasmania (legal name: St Vincent de Paul Society Tasmania) is a registered Australian charity operating as the Tasmanian state body of the St Vincent de Paul Society, established in 1899 under ABN 41 003 138 898 and endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (Charity Number 23838). The organization delivers practical frontline support, advocacy, and friendship to vulnerable Tasmanians through Emergency Relief (food, accommodation, clothing, core items), mobile outreach via Vinnies Van and Loui's Van, Vinnies Hubs community spaces, and a portfolio of social programs covering youth, women over 55, and rough sleepers. It is supported by a network of 1,400+ members and volunteers and operates under a lay Catholic charitable model coordinated nationally by St Vincent de Paul Society National Council of Australia Inc.

The business model is donation- and retail-funded rather than fee-based. Revenue is generated through three streams: charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and government; proceeds from a network of 26+ Vinnies op shops selling second-hand donated goods at low cost across Tasmania (Boland, Bridgewater, Burnie, Claremont, Cygnet, Deloraine, East Devonport, George Town, Glenorchy, Hobart, Huonville, Kingston, Latrobe, Margate, Moonah, New Norfolk, North Hobart, Queenstown, Rokeby, Rosny, Scottsdale, South Hobart, Ulverstone, Upper Burnie, Wynyard, Smithton, and Devonport); and seasonal fundraising appeals including Winter Appeal, Christmas Appeal, School Essentials Appeal, and Soup Van programs. There is no disclosed pricing model for beneficiaries, who receive services free of charge, and goods are sold at low cost through the retail network. Service access is delivered via a statewide hotline (13 18 12), an online find-help postcode search tool, walk-in hubs, and mobile vans.

Distribution is concentrated in Tasmania through four regional offices (Invermay State Office, Invermay North, Hobart South, Somerset Northwest) and the retail and hub network. The organization operates no proprietary technology platform, no mobile application, and no disclosed AI/ML systems; engagement is driven by a website, email newsletter (Vinnies Voice), and organic social media channels. Marketing relies on community events, seasonal appeals, food donation drives, and the national Vinnies CEO Sleepout and Community Sleepout campaigns. The organization is part of a national network of 45,000+ members and volunteers and is connected to the international Society operating in 153 countries with 800,000+ members globally.

Name

Vinnies Tasmania

Legal name

St Vincent de Paul Society Tasmania

Website

https://vinniestas.org.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Vinnies Tasmania (St Vincent de Paul Society Tasmania) is a Tasmanian registered charity providing emergency relief, mobile meal services, community hubs, and social programs to disadvantaged Tasmanians, funded by donations, op shop retail, and seasonal fundraising appeals through 1,400+ members and volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Social Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

Keywords

• Emergency relief services
• Charitable fundraising
• Second-hand retail
• Community support services
• Homelessness assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Invermay

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations: Charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and government sources fund emergency relief programs providing food, accommodation, clothing and core items to disadvantaged community members.
2. Vinnies Shops Retail: Second-hand goods retail stores (op shops) where proceeds from sales provide funds for Society programs and services, while also offering a place of support for people in need.
3. Fundraising Appeals: Seasonal fundraising campaigns including Winter Appeal, Christmas Appeal, and Emergency Relief Program donations to support vulnerable Australians.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Vinnies Tasmania is a charitable organization delivering emergency relief (food, accommodation, clothing) and frontline support services to disadvantaged Tasmanians. It operates a network of Vinnies and Loui's mobile vans providing meals and outreach, community hubs, accommodation services, and youth programs, alongside a chain of 26+ second-hand retail shops (op shops) whose proceeds fund charitable programs.

Product overview

Vinnies Tasmania (St Vincent de Paul Society Tasmania) is a charitable organization offering a portfolio of community support services, retail operations, and fundraising programs. The core services include Emergency Relief providing food, accommodation, and clothing; mobile meal services through Vinnies and Loui's Vans; and community hubs for support. Retail operations (Vinnies Shops) generate funds through second-hand goods sales. Seasonal fundraising campaigns (Winter Appeal, Christmas Appeal, School Essentials Appeal) support vulnerable Tasmanians. Additional programs address youth services, accommodation needs, and social dining initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vinnies Shops Second-hand retail stores selling donated clothing, furniture, and household goods at low cost. Proceeds from sales fund the Society's community programs and services. Shops also serve as donation drop-off points and community support access points.
• Vinnies and Loui's Vans Mobile van services that provide nutritious meals, clothing, referrals to community services, and friendly support to Tasmanians in need, including rough sleepers and people experiencing homelessness.
• Emergency Relief Program Provides food, accommodation, clothing and other core items to disadvantaged community members in Tasmania at no cost to beneficiaries.
• Vinnies Hubs Community hubs providing support services, emergency relief, and a place of assistance for people in need across Tasmania, including drop-off locations for food drive donations.
• Dining with Friends Program connecting community members through shared meals and social engagement to combat social isolation.
• Youth & Young Adults Programs Support services and programs designed for young people facing disadvantage, including education support and community services.
• Accommodation Services Housing and accommodation support services for people experiencing homelessness or housing instability in Tasmania.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 services offered nationally to help people in need
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Smith Family: Large national children's charity focused on education and family disadvantage; competes with Vinnies for corporate, individual, and government funding in the disadvantage-relief segment.

Direct peers

• Anglicare Australia: Federated network of state-based Anglican community service agencies delivering emergency relief, food programs, and housing support across Australia, including Tasmania.
• Salvation Army Australia: Australia's largest direct charity peer, operating emergency relief, accommodation, op shops (Salvos Stores), and community services with a similar volunteer-and-donation funding model and overlapping service portfolio.
• St Vincent de Paul Society NSW: Sibling state body of the same national Society operating the identical Vinnies retail, emergency relief, and volunteer-led service model in NSW, providing direct intra-organization comparison.
• Australian Red Cross: Major national humanitarian peer delivering emergency relief, community programs, and volunteer-led services; competes directly for donor dollars, grants, and volunteer engagement in social support and disaster response.
• Uniting (UnitingCare): Large national community services organization providing emergency relief, accommodation, food assistance, and family support programs under a faith-based model similar to Vinnies.
• Mission Australia: National community services NGO providing emergency relief, housing, and youth/family support services with overlapping target populations and funding model.
• St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria: Another state-level peer under the same national Society umbrella, operating the Vinnies retail and emergency relief model in Victoria at meaningfully larger scale.

Emerging players

• Foodbank Australia: Australia's largest food relief charity, sourcing and distributing food to frontline agencies including Vinnies; competes for food-donor partnerships and represents an adjacent food-relief channel.
• OzHarvest: National food rescue and relief charity overlapping with Vinnies' food assistance and van-based meal programs; competes for corporate food donors, volunteers, and media attention in the hunger-relief space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vinnies-tasmania

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vinnies Tasmania