Our Programs

The Sanctuary Program

Transforming
Houses into Homes

Our Sanctuary Program transforms houses into homes for people who have escaped domestic violence to start their new journey with dignity, free from abuse.


Our dedicated volunteers work hard to create a Friends with Dignity Sanctuary using items donated by our supporters—household and personal care items, gift cards and financial donations.

We work on a referral basis only through registered referring agencies who contact us with a request.


The referring agency tells us a little bit about the family–how many people will be living in the home, how old they are, if there are any special requests which then helps Friends with Dignity personalise their sanctuary.

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Making the
magic happen

This is where YOU our amazing supporters come in.

Through the list of donations

We go through the list of donations we’ve received, and put a call out through social media for additional items we need for the sanctuary

Collecting donated goods

Our volunteers start collecting donated beds, bed linen, towels, crockery, glasses, basic kitchen appliances, white goods, couches, TV, pantry items, toiletries etc

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We also source any of the special requests from the family to create princess bedrooms, books about space or dinosaurs, a quiet study space for senior year, or nursery items for a two-month-old baby

Transforming houses

With the donated items we are able to transform an empty shell into a welcoming home and sanctuary for families to rebuild their lives with hope and dignity

We never know their names

We never meet our clients nor do we ever know their names. We work through our network of referring agencies to ensure our clients’ privacy is always protected

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We are here with no judgement but to ensure they have a friend they may never meet and are treated with dignity.

 

Many of the families write to us through the referring agency with feedback and those letters make it all worthwhile. Our little friends often send a drawing, and those not only bring a tear to the eye, but they remind us of the profound difference we have all made to that family. It’s about making a difference to “One Friend at a time”.

Our participants stories

Mum and her three children were absolutely ecstatic with their new home! Mum was excited from the moment she stepped out of the car, and that excitement only grew when she had the pleasure of opening the door to her new home. Watching the family explore their new home was a heart-warming experience, and it was clear that they were thrilled with their sanctuary.

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Donations

Every donated item and dollar raised makes a profound difference to the families we support. There is no such thing as a too small or too big a donation, every bit helps

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KItchen/Dining

With $5: Roasting Pan, Dish Drainer

 

With $10: Storage Containers, Cutting Boards, Tablecloths

 

With $25: Full Utensil Set, Dinner Set, Baking Set

 

With $50: Microwave Oven

 

For $600 we can fit out a complete Kitchen and $260 will set up a Dining Room.

Bathroom

With $5: Toothbrush & Toothpaste, Handwash, Shampoo & Conditioner

 

With $10: Personal Care Products

 

With $30: Mat Sets

 

With $50: Sets of Towels

 

For $1115 we can fit out a complete family bathroom.

Baby

With $10: Potty, Toilet Ladder

 

With $20: Wipes, Mobile, Cot Linen

 

With $25: Nappy Bag, Play Mat

 

With $50: Baby Monitor, Bouncer

 

For $840 we can fully set up a Baby Room

Laundry/Utilities

With $5: Consumable Products

 

With $20: Iron, Ironing Board

 

With $50: Vacuum Cleaner

 

For $600 we can set up a Sanctuary with Laundry and Utility products

Lounge

With $25: Floor Lamp Vases, Scatter Cushions

 

With $50: DVD Player

 

With $100: Bookshelf, Coffee Table

 

With $200: TV, Wii, Xbox

 

With $400: Computer

 

It costs more than $2000 to fully set up a Lounge Room.

Bedroom

With $10: Pillows, Bedside Lamp

 

With $25: Clock Radio, Sheet Set

 

With $50: Doona inset & Doona Cover

 

With $100: Wardrobe

 

For $1115 we can fit out a complete adult bedroom.

Children/Teens

With $20: Sheet Sets, Doona Sets

 

With $30: Doona, Clock Radio

 

With $100: Bed Frame

 

With $200: Mattress

 

A complete Child/Teen Bedroom setup costs $1000

Outdoor

With $10: Welcome Mat

 

With $200: Outdoor Setting

 

Outdoor products for a Sanctuary can be fully provided for only $250

Join Us

We invite all Australians to join us in supporting victim-survivors of domestic violence as we work
towards building a nation free from domestic violence.