Samaritan House

A safe haven for a better tomorrow

Samaritan House stands as a beacon of hope for women and their children who have faced violence, offering a sanctuary of safety and support for those seeking refuge in the heart of Sydney’s inner-city. More than just a shelter, it is a lifeline for women and children fleeing unsafe and violent environments, and provides trauma-informed accommodation and a comprehensive range of services tailored to their unique needs, and offers pathways towards healing and sustainable long-term solutions.

As the need for support evolves, Samaritan House requires a transformative revitalisation to better accommodate the diverse needs of those seeking help, to continue to provide the highest level of care possible. Recognizing this need for change, The Salvation Army is leading an initiative to transform Samaritan House into a modern refuge, ensuring it can effectively address the complexities of domestic violence and provide enhanced accessibility, safety, and dignity. This redevelopment aims not only to meet the immediate need for safe accommodation but also to pave the way for a brighter future for generations to come.

“We endorse the redevelopment of the existing building and believe the new service design will lead to improved quality of care and greater outcomes for women and children The Salvation Army supports.”

– Delia Donovan – CEO, Domestic Violence NSW

A place to feel safe, supported and heard

What is Samaritan House?

Established in 1959, Samaritan House has served as a beacon of hope for thousands of women and children escaping violence. Operating with a focus on recovery, the service provides emergency support, transitional and long-term housing, casework, counselling, outreach and support to women facing violence, helping them on their journey to healing and finding their feet again.

What challenges does the site face?

Samaritan House, built on the premise of congregate care, includes shared units with communal living areas and bathrooms. Despite minor improvements, the current building sees women and their children living with minimal privacy.

This setup is incompatible to implement The Salvation Army’s family violence model of care, designed to better respond to the specific needs of people who have experienced family violence.

What is our plan?

With your support, a transformed Samaritan House will mean women and their children facing family violence can find the safety and shelter they need, and valuable time to heal and move forward.

As part of the plan, the shared setup will give way to accessible, culturally responsive and pet-friendly one, two and three-bedroom self-contained units with kitchen, bathroom and laundry facilities, as well as multi-purpose communal spaces and much more, enabling Samaritan House to offer increased accommodation options in inner-city Sydney, on-site counselling and case management, enhanced outreach and early intervention services, and more.

How will this revitalisation benefit the community?

Family and domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children in Australia. Your generosity will mean Samaritan House can provide vital shelter and a path to stability for many more women and children affected by violence.

Increased accommodation options, access to counselling and case management services, legal and financial support, physical and mental health services means more women can get the help they need to find their way back to being financially empowered, and safe and independent, leading to better outcomes for their children, families and communities.

Family and domestic violence services

At the Salvos, we believe everyone deserves to feel safe and free from harm. We understand violence can take numerous forms, and can be an isolating and frightening time.

We support those impacted by violence and their families and communities through our refuges, accommodation services, specialist children’s and parenting services, counselling, support, men’s programs, and much more, to ensure more people impacted by family violence have the right support to overcome the challenges they face on their path to empowerment and independence.

Get involved

Your compassionate contribution to Samaritan House offers vital support to families facing adversity. With your help, we can provide a safe refuge and comprehensive care to those fleeing domestic violence, guiding them towards a brighter, safer future.

Together, we can ensure that every individual finds the support and resources they need to heal and rebuild their lives, building hope for generations to come.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*

First name * Last name *

Email*

Phone number

Who are you representing? (e.g organisation, foundation, personal, other)

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

*Required fields