Celebrating 50 years and beyond
2026 annual report
We build homes, communities and hope
At the core of all that we do as an organisation is hope. This is our passion and our mandate. This is what we have done for the last 50 years, and this is what we will do for the next
Maurice Benington
Board Chair
chair report
Welcome to the annual report on the work of Habitat for Humanity Victoria for the 2026 financial year. I’ve been in this role for nearly a year now and it has been a pleasure to work alongside Justin Simpson, CEO, and our growing Board.
In our world's climate of continuing challenges, it was imperative that Habitat reimagine how we grow our impact. As a result, we engaged in new conversations about scale, partnerships, and storytelling. The non-negotiable remaining, everyone deserving a decent place to call home. It has been through these strategic conversations that we have resolutely set the course towards a hope-filled future.
We continue to build on a legacy of homes, community and hope. In late 2025, we reached the significant milestone of completing our housing development at Crib Point. This project ran for 6 years and at its culmination, established 72 partner families with a home - the foundation for a hope-filled future.​
We continue to explore new projects with other partners. Projects that not only look to establish families but also other vulnerable groups within our society. Our ability to consider such a broadening of our reach came from the work the board undertook to build on our strengths whilst at the same time recognising we cannot be all things to all people. Subsequently, we are tightening our focus on what we can do, and what we cannot.
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To finish, let me recognise the ongoing contribution of the staff and volunteers of Habitat Victoria, who day-in day-out continue the realisation of so much of what we do. Our volunteers equally demonstrate what God’s love in action looks like, as they give generously of their time serving others that they might have a hope-filled future.
ceo report
Housing has become one of the most pressing societal issues in Australia. It is chronic and acute in its impact for households. However, in collaboration with other like-minded organisations, we are working hard to create solutions. It is in this challenging context, that we put God’s love into action - bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope.
In FY26, we completed our affordable housing development at Crib Point, with our last partner family settling in January this year. We're thankful to the many people and organisations who contributed to this project - in particular, Sefa, Hugh T.D Williamson Trust Foundation and our ReStore volunteers. It is especially pleasing to see how the 6 households are working together as an owners corporation and developing community.
We also undertook an architectural design and project feasibility for a significant affordable housing development. As a result of our due diligence, we deemed the project not financially feasible. However, we have consolidated our learnings , applying them to our strategic housing framework which underscores the vital links between social impact and the cohorts we serve as well as the housing solutions we design and the funds needed to complete them in a timely and cost-effective manner. We continue to explore both a strategic funding relationship and the potential housing developments.
A key take-out is our intention to support women over 55 who are at risk of homelessness, and the need for us to adapt our previous model to enable this.
Significantly, we continue to invest in our partner families who have experienced adversity and housing insecurity with long-term interest-free loans. This has been an important financial enabler for them, culminating in 3 partner families refinancing their loans this year.
Our partner family consultation group continues to bring 'lived experience' to the centre of our strategic planning. We continue to strengthen the agency of our partner families as they help shape the future of our housing program.
Our Brush with Kindness program continues to support households experiencing financial stress and other community housing organisations. Our deepening partnership with Habitat Australia has consolidated our national approach and helped maximise our impact. Additionally, after the devastating fires last Summer, our Brush with Kindess team made pivoted to enable essential bushfire recovery to affected farmers in Highlands, Victoria. A special thanks to all our community and corporate volunteers who helped achieve wonderful outcomes for Victorians experiencing housing adversity.
Our incredible ReStore volunteers are equally instrumental in enabling and generating funds for our housing programs and impact. Financial supporters and trusts continue to generously invest and underpin our work. And our dedicated staff continue to work towards growing our programs, our impact and our organisational sustainability. I especially acknowledge Jenny Curtis for over 10 years of dedicated service and Chris Wyatt who retired after 13 years.
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In conclusion, we continue striding towards solutions with passion and determination so to address the acute need for affordable, secure and safe housing. Together, we’re building homes, communities and hope.
Justin Simpson
CEO
together, we build the foundation
At Habitat for Humanity Victoria, we bring people together to build more than homes — we build connection, stability and opportunity.
our values
Empowering & engaging
Driven to make a difference
A trusted partner
Generous & caring
Responsible & resourceful
our vision
A world in which everyone can have a decent, safe and affordable place to call home
our mission
Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build home, communities and hope
together, we build momentum
year in review
2024/25
Here's how we are impacting the community together
34
partner families with no interest loans
Home ownership transforms lives. This year, we continued supporting 34 partner families through our Affordable Housing program, a commitment that ensures these families maintain stable, affordable housing with no interest loans while building equity and financial independence.
411
Brush with Kindness volunteers combined
Our Brush with Kindness program where volunteers revitalise properties with painting and gardening works for our housing partners ensures more Victorians can access the secure, dignified housing they deserve.
56
BWK Project Days
Each day saw the tangible impact of a renewed or repaired space transform the perspective of a resident.
2671
BWK Volunteer Hours
Time dedicated to serving those in our community who have endured significant hardship
11
Housing Partners
We assisted 11 charitable housing organisations in Victoria revitalising spaces to become welcoming and safe
3
Through our connection with Habitat for Humanity Australia, Victoria enabled the building of these homes in the Asia Pacific region.
Overseas homes funded
123
ReStore volunteers
Our ReStore op shops thrive because of dedicated people and generous donations. This year, 123 volunteers formed the backbone of our Kilsyth and Rosebud operations, transforming pre-loved items into funds that support affordable housing, interest free loans and our BWK program.
financials
Funds entrusted with Habitat for Humanity Victoria are used thoughtfully to create lasting impact. Our Financial Report for FY25 outlines how supporter contributions, social enterprise revenue, and partnerships have resourced our mission and impact, building homes, supporting families and growing communities. We invite you to review our audited financial statements here.
hope and connection dinner
In May, the Habitat for Humanity Victoria community came together for our Building Hope and Connection Dinner - a night to celebrate the impact of our programs and the people who make them possible.
Guests heard inspiring stories which came from our affordable housing and Brush with Kindness programs, showing the tangible difference they make in people’s lives.
We were encouraged by Helen, Connor and Mia, one of our partner families who moved into a Habitat home in 2008 after many years of housing insecurity. Connor and Mia - now in their early 20s - shared how having a safe, stable home provided a foundation for their family and gave them opportunities to thrive, including pursuing further studies.
We also heard from Dawn Develyn from Benwerren Women’s Retreat, who reflected on the incredible support they’ve received through our Brush with Kindness program. From painting the property in fire-resistant paint to completing repairs and gardening. Dawn highlighted how the generosity of Habitat volunteers never fails to amaze the families they support.
The evening was filled with a sense of community, connection and shared purpose, a celebration of what we can achieve together building homes, community and hope.
R-L, Jenny Curtis with our partner families, Helen, Donna & Roxana
Silent auction contributions made by generous business donors
R-L, Partner family Connor, Mia. Helen with Justin Simpson
a place called home
Our development at Crib Point reveals a story of transformation. Freshly painted homes stand proud and residents are growing flourishing gardens. On Celeste’s house, there is a striking mosaic house number that captures the eye of every visitor. This mosaic number is more than beautifully decorative, it represents a deeper story.
During the construction of her house, tiles were salvaged from the old building previously on the site. Celeste carefully transformed these fragments into something beautiful and new. A mosaic that honours the past while celebrating the future.
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These details, the hand-crafted mosaic, the emerging gardens, the care visible in every corner reveal what happens when families gain access to decent, safe, affordable housing. They're signs of stability and belonging, of a place where life can flourish.
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"My children can now sleep with their windows open," one partner family shares, reflecting on their sense of safety.
This is the effect of having a home. When families have a stable foundation, they don't just survive. They can grow, contribute, and thrive. Gardens are planted. Communities strengthen. Children dream with their windows open. It begins with something as fundamental as a place to call home.
Brush with Kindness Program
As housing demand intensifies across Australia, charitable accommodation providers face unprecedented pressure. Our Brush with Kindness (BWK) program delivers practical solutions that make a tangible difference for them and their beneficiaries.
Through partnerships with charitable housing organisations, we help ensure more properties can welcome people who have experienced hardship.
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By mobilising corporate and community volunteers to provide gardening, painting, and minor repairs, we help reduce property vacancy periods and restore homes to a safe, welcoming condition. Women's refuges, community housing and shared spaces are refreshed and revitalised. These properties are ready to provide security and stability to those who need it most.
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These single-day volunteer opportunities offer corporate teams meaningful engagement that enables genuine community impact and team building.​ The numbers tell a powerful story: 411 dedicated volunteers contributed 2,671 hours throughout the year, transforming properties and creating safe spaces for Victorians who’ve faced hardship.
To every volunteer who rolled up their sleeves, our deepest thank you. Your partnership has made a tangible difference for our housing partners and, ultimately, for the families and individuals now able to call these refreshed spaces home.
BWK volunteers refreshing spaces with Whisper White Dulux paint
making an impact in Yarrinup
Making a sustained difference in the housing crisis requires collaboration. This is why Habitat for Humanity Victoria partners with other charitable housing organisations through our Brush With Kindness program.
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One of these partnerships has been with The Salvation Army’s Yarrinup Mother & Baby Program, located in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs. Yarrinup offers young mums (aged 16-25) at risk of homelessness the chance to live in independent onsite units and receive wrap-around support so they can build strong attachments with their babies and set up a new life.
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Our BWK volunteers have assisted Yarrinup with home and garden maintenance. Our projects have included heavy weeding in the gardens, painting fences and creating safe and practical play spaces that feature sandpits and cubby houses.
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This has been impactful in creating refreshed, inviting environments where children can explore and play, and where mothers feel supported and secure. By alleviating some of their maintenance costs, Brush with Kindness helps the Yarrinup program focus on its mission of supporting young mothers and their children. Together, we’re making a difference.
Before
After
Volunteers creating a safe and vibrant space for mothers and their children
people power
Habitat for Humanity Victoria is made up of a tapestry of donors, supporters, partner families and volunteers. Each group playing a significant role in building homes, community and hope.
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Each day, our dedicated volunteers at ReStore Kilsyth and ReStore Rosebud bring their unique skills and warm smiles to the shop floor, sorting donations and welcoming customers. We not only offer affordable goods but also generate vital funds to support our home-building and Brush with Kindness programs.
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We are deeply grateful to the 123 ReStore volunteers who have contributed their time this year. Thank you for your generosity, your passion and your investment in Habitat’s mission.
volunteers
supporters
Our financial donors give quietly behind the scenes and their impact is so vital. Their generosity funds Habitat’s impact, enabling our house building, Brush with Kindness program and the no-interest loans that make home ownership possible for our partner families. To our financial donors, regularly and once off, your contribution is deeply felt.
ReStores building community
Our ReStore social enterprises in Kilsyth and Rosebud operate as more than retail outlets. They are enablers for meaningful, multi-generational change. Every item donated and purchased supports our work in building affordable homes, helping our partner families with no-interest loans and providing our Brush with Kindness program.
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Kilsyth ReStore has strengthened its focus on commercial partnerships in FY25, securing substantial office furniture donations while expanding sales reach through Marketplace. We are grateful for the support of community members and commercial partners who choose to donate quality pre-loved goods.
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Notable contributions this year include The Ascott Ltd and Project Net Zero, who collectively donated over 200 pieces of high-quality designer furniture. These partnerships exemplify the dual impact of our model: generating funds that support our local impact and diverting valuable resources from landfill.
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Rosebud ReStore continues as a vibrant community hub, collecting and processing donated goods. It is a joyful experience to visit the store. A particular highlight has been our partnership with Peninsula Special School, welcoming students living with disability for weekly work experience placements.
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Long-serving volunteer KerryAnne reflects on the transformative nature of these placements, observing growth in participants' confidence week by week. "We can see the little milestones," she notes, recalling one student in particular who, over successive weeks of sorting and checking DVDs, gradually progressed from quiet nervousness to making comfortable eye contact with the team.
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ReStore's financial contributions are substantial, with both locations demonstrating how social enterprise can strengthen communities while advancing our mission of building homes, communities, and hope.
