Our Mission
He Waka Eke Noa
We are all in the same canoe, no one paddles alone, and no one is left standing alone!
When our community remembers that every person's wellbeing is bound up with everyone else's, we stop asking who deserves a seat in the canoe and start asking how we make room for everyone who needs one. A person locked out by paperwork, poverty, trauma, or circumstance is not outside our canoe - they were always meant to be in it. Divinity Foundation exists to bring them back on board, so that the whole canoe moves forward together, or not at all.
Everyone deserves access to good food, clean water, shelter, safety, and opportunity - including the fuel, power and digital connection modern life now depends on - without having to surrender their health, mental wellbeing, or privacy to get it. Global supply pressures, poor quality food, and the daily strain of surviving today's economy compound the challenges vulnerable people face. We exist to close that gap, and to make sure no one is asked to trade their health or dignity for access.
By excelling to provide sound support, education and life-building services, we thereby:
- provide critically vulnerable people with genuine options and pathways to independence that they would not otherwise have the chance to access.
- enhance community life through food security, housing, arts and culturally responsive support and sustainable infrastructure.
- recognise the outstanding efforts of our team, volunteers and partners in building a stronger community.
What services we provide
Food Security
GOLDEN MANNA was established in Liverpool in July 2019. The store provided affordable food for those experiencing food insecurity.
During covid lockdown we cooked hot meals three days a week over four months in 2020 at Fairfield together with Fairfield Council, Core Community Services, Humanity Matters and Beak & Johnston.
We continued to provide free weekly food hampers from July 2020 in partnership with Lifespring Church, Helping Hands NSW Sydney and OzHarvest.
We closed our store in May 2021 and reopened a warehouse in Yagoona in November 2021 distributing free food hampers in partnership with Coles Secondbite and OzHarvest for families throughout south-west Sydney.
We then relocated our warehouse to Kemps Creek in December 2023 and partner with churches to feed the vulnerable in Woolloomooloo.
We continue this work in partnership with Sydney Helping Angels Inc in south west Sydney.
House of Promise
HOUSE OF PROMISE was established in July 2021 in Campbelltown.
Our nine month program provided accommodation for 12 non-citizen families that were not eligible for government welfare.
Thirty people were housed in our brand new built unit complexes; whom were homeless and not eligible for any government funding.
The homes were fully furnished to provide a beautiful environment that encouraged hope and promise that things will get better for them with the right support.
Families were supported with referrals to our community partners for job search, financial counselling, and parenting programs.
Families were able to secure employment and housing at the end of the program.
We are currently exploring funding avenues for a permanent home to support homeless who have no access to government welfare.
Arts for Wellbeing
We saw the need to address the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.
In October 2019 we established our after school Creative Kids programs through GOLDEN MANNA ACADEMY.
The classes ranged from cultural language, dance and arts through face-to-face or online.
In 2024 we re-introduced the cultural language classes available online in partnership with Te Kotuitanga Kohanga Reo
Students wishing to learn te reo Maori can register their interest in the classes. The Creative Kids vouchers are redeemable for use with these classes.
What services we provide
New Beginnings
Our new beginning program happens on arrival, our guests often come with very little.
We welcome them and then start our assessment plan, support program and collaborate with other organisations in our community to help source new clothing and other essential items needed, that is required at that time.
Together we collaborate with our generous community for new household items such as towels, pillows, blankets, washing machine, etc.
We also help them prepare their resumes to help find employment.
Our goal is to provide an intensive support system to help move our guests into their very own private accommodation.
Each guest needs a new start, a new beginning and we will do all that we can to make that possible.
Targeted Suport
Our support team are onsite to help navigate the process and advocate for assistance when required.
Our staff are complex trauma trained and able to approach your needs in culturally and spiritually responsive ways.
Targeted support specific for each person will also be sourced from our guests' networks and partner organisations in order to achieve the best outcomes possible by:
- Referring services
- Financial adviser
- Counselling
- Case management/support services
- Food services
Together we can make a better future for all one step at a time.
Prevention
We aim to focus on prevention in two ways.
Our Food Aid program targets families weekly across Sydney, with the generous support of
- Foodbank
- Coles Secondbite
- OzHarvest
- Beak & Johnston
By feeding over 1,000 people weekly, we ensure families can afford to meet their rental and daily living obligations.
Our Guest Home program targets non-residents so we seek suitable transitional accommodation for shelter whilst we support them begin a new life.