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About Us

We provide a community and a welcoming and safe home for homeless people experiencing crisis, enabling their transition to a better future.

No homeless person needs to sleep rough in the Geelong Region

Our Mission
Samaritan House provides a community and a welcoming and safe home for homeless people experiencing crisis, enabling their transition to a better future.
Our Values
HospitalityDignityRespectCommunity

Samaritan House Geelong

Samaritan House Geelong (SHG) was established in 2012 and exists to help men experiencing homelessness in the Greater Geelong Region. Our facilities, located in Moolap, provide crisis and extended crisis accommodation for to up to 20 men, 365 days a year. As the only organisation providing shelter for homeless men in Greater Geelong, SHG is widely recognised in the community for its contribution to the issue of homelessness. As a grassroots organisation, SHG was borne out of the desire of local community members to meet the unmet needs of local homeless men.
SHG's guests are typically single, male, unemployed and aged between 18 to 60 years. Many of them have health and relationship issues. Drug and alcohol dependence may also be a factor and many of them will have spent time in their life in institutions. Their time as a homeless person can vary from a few months to several years. SHG provides them with a warm, welcoming community from which to start their journey back to employment and stable accommodation, thereby breaking the cycle of homelessness.
Since 2012, SHG has assisted over 1,500 men through its services.

Our Board

Simon White MAICD Board Chair
Simon has been a director since 2018, and became Chair in November of 2021. Simon runs a business consultancy firm in Geelong, is a former Mercy Health Foundation Board member, a former treasurer of an integrated childcare centre, and has held various senior executive roles in the non-profit and commercial sectors.
Andrew Balaam FIPA Deputy Chair
Andrew, a joint founder Samaritan House, has been a Director since 2012. Andrew is our Deputy Chair. Andrew is an advisor Cottage by the Sea, a Life member GenU, the former Chairman St Laurence Housing and the former Deputy Chairman Geelong Art Gallery. Andrew has held various Directorships in Private, Public, not for profit and community sector organisations.
Chris Barker Secretary
Chris has been the Secretary of the Board since 2016 and is a local Bank Manager with over 30 years’ experience in Banking and Finance and has a strong background in Compliance and Operational Excellence. Chris is also involved in a number of other Not For Profits in Geelong region and has a strong passion for the Geelong and the Business Community.
Prof Garry Carnegie Treasurer
Garry became a director of Samaritan House in July 2024. He is an Emeritus Professor of RMIT University, a Fellow member of CPA Australia, a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, and is an Associate Editor of Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal. He has held directorships in not-for-profit, community organisations.
Brian Sherwell
Member, Chair Building Committee
Brian joined the Board in 2018, and is Chair of the Building Sub-committee. Brian is retired having spent 42 years in the building industry as a Project Manager and Building Surveyor, including founding a Building Surveying practice . Brian is also a member of the St Bernards Belmont Parish Leadership Team, and enjoys photography and golf.
Wally Pelaccia
Member, Chair Fundraising Committee
Wally has been a Director of Samaritan House since 2012. He has held various roles including Treasurer, interim Board Chair and most recent head of Fund Raising. His background has been in Banking and Finance for 30 years and most recently has commenced his own debt advisory company Red Tree Advisory Pty Ltd.
Mandy Zanker
Member, Chair People and Programs Committee
Mandy joined the Board in September 2021. She currently works in community health with a career background in disability, law and finance. Mandy has held several honorary positions prior to joining the Samaritan House board, primarily supporting employment and educational opportunities for young people.
Camillo Delessandro Member
Camillo, has been a Director of Samaritan House since 2012. Camillo has held several Director and CEO executive roles in the commercial sectors in Australia and internationally and has also served on various NFP committees in the Geelong Region.
Andrew Barr Member
Andrew joined the Board of Samaritan House in 2016. He currently leads Education recruitment for a major Melbourne-based firm, having been a teacher and School Principal for many years and prior to that a journalist with The Age newspaper. Andrew has served on several Boards in the education sector nationally and internationally.
Kas Szakiel FCPA Member
Kas joined the Fundraising Committee in 2018, then as a Board Member. He has 40 years experience in the transport industry including road, rail and ports; with financial, accounting and planning responsibilities. He was treasurer at Bethany, and is secretary and treasurer of his Rotary Club as well as District Treasurer at Rotary.
Nikki Gilbertson Member
Nikki joined the Samaritan House board in 2022. Nikki is the General Manager Client Services at Dementia Australia. Nikki has a long history in senior management roles within non-profit aged care and disability support services, including areas such as homelessness services and case management.

Our Team

Samaritan House is reliant on our amazing volunteers who assist with a range of services such as cooking, cleaning, deliveries of food, maintenance.
Karen Teuchler Board Executive Assistant (Part-time)
Samaritan House Geelong has a partnership contract with The Salvation Army to help support our men.
Contact us for more information.
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