Orange Uniting Church and Veritas House Partner to Create Housing for Homeless Youth

Orange Uniting Church has launched a new partnership with Veritas House to transform its former Sunday School Hall into safe, supportive accommodation for homeless youth and young adults.

The announcement coincided with Homelessness Week 2025, which carries the theme “Homelessness Action Now”—a call to move beyond raising awareness and take tangible steps toward ending homelessness.

The project has received a $500,000 grant from the Homes NSW Homelessness Innovation Fund, enabling the redevelopment of the hall into a space with seven private bedrooms, each with an ensuite. One of the rooms will be larger to accommodate young families. The building will also feature a modern kitchen, dining area, loungeroom, and other shared living spaces.

Adaptive ARCHITECTS Pty Ltd have been engaged to design the facility with the needs of young people in mind. The new accommodation will serve individuals and families aged 17–25, offering not just shelter but a supportive environment to help them move forward.

For long-time congregation member Helen James, the redevelopment holds special significance. Helen was baptised and confirmed at the church and attended Sunday School in the same hall as a child. Her family’s connection to the site goes back generations, with her grandparents attending the church before the Kindergarten Hall was first installed in 1919.

Reflecting on the project, she described it as:

“A wonderful vision of the church’s future direction. A work of love. Putting heart in the heart of the community.”

To learn more or contribute to the project, visit veritashouse.org.au/donate.