Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Call to support state’s homeless

byStaff writers
13 September 2009 - Updated on 16 March 2021
Reading Time: 2 mins read
AA
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

THE St Vincent de Paul Society in Queensland is urgently seeking don-ations to help put a roof over the heads of families who are homeless.

The society’s Gold Coast Central Council president Mervyn Powell said work was well underway on the organisation’s $8 million Australian-first homeless facility and services centre on the Gold Coast but urgent help was needed to complete the project.

Mr Powell said the “Families Back on Track” project involved 28 units and a two-storey support centre facility at Arundel that would accommodate single parents with children and homeless families with children.

He said the program extended beyond just providing accommodation.

“The significance of the program is that it does not just house a large number of families with nowhere else to go – up to 108 people – but it also offers a range of programs to ensure those living there receive the necessary skills and support to break the cycle of homelessness,” Mr Powell said.

He said families became homeless generally as the result of a crisis.

“The people we help will invariably come to us as a result of a crisis in their lives and sometimes, it’s just the chance to get back on their feet that is what they are looking for,” he said.

“It’s a tragic reality that on any given night on the Gold Coast, up to 15 families may be sleeping in cars, stranger’s lounge rooms or outside in the elements.” 

St Vincent de Paul Society Gold Coast and Country area manager John Goodwin said the project would fill a much-needed gap in services for the homeless.

“Families really are not well catered for,” he said.
“I have (been told) they turn away between 50 and 60 families a month at (an emergency accommodation facility on the Gold Coast).

Related Stories

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

“Our Vincentians are dealing with it on a daily basis.”
Mr Powell said construction of the facility should be completed later this year but money was urgently needed for the fit-out of the units.

“As little as less than $10,000 will fit-out our community service training kitchen, (where we) will teach the residents basic, yet important life skills,” he said.

“(Then) $16,600 will completely fit-out one household, while less than $2000 will provide adequate window fittings, like venetian blinds.

“It all adds up. We’re so close to being able to help people in crisis with this facility, but without the generous support of the public, we may still not bring our dream to reality.”

Mr Goodwin, who recently attended a two-day conference on homelessness in Brisbane said one of the most important points of the conference were that the homeless should be treated with respect, that accommodation was important to them and that quality accommodation was important to them.

He said one homelessness project in Port-land, Oregon, in the United States was recording a 70 per cent reduction in chronic homelessness.

“There are a lot of things happening in homelessness at the moment at both the local government, state and not-for-profit level,” Mr Goodwin said.

“This project is only part of a whole range of things we’ve recognised down here.”

Mr Powell urged anyone who wishing to donate financial support for furnishings, curtains, landscaping and other final trimmings to the Families Back on Track project do so online at www.vinnies.org.au or by phoning (07) 3010 1072.

 

 

ShareTweet
Previous Post

A film for all generations

Next Post

Called to witness

Staff writers

Related Posts

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies
QLD

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

20 May 2022
Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition
QLD

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

20 May 2022
Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning
QLD

Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

19 May 2022
Next Post

Called to witness

NATSICC to gather in 'prayer and faith'

Bishop Putney shares his wisdom

Popular News

  • Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Queensland election: The pro-life political parties committed to abortion law reforms

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies
QLD

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

by Joe Higgins
20 May 2022
0

BRISBANE grandmother Gwendoline Grant has clocked up 15,000 hours cuddling and caring for sick and premature babies...

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

20 May 2022
Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

19 May 2022
Catholic relationship advisers offer five tips to look after your mental health

Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

19 May 2022
Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

19 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping