Community Banks have stepped in to fill an urgently needed gap in housing for women and children escaping domestic and family violence (DFV).
DFV is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children in Australia with Queensland Police responding to an average of 400 cases of DFV every day.
This shocking statistic highlights the critical need to provide a housing first approach to help families recover from the upheaval caused by DFV.
To help address this critical issue, Sunshine Coast Community Financial Services Limited (SCCFSL) who operate Community Banks Cooroy, Tewantin-Noosa and Marcoola, have donated a generous grant of $500,000 to Coast2Bay Housing’s Noosa RISE Project.
The project aims to provide DFV survivors safe and secure housing for up to 12 months, as well as support services for transitioning back into society and re-starting their lives.
Sunshine Coast Community Financial Services chair, Trish Radge said, “The $500,000 goes towards purchasing the land within the Noosa region as a development site to construct urgently needed emergency accommodation for families. $500,000 is the largest contribution our Community Banks have ever made to one project.
“We know Noosa RISE will be a game changer for vulnerable women and children in our community and it’s fantastic that we can announce the commencement of this project during DFV Awareness month.“
“The customers of our Community Bank can be incredibly proud that their banking has made this possible. Simply by banking with us our customers are helping women and children affected by domestic and family violence. Someone you know, whether you realise it or not, is affected by DFV. 40 per cent of our local policing is spent dealing with DFV issues and currently there is no safe place for our vulnerable families to go once they leave crisis accommodation. The directors of our Community Bank wanted to make a significant difference, to provide a legacy that will benefit women and children for decades to come.
“We are proud to partner with Coast2Bay Housing, who have the skills and connections to make Noosa RISE DFV housing possible. As a Community Bank we can’t directly change behaviours around DFV, but we can provide funding to get Noosa RISE off the ground. This is a call out to all women and children in our community affected by DFV that we are here for you, to support you in any way we can,” she said.
Coast2Bay Housing Group CEO, Andrew Elvin said, “We are proud to be working with Community Bank Marcoola, Cooroy and Tewantin-Noosa and we are incredibly grateful for the generous, and longsighted support of this grant that will also enable us to leverage its value and seek government funding support to realise the dream of building RISE Stage 3 for the Noosa region.”
“Coast2Bay Housing Group has supported local families in need of safe, secure housing for more than 30 years and we are acutely aware of the huge and growing need for purpose-built accommodation for women and children impacted by domestic and family violence in our community.
“We strive to work with experienced partners, services, and supportive community groups and business leaders to provide families affected by DFV with housing options and the customised resources needed to rebuild their lives and rejoin their community. The grant by SCCFSL will ensure that we can change lives, together – both immediately for these families and for generations to come as these children grow up safely,” he said.
Bendigo’s Community Banks are committed to giving back to the community they serve, and its recent efforts have been extraordinary.
To date over $2.9 million has been poured back into the local community by the Community Bank Marcoola, Cooroy and Tewantin-Noosa network alone.
