JB (not her real name), a 75-year-old woman who uses a walker to mobilise, was recently asked to leave her rental apartment due to the owner’s decision to sell the property.
She was referred to the Salvation Army’s First Response team as she had no resources nor money to find accommodation. At the time of referral, the Department of Housing had no accommodation available, which put her at immediate risk of homelessness, forcing her to sleep in her car.
The Salvation Army’s First Response Team intervened and, with funding from Noosa Daybreak Rotary, provided JB with two weeks accommodation at a motel in Maroochydore. Both the Salvation Army’s social worker and case manager worked diligently to find respite accommodation through aged care organisations but were unsuccessful.
Despite her age and physical disabilities JB felt she did not fit into an aged care facility as she was still independent, drove a car and was active.
After two weeks at the motel provided by Rotary funding, the Department of Housing found an apartment for JB at Kings Beach, Caloundra.
JB was very anxious during this whole period, but is now happy to have secured social housing and avoided having to sleep in her car.
Since October 2022, more than 120 homeless people on the Sunshine Coast have been assisted with accommodation through an agreement between Noosa Daybreak Rotary and the Salvation Army, but there are still more needing help.
In 2021 Noosa Daybreak Rotary members became aware of a growing need for housing and shelter for homeless individuals and families after hearing there were about 40 homeless people sleeping in their cars each night and receiving counselling support from the Salvation Army.
“Our Club explored various alternative ways to assist the largest number of people, within our financial capabilities,” one member said.
“After discussions with Salvation Army case workers from the First Response Team, we developed the Salvation Army Rotary Blessing Fund (SARB).”
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Noosa Daybreak Rotary and the Salvation Army with the following guidelines:
· Donations to SARB would receive a tax receipt from the Salvation Army.
· No funds from RNDB would be used for Salvation Army administration; all funds would directly assist homeless individuals.
· As the project progressed, the Salvation Army would provide brief reports on the financial balance of SARB, along with redacted anecdotes of those assisted.
Since October 2022, Noosa Daybreak Rotary has donated $55,000 to the SARB project.
Up to November 2024, 120 people have been assisted with motel respite, and a Salvation Army case management officer has been assigned to map out plans for these individuals to reintegrate into the community, and this includes applications for accommodation.
The project’s success is evident, with 78 per cent of participants securing accommodation by the end of the SARB support period, and 68 per cent of the remaining participants later on, securing long-term accommodation.
Recently, the club has learnt that there has been an influx of women over the age of 55 who have been abandoned without accommodation or money, forcing them to sleep in their cars. The Salvation Army (SA) is currently focusing on assisting this group by providing initially, security and SA case managers to help them acclimatise to their situations.
Anyone wishing to donate funds to the project can contact the Salvation Army in Noosaville, on 5335 8500 who will direct donations specifically to the SARB project.
To address the bigger question of homelessness, Rotary asks how do we change the thinking of ourselves, our country, councils, and governments? This is a twenty-first century issue, that doesn’t appear to be decreasing.
