Charity opens up to help rising homeless population
A new op shop dedicated to assisting homeless people is working to change lives.
Sunshine Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sunshine Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
NAMBOUR is welcoming a new op-shop, with Aus Living Support opening its first shop dedicated to helping the Coast's homeless.
The charity's profits will be used to fund more transitional homes and a rental supplement scheme that helps those on the brink of homelessness.
Aus Living Support CEO Ian Harrison said the rental scheme project, which would start immediately, worked to reduce the strain on other services by preventing homelessness and was creating a lot of excitement among other charities.
"There are no real supplement schemes out there for people that are struggling … but our rental supplement scheme will reduce the amount of people becoming homeless so that's the one that has got the most excitement," Mr Harrison said.
The two-fold scheme will pay $200 a week directly to the recipient's landlord for a guaranteed period of one year before being reassessed.
Mr Harrison said he was happily retired in April, when he decided to do his part to help.
"We heard about the plight of the homelessness on the Coast being roughly 1600 people a night sleeping rough and we also know from the statistics that 250 people a day are turned away from homeless services in Australia because there aren't enough," Mr Harrison said.
"So, we decided what's the best way for us to contribute to that and that's why we started this."
Aus Living Support marketing director Dessi Mitzeva said the new op-shop located on Howard St had received a lot of community support and interest.
"It's just been phenomenal to see how giving people are especially when they know that the money is staying on the Coast," Mrs Mitzeva said.
The advertising guru said the store stocked "pretty much everything" from shoes to furniture "as long as it's in sellable condition or usable condition".
"If you wouldn't wear it, we don't want to give it to anyone that's homeless or put it in the shop," Mrs Mitzeva said.
Mr Harrison said when donating it was important to remember "it's all about uplifting people not keeping them down".
"We're trying to give them hope, we're trying to give them dignity," Mr Harrison said.
"Anything that makes a home a home."
Mr Harrison said they had big plans for the charity with six more shops planned to open between Gympie and Caloundra, all of them being "100 per cent local for 100 per cent locals".
To donate or volunteer at the op-shop contact Aus Living Support through their website www.auslivingsupport.org.au.
Liquidator looks at transactions of $350m surf park’s director
The developer behind a proposed $350m surf park and resort complex on the Sunshine Coast paid himself more than $600k in a series of possibly voidable transactions, prior to the collapse of his company, liquidators claim.
Family’s French patisserie plans rejected by Noosa Council
A family’s dream of opening a French bakery has been thwarted by the Noosa Council as they moved to reject the minor change application despite concerns of fairness and transparency.