Free health care for Maroochy's homeless

Marginalised members of society will have an opportunity to receive the vital care they deserve.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT: Mark Ellis holds a fraction of the bags donated for the Homeless Health Care Day. Picture: Eden Boyd

MARGINALISED members of society will have an opportunity to receive the vital care they deserve.

The Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre is hosting a Homeless Health Care Day and will be offering free services from healthcare professionals including doctors, dentists and podiatrists.

Free hair cuts, personal grooming kits and donated food and clothing will also be on offer.

Community development program coordinator Mark Ellis is organising the event and said homelessness was growing on the Coast.

"I have them sleeping outside my office, so to ignore it you have to be quite ignorant,” he said.

Mr Ellis said it was important for him to advocate on the issue because "no one actually does for homeless people”.

Help was scarce for homeless men on the Coast, he said, as there was a lack of emergency shelters catering for them.

"Homeless men have nowhere to go,” he said.

"It's either Brisbane or Maryborough, which is 170km north, so that's a long way to go for a bed.”

Mr Ellis said stigma was prevalent when it came to homelessness, with drugs and alcohol widely considered the common factor.

"When you look at the statistics, 47 per cent of the people who are homeless here on the Coast is due to lack of affordable housing, so it's not about the drugs,” he said.

The Homeless Health Care Day will be on March 23 from 10am-3pm at the Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre.

Volunteer hairdressers are still needed for the event. To assist, call the centre on 5443 6696.