Record-breaking: 100,000 reasons Toowoomba provider beat all odds

While Covid-19 has presented a range of challenges for many sectors, this Toowoomba not-for-profit has broken records.

Dedicating its services to helping disadvantaged members of the community, a Toowoomba organisation has hit a record-breaking milestone.

Not-for-profit YellowBridge has revealed it has delivered record levels of social service support in the past financial year.

More than 100,000 hours of support was provided to people living with a disability and almost 10,000 to young people experiencing homelessness in the Toowoomba region.

Community housing was also provided to 546 people, while nearly 23,000 home services were delivered to seniors living independently.

Yellow Bridge Queensland chief executive officer Adrian Bonica said while the organisation had encountered challenges due to the pandemic, the not-for-profit had reached its pre-Covid levels of service delivery, by June this year.

“We delivered a record number of client support hours across all programs, attracted our largest amount of grants and donations to date, surpassed our business efficiency target and managed a 10.5% growth in (the) overall budget of $13.5 million,” Mr Bonica said.

“Never have our program teams been busier – the demand for our services across housing, home services, disability support and youth remain persistently high.

“We have endured change and challenges this year, but we have persisted … we have resolved to power on and that has made the difference.”

Employing more than 126 people at the Toowoomba-based organisation, staff members and volunteers celebrated the news at its annual service awards night late last month.

Many worthy recipients were recognised for their contributions at the event, which was held on October 29 at the Highfields Cultural Centre.

Of the people recognised was founder and life member Desmond Orr, who received a special tribute on the night.

The YB Spirit award for outstanding commitment was distributed to Jess Flintoff, Araminta Pearce, Dianne Bonell, Marlina Pern and Jordan Darr.

Recognised for their 10-year-long service was Dianne Bonell, Diwas Chapagain, Araminta Pearce, Bevan Erbacher, Hannah Jones-Pillar, Rebecca Taylor, Leonie Godwin, Lynda Jones, Kathy Sternes and Noelle Harper.

Meanwhile Erin Laherty received a 15-year-long service award.

Originally published as Record-breaking: 100,000 reasons Toowoomba provider beat all odds