Toowoomba charities and how to assist after cost of living pressures

Cost of living and housing pressures have left many Toowoomba residents reeling, as well as the charities who assist those in need. Here’s how you can give back to these worthy causes.

The cost of living and housing crisis has left many Toowoomba residents reeling as well as the charities who assist those in need. Here’s how you can give back to these worthy causes.

Inflation and cost of living pressures have left many charities across the Darling Downs reeling with a higher need for assistance but less donations channelling through.
Here’s how you can make a difference and get behind these six worthy causes.

Helen Muller (left) and Marjorie Lorenz. Picture: Nev Madsen

Civic Assist

Empowering others through a variety of initiatives and programs, the Civic Assist Support Centre helps people from all walks of life.

The organisation assists those doing it tough as a result of a traumatic event, loss of work, health crisis, cost of living pressures or domestic violence.

Civic Assist operations manager Helen Muller said without regular and quality donations the organisation would be unable to provide the level of assistance currently required.

“Over recent months we have seen a steep increase in the number of people calling our support centre for food vouchers, assistance with fuel, household goods, and furniture,” Ms Muller said.

“This increase means that some weeks we are not able to provide what is needed and have referred them to other charities in the Toowoomba area.

“Our experience is that we live in a generous community who will give to a cause if they possibly can.”

Civic Assist will launch his Winter Warmth Appeal on May 1 and ask the community to donate warm clothing and bedding.

Every year the items are passed on to community organisations and people in desperate need during the winter months.

The Civic Assist team also assist families with ‘back to school’ support.

IF YOU NEED SUPPORT:

Phone [phone] or visit civicassist.org.au

Selena Protheroe of Hope for Our Children. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Hope For Our Children

Since Hope For Our Children was established in Toowoomba in 2013, the organisation has distributed nearly 2000 backpacks full of supplies to children in need across the region.
But the charity, which relies heavily on donations from the community, is now at risk of closure with a rise in demand combined with an unprecedented loss of donations.
Hope For Our Children spokeswoman Selena Protheroe said 79 backpacks had already been distributed this year with an outstanding 68 orders to fulfil.

With 219 orders completed for the entirety of 2022, the spokeswoman said it was a substantial increase considering it’s only March.

“Our shelves are totally empty,” she said.

“In the past six months especially we have noticed the donations have really dropped off and I imagine it’s because families are really struggling with the rising cost of living.

“I understand it’s hard for everybody right now but for us to help these children we really do need the community to continue supporting us.”
While the Toowoomba charity has focused predominantly on assisting children who are at risk of or removed from their homes, the organisation will soon also start providing its services to refugees and children fleeing domestic violence.

IF YOU NEED SUPPORT:

Phone [phone] or visit hopeforourchildren.com.au

RSPCA volunteers and kittens visit Rosemont Cottage in Toowoomba to teach kids about how to care for animals.

RSPCA

As part of its mission to help make a difference for nearly 60,000 animals every year, RSPCA has several op-shops and cat adoption centres across the state including Toowoomba.

Every year the charity helps hundreds of rescue animals of all sizes find their forever home.

RSPCA Queensland op-shop field manager Cassandra Barclay said quality clothing and homewares were always in high demand, especially as cost of living pressures intensify.

“We have seen a large drop in quality donations … homewares and bric-a-brac have dried up completely,” she said.

“Clothing quality has really dropped (with) a huge rise in ‘fast fashion’ items.”

Ms Barclay said a drop in donations would have a direct impact on the charity which relies heavily on funds made through the organisation’s second hand stores.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Phone [phone] or visit rspcaqld.org.au

Alan LeMay from The Smith Family.

The Smith Family

With one in six Australian children living in poverty today, The Smith Family relies heavily on public support to help young people to thrive in their education and futures.

The Smith Family Queensland general manager Alan LeMay said the organisation would welcome more Australians to sign-up and sponsor the education of children in need.

He said the charity’s annual Back to School Appeal was in its final weeks of the campaign and almost 3000 children in Australia still required a sponsor.

“The ongoing cost of living crisis has had a significant impact on the families we support and is also affecting the ways in which the community is able to support us,” he said.

“There has been a drop in donations, and this will have an impact on the number of children we can support.”

The organisation currently supports 60,000 disadvantaged children across the country through its Learning For Life program, with a goal to reach 100,000 children by 2027.

Offering practical, emotional and financial support to young people, the evidence-based program helps them to build skills, knowledge, motivation, self-belief and positive relationships with others.

The evidence-based program is also proven to help children stay at school, complete year 12 and pursue studies or an occupation in their field of choice.

“Our families have faced one hit after another in recent years, including natural disasters, the pandemic, and now cost of living pressures are taking an immense toll,” Mr LeMay said.

“The rising cost of living means the families we support are having to make difficult decisions about where they spend their dollars with necessities coming first.

“As we wrap up our Back to School Appeal, we are calling on the community to dig deep and ­­­help to provide students with the support they need to continue to thrive in their education this school year and into their futures.”

IF YOU NEED SUPPORT:

Phone [phone] or visit thesmithfamily.com.au

Tony's Community Kitchen founder Tony Hurle. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Tony’s Kitchen

The phones never stop ringing at Tony’s Community Kitchen with up to 90 people attending the centre on any given night looking for free meals, fresh fruit and vegetables.

Chief executive officer Tony Hurle said he had never seen so many people struggling at once in the 21 years he has worked in community service.

“The cost of living is hitting hard for the people we support and it’s become harder for us as the provider to keep up with our costs rising too,” he said.

“As people’s wages are not keeping up, the donations are few and far between.

“The rise in rent, power, insurance, food and petrol makes our job of delivering daily harder.”

Mr Hurle said he and some of his volunteers have worked 900 days straight as the demand for assistance continues to grow.

“While the big charities were closed over Christmas, we recorded 3000 visits at our kitchen,” he said.

“The stories are raw, people are sleeping in cars, parks or shop fronts and there are new faces every day with winter just around the corner.”

While the charity accepts food and other items directly, monetary donations are also welcome.
Open 365 nights a year, Tony’s Community Kitchen is at 174a James St.

IF YOU NEED SUPPORT:

Phone [phone] or visit tonyscommunity.org.au

Vinnies site co-ordinator Amanda Lee and regional manager Adam Bruggemann. Picture: Nev Madsen

Vinnies

More than 170 years ago the St Vincent de Paul Society was founded by a 20-year-old student named Frederic Ozanam.

Since the beginning, the charity has offered a variety of support services to Toowoomba including providing groceries, housing and other essentials to residents in need.

Every year the organisation assists approximately 331,561 Queenslanders and 1,842,015 people across the country.

This essential work is funded by public donations and purchases made through Vinnies op-shops.

Retail operations manager for the Toowoomba region Adam Bruggemann said while donations had remained steady for the organisation, demand for support had grown significantly.

“In 2022, we received more than 6000 requests for help – more than 25 per cent more than we received in 2020,” he said.

“Since the end of Covid-19 lockdowns, we hoped things would return to normal – instead, we’ve seen a severe shortage of affordable housing and ongoing cost of living increases.”

After completing an extensive renovation, the charity also reopened its second-hand store on Ruthven St.

Thanking volunteers for their generosity and hard work over the years, Mr Bruggemann said they “can’t do it alone”.

“The donations we receive ensure they have the resources to provide for local families and individuals during times of desperation,” he said.

“We greatly appreciate the support of the Toowoomba community, our donors and our keen op-shoppers as we continue to work to help locals impacted by the housing crisis and ongoing cost of living.

“We couldn’t do what we do without you.”

IF YOU NEED SUPPORT:

Phone [phone] or visit qld.vinnies.org.au

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