It s not just about the bread. Contribution of UnitingCare agencies to emergency relief

Transcription

1 Contribution of UnitingCare agencies to emergency relief

2 CONTENTS FORWARD FOWARD FAST FACTS AN OVERVIEW OF THE NEED WHAT S NEXT AFTER EMERGENCY RELEIF THE EMERGENCY RELEIF WORKFORCE HOW EMERGENCY RELIEF CHANGES LIVES ONE OF THE UNSUNG HEROES When UnitingCare speaks about emergency relief, we are referring to being present when people can t manage to get by, when they struggle because they have no disposable income and there s nothing left by the middle of the week, and when they cannot access what people with disposable income take for granted. Research into the link between poor material circumstances and health and well-being has provided evidence that the social meaning of being poor, of being unemployed, of being socially excluded or otherwise stigmatised has profound effects on health and well-being. As individuals we need to feel valued and appreciated, we need to feel useful, we need friends and we need more sociable societies. Without these we become more prone to depression, drug use, anxiety, hostility and feelings of hopelessness which can further exacerbate the cycle of poverty (WHO, 003, p 9). UnitingCare agencies are fortunate. Each of our agencies is located in, and is part of, a community which often includes a Uniting Church congregation. Being locally embedded offers us deep understanding of local circumstances, of how to deliver our services and how to develop relationships and links to our particular community. Our agencies know that being able to provide emergency relief is essential to meeting need. They also know that it provides a very special connecting point with the most vulnerable in our community. This report gives voice to the experience of UnitingCare agencies providing emergency relief and the unique relationship they have with local communities. It complements the report of the contribution of Uniting Church congregations. Together these reports demonstrate the extent of need in our communities and how the Church through its congregations and agencies continue to meet this need. We acknowledge this work and encourage you to read about the extent of emergency relief provided by UnitingCare agencies and how they achieve this outcome for local communities. APPENDIX Angela Goodwin Acting Director SHARE Charles Gibson Director UnitingCare Victoria and Tasmania

3 FAST FACTS $.7 funding million was received from the Commonwealth Emergency Relief Program, representing the largest source of for emergency relief. UnitingCare agencies distributed $3. million worth of emergency relief in 36 municipalities or 6shires across Victoria and Tasmania in 0. Demand exceeds supply in the majority of agencies. supermarket vouchers AGENCIES out of were not able to fulfil all requests for assistance. The majority of UnitingCare agencies adopt models of food assistance that provide the greatest choice for clients with reporting they use a food bank model 6% and 8% The second largest funding source for emergency relief was income generated by opportunity shops AGENCIES also told us their stories about how their emergency relief program helps to change lives and about the unsung heroes who work on behalf of their agency. UnitingCare agencies reported assisting approximately 7,540 individuals or families who sought emergency relief from their agency for the first time in 0, and fifteen agencies assisted approximately 9,405 individuals or families on more than five occasions. For half of the agencies, 75% or more of their emergency relief work is dependent on volunteers. assisting people $.7 million of emergency relief was spent on with food. Rent expenses were the second largest area of expenditure within programs. emergency relief

4 AN OVERVIEW OF THE NEED Where does the money for emergency relief come from? Models of providing food assistance The ability to meet essential living expenses is becoming increasingly difficult for a growing number of individuals and families as a result of rises in the cost of housing and utilities. 6 UnitingCare agencies reported assisting approximately 7,540 individuals or families in 0/0 who sought emergency relief from their agency for the first time. 5 UnitingCare agencies assisted approximately 9,405 individuals or families on more than five occasions in 0/0. This highlights the significant financial hardship facing people as they are forced to continually rely on the emergency relief provided by UnitingCare agencies to survive. The four most common issues facing people seeking ER from UnitingCare agencies are: Other * Housing stress 3 Mental health issues 4 Homelessness *Other indicates: Financial hardship due to unemployment and/or the increase in cost of housing and utility bills, Inability to stretch inadequate Centrelink benefits to pay all expenses, Immigration/refugee issues. For 40% of agencies, the majority of people they assist are: Single parents, People in public and private rental, People in receipt of a single parent payment. A new face of emergency relief The influx of asylum seekers into the community has caused a shift in the traditional groups of people seeking the assistance of emergency relief services with some agencies reporting a significant increase in demand: Asylum seekers make up the second largest group of people seeking assistance in Wesley Mission Footscray s office. UnitingCare Werribee ran out of food vouchers for the first time in 3 years as they couldn t cope with the extra demand of hundreds of asylum seekers housed at nearby transitional accommodation. A total of $3.8 million of income was received for emergency relief distribution by 6 UnitingCare agencies in 0/0. Twelve UnitingCare agencies reported receipt of a total of $.7 million from the Commonwealth Relief Program, representing the largest source of funding for emergency relief across the UnitingCare network. The second largest funding source of emergency relief in 0/0 was income generated from Opportunity Shops totalling $50,775. SHARE grants accounted for $396,465. Agencies also received funds from trusts, government bodies and donations from the community, including Uniting Church congregations and local businesses. How is emergency relief funding spent? A total of $3. million was spent by UnitingCare agencies in 0/0 on emergency relief. The most significant amount of this money was spent on providing assistance with food with $.7m of emergency relief funding distributed in food parcels and vouchers. Assistance with rental costs is the second largest expenditure item of emergency relief funding totalling $45,956, followed by educational expenses of $3,704. Over 8% of agencies provide supermarket vouchers to allow recipients freedom of choice. 6% of agencies adopt a food bank model (where recipients can select the items they want from a range of products the agency makes available). Food parcels with set items How does your agecy assist people with food? Food cupboard with set items that are given to the one recipient Food bank model - recipients can select the items they want Supermarket vouchers - the recipients can buy they items they want Other

5 WHAT S NEXT AFTER EMERGENCY RELIEF Where agencies source food The majority of agencies reported sourcing food from Foodbank Victoria and from Uniting Church congregations, although a diverse range of sources are used. Distribution of emergency relief The frequency with which individuals and families can obtain assistance from agencies with food and vouchers varies from weekly, fortnightly and monthly depending on the agency. A significant proportion of agencies reported the frequency of distribution of food and vouchers as other, i.e. More often depending on assessment of special circumstances. Non-perishable food and toiletries available on an ongoing basis and fresh fruits and vegetables made available on a monthly basis As requested and with consideration of circumstance At the discretion of the counsellor providing vouchers. The majority of agencies reported placing no limit on the value of emergency relief individuals are eligible to receive on each visit. Others placed limits between $0-0 and $4-50. The majority of agencies said they provide more than $50 of emergency relief for families. What s next after emergency relief? Once their immediate and practical needs have been met clients are referred to other services that address the problems causing them to seek assistance. The majority of agencies (69%) provide case management with 93% referring people who seek emergency relief to other services including financial counselling and no interest loans, housing support, drug and alcohol support services, family counselling and employment services. When they have to say no 0 out of 6 agencies said they are not able to fulfil all requests for assistance. This highlights the importance of agencies receiving financial support from the local community as it s heartbreaking for staff and volunteers to turn people away who desperately need help to survive. Which, if any, of the following does your agency offer to people who come for emergency relief? Case management Counselling - general Participation in community activities/programs Financial counselling Referal to other social support services Other Community education programs None

6 THE EMERGENCY RELIEF WORKFORCE The emergency relief workforce All agencies reported involving paid staff in managing or providing their emergency relief program but for half of our agencies 75% or more of the work of emergency relief is dependent on volunteers. Emergency relief volunteers are a middle aged workforce. What proportion of your agency s emergency relief volunteers are in each of the following age groups? Under 5 years None Less than 0% 5-44 years 0-5% 6-50% 5-75% Greater than 75% None years Over 65 years

7 HOW EMERGENCY RELIEF CHANGES LIVES A 64 year old woman came to our office one cold afternoon having walked in the rain from Hoppers Crossing. The police had found her asleep in her car and once they realized it was unregistered, took the keys. Unless she had cash, she could not access her car also her home for the past week, so she no longer had a car to drive or anywhere else to sleep. She was given food, a food voucher, a warm drink, and was driven by an agency volunteer to Vic Roads where the Op Shop takings for that day were used to pay her registration. She was found emergency accommodation for the evening and returned the next day to plan ongoing support and safe affordable housing. She thanked the volunteer for saving her life. A homeless man used our ER service for an extended period of time while waiting on the housing list and the food vouchers and parcels really made a significant difference in his life. His previous experience in boarding houses led to him being robbed and injured and he has recently been able to stabilise his living arrangement and is relying less and less on our ER services. The ER service during his time of being homeless was a critical part of his ability to survive and keep hopeful. A middle aged man approached us for assistance with car insurance and storage fees. He was homeless, estranged from his wife and having to care for his two teenage sons. They were living out of his vehicle which was not only needed as shelter but also to ferry his sons to and from school. The car s registration and the storage fee for his belongings were both due that week. We assisted him with the registration for six months (approx. $350) therefore keeping his car in use and helped him postpone the storage fee. A woman came to Wodonga having left a bad relationship and starting out with nothing. She made use of our ER service and also received support in finding housing and gradually re-establishing herself. Financial assistance through our No Interest Loan Scheme helped her buy a refrigerator and washing machine. She has had some setbacks resulting from a car accident and a permanent physical disability and has needed some help with food but she is coping and has now become a volunteer with our food store while she works towards regaining employment. The practical help and non-judgemental attitude helped her regain confidence and feel part of the community. She is proud to be able to give something back.

8 { } ONE OF THE UNSUNG HEROS Gabbie is 75 years old and has been volunteering such as VicRelief Foodbank and SecondBite, at Wesley Footscray Outreach as a truck driver Gabbie is a well-known representative of our and back of house volunteer for over 0 years. organisation. She is known for her energy, enthusiasm and commitment to working with She comes to the service every single morning other organisations on behalf of Wesley to to restock the client shopping room, and picks maximise the support we can provide to the up material aid donations regularly. people in our community. During the Food for Families campaign in the lead up to Christmas, Gabbie works full time picking up and dropping off donations for up to two months. In addition to this, she also drives around Melbourne picking up toy donations as part of Operation Santa. Gabbie started volunteering at WFO when she had to access the service because she was experiencing financial hardship and could not put food on the table for her family. This experience drives her to volunteer at our service so that other people who find themselves in a similar situation can have the same support, Without Gabbie, Wesley would really struggle to based on the values of hope, compassion and be able to pick up regular ongoing donations, justice that she had. particularly of fruit & vegetables. Her cheery, can-do attitude is evident to all, and she really Gabbie s commitment to the vital role she is an integral part of our service. undertakes at Wesley is hard to overestimate. Within the community, and with organisations

9 APPENDIX This research project was conducted by Bessy Andriotis and the survey was undertaken by 8 agencies. UnitingCare agencies provide emergency relief in the following municipalities/shires: VICTORIA Alpine Ararat Ballarat Casey Colac Otway Darebin Glen Eira Hepburn Horsham Hume Indigo Knox Melbourne Golden Plains Greater Bendigo Greater Geelong Manningham Maribyrnong Maroondah Moira Moreland Port Phillip Surf Coast Stonnington Towong Whitehorse Whittlesea Wodonga Wyndham Yarra Yarra Ranges TASMANIA Kingston Bridgewater Gagebrook Southern Midlands The SHARE Community Appeal funds UnitingCare, one of the largest providers of community services in Victoria and Tasmania, along with other worthy community service programs. A significant portion of SHARE donations support emergency releif programs. To support SHARE visit or freecall ABN SHARE has Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status with the Australian Tax Office SHARE Community