CREATING awareness of homelessness, including in the local area, was the focus at The Salvation Army’s Long Street premises in Leongatha, the Wednesday event part of Homelessness Week.
Year 5 students from Leongatha Primary School were among those learning about the issue, and how The Salvation Army helps support those affected by homelessness.
As well as discovering homelessness is widespread locally, they saw a display of swags and a tent, illustrating how some people have to live.
Kris, the program manager for homelessness said Homelessness Week is all about raising community awareness, with the decision made to hold this year’s event in South Gippsland Shire instead of Bass Coast Shire, Wonthaggi normally hosting the local Salvos’ event.
She spoke of the escalation of homelessness everywhere, including the local region, with The Salvation Army’s homelessness services assisting over 1,000 people in the last year across South Gippsland.
“You’ve got the lack of affordable accommodation and private rentals,” Kris said, highlighting the skyrocketing costs of living and the fact people are getting notices to vacate because they fall behind in payments.
“It’s really the cost of living that’s escalating everything, so we just help where we can,” she said, explaining that eligibility for various types of assistance varies according to a range of circumstances.
For that reason, it is best for those with concerns to visit The Salvation Army team and chat about their situation.
“We just need them to know that we’re here,” Kris said, with someone generally available Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.
If an urgent situation arises at other times, people can contact The Salvation Army Crisis Centre in St Kilda on 9536 7777, which operates homelessness support services
Victoria wide.
Police often help connect people to required services, becoming involved through reports of incidents such as family violence.
Out of hours calls to The Salvation Army Leongatha will put people through to a recorded message detailing help services.
The visiting students enjoyed sausages in bread courtesy of the combined efforts of the local Rotary and Lions Clubs.
Those wishing to help support services provided by The Salvation Army locally can make donations at its Long Street Leongatha or McKenzie Street Wonthaggi centres.
Such services include the food relief program, dinners and Christmas support.
Donations can also be made online through community.salvationarmy.org.au/o/leongatha-salvos Captain Amanda Hart, Corps Officer at South Coast Gippsland Salvos, expressed her appreciation to the community for its support of this year’s Red Shield Appeal, which raised $17,500 locally, surpassing the target by $3,500, but donations are always welcome to help continue providing services locally.
