Isolation is hard for so many and we must all do what we can to look out for and after those who could be doing it hard. Imagine the terror of living in an unsafe environment during this time and not having the means to leave financially? Stress, mental health issues, alcohol and drugs has exacerbated an already horrific level of family violence in the community. HairFlair Aus wanted to help in very real areas and we ask, that if you are able to, you consider contributing to the quarantined fund established for the very real cases and areas set out below. No administration fee is being charged. Every contribution will directly go to the women and children affected.
Who is McAuley Community Services for Women?
McAuley Community Services for Women support women and their children to be safe from family violence by providing 24/7 crisis support and temporary accommodation. The women needing support have experienced, or are at immediate risk of, serious harm: through physical and emotional violence, threats, sexual assault, and stalking. McAuley Community Services work alongside them to plan the steps they need to take to move towards a new life free from violence.
McAuley Community Services also provides accommodation and support for women who are homeless, many of whom have also experienced family violence. McAuley Houses, in Footscray and Ballarat, are welcoming places for rest, recovery and reconnection and offer women a safe community in which to live while they regain their health and wellbeing. Women are supported while they rebuild their family and community connections, develop independent living skills, and begin their journey towards independence.
This quaranteened fundraising campaign adresses the following Immediate needs of women and children:
1. Women who don’t fit neatly into support/funding categories and can therefore not access accommodation because they do not have income or means to pay the minimal rental costs
Last year, 16% of women who sought assistance from McAuley had no or less than the minimum income.
a. McAuley Community Services are currently addressing 3 specific cases impacting 5 women with history of Family violence (seeking $20,000 total):
Case 1 - $5000 for occasional accommodation costs
This would assist a woman who is currently living in her car on a block of land in Melbourne who has past experience of Family violence and now has a disability.
McAuley is currently working on a plan to install a ‘mini’ house on her block to provide safe, permanent accommodation with kitchen and bathroom facilities.
In the meantime, she requires flexible support to accommodate her in motel accommodation once or twice a week; especially in extreme weather conditions so that she can have shelter and attend to her personal needs.
Case 2 - $6000 for the cost of hotel quarantine
A long-term McAuley client with family violence history who has two young adult children and who lives in private rental on a very low income. She has recently travelled to NZ to be with her mother during her dying days and must now pay for hotel quarantine following her return.
Case 3, 4 & 5 - $9000 allowance for personal needs ($3k per woman)
This allowance would provide a year’s support for 3 women currently living in temporary or crisis accommodation provided through McAuley (Due largely to Family violence) but who have no income due to not being permanent residents. Allowances of this nature provide women the ability to pay for personal items without having to ask; affording them a level of dignity and autonomy.
McAuley is providing accommodation & food, utilities at no cost (and with no government funding) as well as supporting applications for residency status. They are unable to work.
b. McAuley is seeking to raise rent Subsidies x 4 properties for additional accomodation for women without income (seeking $40,000 total):
- The conversion of two properties in Metropolitan Melbourne from low cost holiday accommodation to medium term accommodation for women without income. This would require a rent subsidy in excess of $20,000pa
- To utilise two Head Lease units (one in regional Victoria) for the same purpose – would require a rent subsidy in excess of $20,000pa
2. Chrome Books for Children and Young People’s Tutoring Program (seeking $12,000 total)
The McAuley Tutoring Program was an initiative started 18 months ago to reconnect children disconnected from school and learning. The program has moved online and requires children to have suitable access to the Google Suite of products via Chrome Books devices.
As families flee dangerous situations and are forced to hide in refuges and motels their connection to school and learning is immediately severed. The tutoring program was designed to help children to see themselves as learners, re-introduce them to supported learning tasks and provide an outlet and a contact to support their wellbeing. Long term, the aim is to help children get back on track with their learning and to grow in confidence and strength as they settle back into school life and emerge from their trauma.
Chrome Books provide one of the most cost efficient and manageable accesses to online resources as well as ongoing learning. As families flee family violence, they are often forced to leave resources behind. The emotional benefit to both the mothers and children of getting their education back on foot is immense.
McAuley with ours and your help will supply:
· 30 Chrome Books per learner at $400 each (including a carry case and management licence)
with Support to utilise the Chrome Books - totalling $12,000
How would the funds be managed?
McAuley has set up a fund quarantined to align with this proposed fundraising campaign to ensure all funds donated through the connections of Tania and James Hird and HairFlair Aus will be allocated specifically to the needs itemised in this letter.
EVERY dollar donated will go to the needs of the women and children. None of the funds will be allocated to administration expenses (including in the processing of the funds).
How are donations made?
Donors are fully tax deductable and can be made via:
1. Credit Card - at https://www.mcauleycsw.org.au/donation/
Reference – T&J Hird Fund in comments field
2. Bank Transfers - BSB 083004
Account 147632950
Reference – T&J Hird Fund and email details of donor & donation amount to fundraising@mcauleycsw.org.au
Thankyou. We are so grateful for your interest in the work of McAuley Womens Services and this very worthy cause.
Kindest regards
Jocelyn Bignold, OAM CEO,
Tania & James Hird, and
HairFlair Aus
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