There are a number of exciting ways you can get involved with the work of Anglicare and support your local community. See below for an update on NILS, Disaster Recovery and Retail. You can also find out about specific volunteer roles that are currently available on our Volunteers Vacancies page.
NILS
As you may have heard, despite losing 58% of our funding we have been able to retain our invaluable No Interest Loans Scheme (known as NILS), particularly for Southern and Western NSW. This is a really valuable service where anyone can ring our NILS telephone number and if they are eligible, they can obtain a loan with no interest or fees for the purchase of essential items such as white goods, car registration and furniture. This service can really help people in your parish who may be facing financial hardship. You can help us by promoting this service in your parish. We have posters and flyers available.
For more information please ring Therese or Bernadette on 1800 644 556, or email: Therese.Garnsey@anglicare.com.au or Bernadette.Gregson@anglicare.com.au
Disaster Recovery
One of Anglicare’s responsibilities is for Disaster Recovery. Trained volunteers, the majority drawn from Anglican churches across our region, are willing at telephone call to go and assist with Evacuation Centres and with recovery after floods or fire or any other disaster. Their work is invaluable with people suffering from shock, fear, loss, worry and dislocation. The unusually dry Winter and Spring has meant that unless we have a lot of rain between now and Christmas, the ACT Emergency Services Authority and Bureau of Meteorology are warning that we may have a fire season like the disastrous bush fires in Canberra in 2003. We have been put on standby three times already this season and we are mindful of the Carwoola, Sir Ivan and Cains Flat fires earlier this year. From this month, volunteers cannot be deployed in an emergency unless their police and WWVP/WWC checks are current, which is why we have been contacting Canberra & Goulburn Diocesan volunteers about these checks. If you are interested in becoming an Anglicare Disaster Recovery Volunteer, please email the following Diocesan Anglicare Disaster Recovery Coordinators:
Helen Bennett, Canberra & Goulburn Diocese: Helen.Bennett@anglicare.com.au
Sue West, Bathurst Diocese: anglicare@bathurstanglican.org.au
Fr Paul Kumasaka, Riverina Diocese: paulnk@westserv.net.au
Retail
Anglicare has Parish Partnership shops across the Dioceses as well as our own shops in Queanbeyan & Canberra . All the shops rely on the generosity of volunteers to operate. Volunteering is a very rewarding way to live a Christian life to the full by helping others & supporting the community.
Mary, from Charnwood Parish & Flo from Sapphire Coast Parish (pictured below) are both long term volunteers who are passionate & committed. They both encourage others to get involved. Can you help?
Contact Kaye Pritchard on kaye.pritchard@anglicare.com.au or ph: 0419 241 282 for a chat.
