10th birthday blog! Credits to Teirri Abraham
It’s our 10th birthday this week. For a charity that started out providing meals to people living on the streets and hampers for hungry families, we’ve grown our volunteer base to run a busy op shop in Tweed Heads, provide transport to medical and offer basic training in life skills. Now Agape Outreach Inc. is expanding the charity to provide a housing program. Our hardworking founder, Theresa Mitchell, recently nominated for not one but two 2019 NSW Woman of the Year Awards, apparently never sleeps! She reflects on the work of Agape Outreach Inc to help the homeless and needy in the Tweed region over the last decade. Theresa talks about how far we’ve come as a charity and how far we need to go to eliminate homelessness in the Tweed Shire.
Questions
1.Congratulations on your nomination for the 2019 NSW Woman of the Year Award!! Why is it more important than ever to raise the profile of Agape Outreach Inc.?
Homelessness numbers continue to rise and for all the work that we do with people, they stay in the same downward cycle for lack of affordable housing. We wish to expand into housing and start to really help people. The basics like food, shelter, and safety need to be accessible to all people.
- What do you feel has been the most significant achievement of Agape Outreach Inc. over the past 10 years?
I believe the significant thing is many small things that are found in the individual stories as you talk to the people. As the caregiver, we never really understand how much someone showing love into their lives means to them. When they give us feedback this is when we get an inkling of how life-changing love can be.
- What’s the difference between the work Agape Outreach Inc. is doing now, compared with when the charity was initiated in 2009?
Most of the work modalities are still the same as 10 years ago, people still receive free meals, free food hampers and free support emotionally and physically but for the first 8 years it was Theresa doing it all from home with just volunteers on the street serving. Now that Agape has a venue, many volunteers participate and our support service interaction has jumped from over 5000 times a year to nearly 20 000 times per year. Having a venue has also allowed practical supports like access to a shower and laundry.
- Homelessness is a complex issue caused by many different factors. With the numbers of homeless continuing to rise in the Tweed who do you see as those at most risk of turning to the streets.
Senior Citizens, I personally believe are the most at risk of homelessness as numbers of Seniors coming to our meal services in food insecurity have risen greatly, Also many are seeking our help as they cannot find affordable rentals or their Stepchildren have thrown them out of the house after the death of the partner.
- How do you see the role of Agape Outreach Inc. evolving in the future? What are your goals for Agape Outreach Inc. – what do you hope to see the charity has achieved in the Tweed by 2029? And how do you hope to achieve these goals?
Agape is moving into housing as the need is so great but also the need for one on one support services are just as critical for people in need. Because of funding changes many services in the next years to come are going away from one on one support services and I personally believe that this will impact people mental health in greater way making the situation worst.
Agape is non-government funded, reliant on the community for financial supports and run on volunteer man power because of this I believe that Agape will become one of the largest preferred provides in the area. We will not be going away from one on one support for people and therefore we need to just keep growing to meet the need.
By 2029 I pray that government has had changes and that Tiny housing living estates are permitted for low income housing reducing homelessness.
Agape has a plan for these estates but unfortunately is unable to move forward with them due to government legislations.
Agapes goal is to go national and provide as much housing as possible impacting homelessness numbers into decreasing around Australia