Central Coast businesses help Vinnies care for needy

Sydney
4 August 2002

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Central Coast businesses help Vinnies care for needy

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Central Coast businesses help Vinnies care for needy

Bank staff and Vinnies volunteers Westpac Umina. Photo from Central Coast Express

St Vincent de Paul Society branches in the Gosford region, within the Broken Bay diocese, have handed out more than 400 blankets, 4000 items of clothing and 300 pieces of furniture this winter.

In only a few months more than 1000 people sought and received help.

An example of the demand was the Woy Woy conference, which received and responded to around 200 calls for assistance in a month.

The Gosford region also offers lunches for the homeless and hungry.

“We have ‘Hospitality’ here at the centre,” says Gosford regional president Greg Glance, “and ‘Mary Mac’s Place’ in Woy Woy where people can come in off the street for something to eat and whatever they need.

“And we also have St Jude’s Hostel for Homeless Men.”

Local organisations have helped the St Vincent de Paul Society address this ever-increasing demand throughout the Central Coast.

Westpac’s Umina branch conducted a blanket drive to help the Society help others.

The branch acted as a collection point for the Society’s Winter Appeal and accepted cash, blankets and items of clothing.

Gosford regional centre manager Rod Crews is grateful for the support.

“It’s great to see a business so keen to help us help those in need,” he says. “We thank the branch for helping us and we thank the community for looking after our needy.”

Following this success, Westpac has offered to run a food drive in a number of branches throughout the Central Coast this month.

“Thanks to generous donations like this,” says Greg Glance, “we know we have supplies when people come to us in emergencies.

“We often have people come into our centres with nothing for themselves or their family, so we need to be able to give them something immediately.”

Community support in the Central Coast is very strong.

An example of this is the community drop-in centre that is soon to be opened by the Gosford council.

Members from a number of local groups, including the St Vincent de Paul Society, will give their time each week to work at the centre.

“We (the community) have a very good rapport with each other,” says Greg. “We all work together; it’s a team effort.”

To inquire, volunteer or make a donation to the St Vincent de Paul Society’s Winter Appeal in the Gosford region, please contact the regional council office on 02 43 236 080.

You can also make a credit card donation to the Appeal statewide by calling 13 18 12.