Community rallies behind Our House client in need
When the Carinity Our House disability service at Toogoolawah invited the community to assist a local person in need, the response was immediate – and far-reaching.
A Carinity Our House client, who recently had a long stay in hospital and literally owned nothing but the clothes on their back, was moving into rental accommodation.
Maggie Poole from Carinity Our House says the man was in desperate need of basic household items such as bedding, whitegoods, furniture and kitchen items to furnish his new home.
The community response to the call to donate items was immediate and overwhelming. Within one week, donations had been received from as far away as Tin Can Bay and Redcliffe, including one supporter who offered to help with a remarkable gesture.
Maggie says the woman heard news of the man’s dire situation and donated all the furniture from her family’s house at Kippa-Ring.
“She called to say her mother-in-law has been admitted into a nursing home and she had a complete house full of furniture and whitegoods for us,” Maggie says.
“The selfless gestures of this woman and our other kind donors really has changed this person’s life, uplifted them through positivity, and helped to steer them away from a very desperate situation.”
This week, Carinity Our House staff took delivery of a truck-load of donated items such as beds and bedding, table and chairs, cushions, microwave, refrigerator and kitchen items, and furnished the client’s home, near Esk.
“The level of empathy and support afforded to this person facing disadvantage has been overwhelming. It shows that thoughtfulness and compassion for others is alive and well in the community,” Manager of Carinity Youth and Community Services Janelle Heyse says.
Carinity Our House is run by Carinity, an outreach of Queensland Baptists which provides community and disability services, shelters for homeless youth, prison and hospital chaplaincy, and runs aged care and retirement communities and alternative education schools.
To donate to Carinity’s community services phone 07 3550 3737 or make a financial contribution online at www.carinity.org.au/donations.