Friends of the EMC Autumn Newsletter

Canberra Day Appeal

Help us raise $10,000 for the EMC

This year the EMC is again participating in the Hands Across Canberra Hands Up for CBR Canberra Day Appeal. For the first $5,000 that we raise through the Appeal every $1 will be doubled, so if we raise $5,000 we will receive $10,000.

Put your hands up to support Canberrans in need. You can support our campaign via the Appeal website, or visit our website to find out more.

There’s even a special “Hands up for Canberra” bus currently driving round town to promote the appeal.

2022 Christmas Party

Our 2022 Guest Christmas Party was held on Monday, 19 December and after the covid restrictions and disappointments of previous years the Riley Hall was full. This annual event is certainly a favourite amongst our guests and would not be possible without the support of many individuals and organisations. Each guest was delighted to receive a gift voucher, a hamper and lots of other treats to make them feel special.

Thanks to the following:

• Greenhills Centre for catering;

• HelpingACT for Christmas hampers;

• St Marks Egyptian Coptic Church for Christmas hampers, baklava and wonderful volunteers to help out at the event; and

• Share the Dignity for hand bags filled with goodies.

Thanks also to the following organisations and individuals for donating gift vouchers and amazing lucky door prizes for our guests:

• Canberra City Uniting Church congregation;

• Construction Control;

• Yarralumla Uniting Church;

• Women in Touch;

• Volunteers of the EMC; and,

• Meredith, Robyn, Cathy, Nic and Tony & Sue.

Start of Footy Season

Huge thanks to EMC breakfast volunteer and former Canberra Raiders player, Sia Soliola, and his Canberra Raiders' teammates for hosting a BBQ for our guests for the start of NRL footy season! The footy tipping competition is back for 2023.

Pictured above from left to right: Albert Hopoate, Sia Soliola, Trey Mooney, Peter Hola, Michael Asomua - thanks guys!

Update on services

Cooking classes

After a long COVID-related gap, cooking classes will soon resume at the EMC. Initially they will be run by the OZHarvest NEST program staff. The NEST program is a 6-week cooking program that includes information on nutrition, budgeting and a range of other useful information. Once completed, EMC staff and volunteers will continue with fortnightly classes.

Health

The Chat to PAT (Pathways to Assistance and Treatment) Medical bus attends the EMC each Monday morning from 9am to 12 noon. The ACT Government has funded Directions Health Services to provide free primary health care services through Chat to PAT at several locations in Canberra. It also provides an array of other supports including mental health, alcohol and other drug (AOD) services, social support, case management and GP services. These services are available to anyone who is experiencing unstable housing, homelessness or difficulties obtaining healthcare through a GP.

Centrelink

Services Australia (Centrelink) is conducting a trial of running outreach services at the EMC. The trial started in January and was immediately used by 14 guests. This will help overcome the problems caused by the closure of the Braddon Centrelink office.

Financial Assistance

Care Financial Services also started outreach at the EMC in January. Care is able to assist people with counselling, vouchers for electricity bills, no interest loans and a range of other financial services. Care will attend twice a month for an hour.

Games at the EMC

Quizzes are really popular and are held several days a week. Bingo is also fun and there’s often a group of dedicated UNO players. Games such as these provide opportunities for social interaction.

Supporter spotlight:

CAHMA

CAHMA provides a weekly alcohol & other drugs education and case management outreach program at the EMC. They also run monthly Naloxone Overdose Response Workshops. These life-saving workshops cover opioid overdose risk factors as well as how to spot an overdose. Attendees learn how to respond to an opioid overdose, including how to administer CPR and Naloxone.

Can you play the guitar and want to share your enjoyment?

The guitar jam sessions have been paused as our instructor is no longer available.

We are currently looking for a new teacher/instructor. Instruments are provided. The EMC has many talented musicians amongst its guests and they enjoy playing together.

Our Autumn thanks go to the following supporters

(in no particular order)

Helping ACT for providing monthly BBQ dinners, as well as hampers and Feel Good Feeds lunches;

Our now 7-year-old friend and her family who are regular donors of food for our emergency food packs;

Canberra City Uniting Church for holding a delicious fundraiser in Pilgrim Plaza for the Early Morning Centre for Pancake Tuesday! Everyone using the Plaza was able to enjoy a freshly-cooked pancake for a gold coin donation supporting the EMC;

Marvie and Wolfe (again in the Plaza) for chicken schnitzels for lunch;

Hands Across Canberra for a donation of pantry items for restocking after Christmas;

Social Club at the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) for arranging the collection and delivery of food items for our emergency food packs;

Mercy Association for the Underprivileged which gave us $5,000 to provide additional assistance for our guests at Christmas time;

Carah and Lachlan from CWP Renewables Canberra for their donation of goodies for our guests for Christmas;

Yarralumla Uniting Church for supporting our guests all year with items for our food packs, and for always donating extra special treats for Christmas;

Orange Sky Australia for donating holiday hampers for us to share with our guests;

QinetiQ Australia for a donation of many different items to help our guests;

Community Options for food pack items;

Wednesday breakfast manager, Margo, for an extremely large and generous donation;

ACT Christian Telugu Fellowship for the donation of lunchboxes with cutlery and some special Christmas treats for our guests; and,

We Are Mobilise for free clothing through their regular clothing stalls.

For a full list of all our regular sponsors and supporters, many of whom have been involved with the EMC for years, please visit our website. Our warm thanks go to all of them as well.