ISSUE 39 aUtUmn 2011

FrontlineFrontlinea nEWSLEttER FOR SUPPORtERS OF mattHEW taLBOt HOmELESS SERVICES

In this issue:

tHank yOUtHE BIg SERVEdaISy’S StORyVInnIES FLOOd aPPEaLBEqUEStS

2 For credit card donations visit www.vinnies.org.au or phone 13 18 12 3

The ‘Help Make Tomorrow A Better Day’ campaign gave supporters an insight into the emotional, mental and financial hardships faced by the people that we assist. It highlighted the positive influence that Vinnies members, volunteers and services have on the lives of people who are suffering.

We are lucky to have the support of both individuals and businesses wanting to make a real difference. One company, ‘Thinking Ergonomics’, donated 15 electronic scooters and ten bikes to one of our women’s and children’s refuge shelters. Others collected toys, clothing and essentials that made treasured Christmas presents and hampers.

It is inspiring to think that these contributions meant that children had a gift to unwrap on Christmas morning, and something to eat for lunch on Christmas Day. More importantly gestures like these nourish the soul and create hope for a better future.

Only with your help are we able to achieve these results. We thank you for allowing us to continue Matthew Talbot Homeless Services’ good works.

It reads like the hustle and bustle of a kitchen in a busy city hotel – 150 breakfasts, 250 lunches

and another 250 dinner sittings. But far away from the world of marble foyers, luxurious trimmings and bell boys, this is a daily reality for the Matthew Talbot Hostel.

With the assistance of generous supporters, and some creative and careful planning and budgeting, the Talbot serves about a quarter of a million meals each year. Some of the men who sit down to enjoy a nutritious meal are living on the streets; others are residents who call the Talbot their home.

Serving up food for the body and more importantly nutrition for the soul, is a costly undertaking. In 2009 over $280,000 was spent on providing this highly valued and respected kitchen service, a sum that is expected to rise to over $340,000 in 2011 as the price of fresh farm produce and utilities increase.

Now more than ever, the Talbot is relying on the support of organisations and individuals to continue providing this invaluable service. This is where a new initiative from the St Vincent de Paul Society comes into play; ‘The Talbot Big Serve’ aims to offset this cost burden, so men most in need of our help are not neglected.

We seek generous sponsors to assist us by giving either monetary donations or in-kind product on a regular basis. This could be a donation as little as $375 for one meal sitting or $4,500 to provide one meal sitting per month over a twelve month period.

There are many ways to contribute to ensure that the men who visit the Talbot can be filled with a tasty and carefully made meal, but more importantly with a sense of dignity.

For information on The Talbot Big Serve contact Kirrily Bateup on (02) 9568 0231 or kirrily.bateup@vinnies.org.au, or go to www.vinnies.org.au/talbot-big-serve-nsw n

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PRESIdEnt’S mESSagEDear Friends,I wish to welcome you to the New Year and thank you for the support that you have shown the homeless and people at risk of homelessness in New South Wales throughout 2010.

Sadly, 2011 has begun shrouded in the tragedy of the floods affecting Queensland, northern New South Wales and parts of Victoria. This disaster presents an even greater need for support of homeless services as thousands of displaced families and individuals who have lost their homes to flood waters are left without any option but to seek temporary accommodation. An estimated 31,700 residential properties in Queensland have been damaged by the floods, not to mention the wreckage that has taken place in New South Wales and Victoria.

In spite of this devastation, we have been uplifted by the many Australians who have kept their positive spirits intact and by the number of people who have given any amount they can to support the St Vincent de Paul Society Flood Appeal.

Especially impressive has been the solidarity of all Australians who have volunteered their time and skills to start rebuilding the flood-affected communities. I would like to take this chance to say a heart-felt thank you to everyone who has helped make sure that we will be there long after the flood waters have gone, providing assistance for people who need it.

Finding homes for people in crisis is not a new concept to Matthew Talbot Homeless Services and the St Vincent de Paul Society. The recently opened Rosalie House, offering mid-term accommodation for middle-aged women escaping domestic violence, fills a much needed gap in service delivery and importantly gives these women a safe haven from which to slowly rebuild their lives.

Daisy, one of the residents of Rosalie House, has kindly shared her harrowing but inspiring story of hitting rock bottom and then finding the strength and resilience to make her future a brighter one. It is startling to hear stories like Daisy’s, however, as you read her story I hope you will find comfort in the fact that you have played a vital role in helping Daisy and many others like her to get back on their feet.

Thank you once again for your continued and generous support, without which we could not provide assistance to thousands of homeless Australians each year.

Yours sincerely,

Beverley KerrPresidentMatthew Talbot Homeless Services

The Matthew Talbot Hostel provides meals to 620 clients each day

tHank yOU FOR SUPPORtIng tHE 2010 CHRIStmaS aPPEaL

taLBOt BIg SERVE

Help make tomorrow

a better day.

Donate now 13 18 12vinnies.org.au

For credit card donations visit www.vinnies.org.au or phone 13 18 12 5For credit card donations visit www.vinnies.org.au or phone 13 18 12 5

“This is not how I pictured my life,” Daisy explains as her voice starts to break. “If it were not for Rosalie House, I would be on the streets alone,” she continues, struggling to speak while keeping the tears at bay.

Daisy then pauses in thought and makes a remark so casually, you could almost miss its devastating significance, “Actually, I’d be dead.”

Daisy lives at Rosalie House, a newly opened medium-

daISy’S StORy

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term accommodation facility to support women between the ages of 45 and 60 who have escaped domestic violence. Instead of planning their retirement, playing with their grandchildren and daydreaming about growing old with their partners, these women are trying to rebuild their lives.

Daisy was brought up in South Africa with strong family values. Her father was a principal and her mother a nurse. About 20 years ago she moved to Australia with her then husband and two young sons.

She recalls her 20 year marriage as being a happy relationship tempered by flare ups, which for the most part, to her at least, seemed to vaguely fall between the boundaries of ‘for better or worse’.

“Family has always meant a lot to me. There has been a lot of heartache in our family

so I stayed for them. My son was diagnosed with cancer and my other son was going through counselling because he was hurting himself. I felt that regardless of what happened to me, I had to stay.”

Daisy skims over the gritty details about what used to happen to her, but in a way, the pain of her ordeal is etched across her face making it almost too difficult to look at her.

Daisy’s next revelation makes things no easier.

“One day, when I was living in my ex’s garage, he bashed me up so badly I had to go to hospital.”

“I lived in my car for a few days. That was a real eye opener

Coming together one small piece at a time

One in three women have experienced physical violence in their lifetime

because I saw other women sleeping in the park and on the street. I knew then that I had to get myself out of that situation and seek help.”

With this new-found determination Daisy moved into Rosalie House six months ago. She shares the house with other women who have their own harrowing stories to tell. The women are offered up to two years subsidised accommodation to give them time to heal and find permanent housing. Supported by an Outreach Case Worker and with access to other community services, the women can lead safe and independent lives.

Daisy doesn’t know what the future will bring but is determined that, more than anything, she just wants things to be better. In her past life, Daisy loved to travel and collect unique fabrics like intricate silks, rare organza and handmade lace to feed her passion for dressmaking.

“Maybe next year I will do a dressmaking course at TAFE. Who knows?” Daisy says with a renewed spirit behind her eyes which wasn’t there before. Liz, the manager of Rosalie House comments on the beautiful pieces that Daisy has already made.

“Daisy has a real eye for art and creating beautiful things. You should see the garden she planted.”

Outside, by the fragrant citrus trees in the yard, Daisy’s healing is reflected in the garden bed she planted when she first moved in. Once completely bare, it is now flourishing with new life and strange and wonderful curiosities. She doesn’t know what they are all called, but it doesn’t seem to matter to the women who take solace in their beauty or the butterflies which have happily made the garden bed their home.

When asked what Rosalie House meant to her she said, “It gave me the best sleep of my life. The first night I came here was the first night I slept in peace. It was the first time I felt free of fear in a long time.”

“Rosalie House is a blessing. When I came here, it felt like everything started to fall into place,” she added. Fittingly, by Daisy’s window, sits a puzzle. It’s 2000 pieces and mostly the one shade of blue. Despite the difficult task it poses, Daisy is not far from finishing

it. Much like her puzzle, Daisy’s life looks to be falling into place one small piece at a time.

One in three women have experienced physical violence in their lifetime. Thank you for supporting the many women’s and family refuges run by Matthew Talbot Homeless Services, so that women like Daisy are not alone. n

4

daisy’s puzzle

Liz, the manager, tends the garden

One of the rooms at Rosalie House

6

They are headlines that we are more accustomed to seeing about

other parts of the globe, not our own backyard. As the devastating floods took hold, the front page headlines told the story – ‘Inland Tsunami’, ‘Inland Sea’, ‘Towns Evacuated’, ‘Worst in Living Memory’, ‘More Missing’ and ‘Death Toll Rises’.

It is difficult to comprehend the utter devastation caused by the recent floods. Up and down the east coast of Australia from Queensland and New South Wales through to Victoria, the harrowing stories just kept coming.

Many people lost their homes and their livelihoods, and now face the frightening prospect of having nowhere to live and no income to start rebuilding their lives. It is estimated that over 31,000 residential properties in Queensland have been flood damaged.

Although this newsletter is specifically dedicated to the work of Matthew Talbot Homeless Services, the floods will undoubtedly threaten to put many people on the streets if they do not receive help.

Matthew Talbot Homeless Services, a Special Work of the St Vincent de Paul Society, in conjunction with other support agencies and the government, is committed to supporting the people, businesses and communities affected by the floods.

There are the families who have just stepped out of the searing damage of the ‘Big Dry’ only to be shattered by the onslaught of another natural disaster. These families were looking forward to their first bumper crop

FrontlineFrontline

since the drought. This season was going to be their salvation, but now it won’t be. Whole fields, orchards and plantations have been destroyed, resurrecting all too familiar fears of debt and destitution. The average age of a farmer is 60, with land rendered useless for a long time to come, what will they do? Sadly, history tells us that some may lose their homes and worse still, some may take their own lives out of despair.

Tragically, there are also those people who lost their lives, leaving behind grieving family and friends. There’s the mother who had her child snatched from her arms by the raging waters; the young hero who insisted rescuers save his younger brother before himself; and the parents who sacrificed their own lives to ensure their children were able to find safety in the ceiling space of the family home.

1a simple guide

Preparing Your Will

PLANMAPDIRECT

Leave a powerfuL, Lasting Legacy...remember Matthew talbot Homeless services in your will there are many paths to homelessness but with the right material and emotional support people can pass through this experience and find their feet again. the most powerful, practical and lasting way to help us continue assistance is to leave a gift to Matthew talbot Homeless services in your will. While no one likes to think about Will-related matters it is never too early to plan ahead. To help you, we have prepared two useful publications to help you ensure your personal affairs are in order. Simply complete and

return this form for your free copies.

Title ..............................First Name ..........................................................................................................

Last Name ...............................................................................................................................................

Address ...................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................Postcode ......................................

Phone ..................................................................Mobile ........................................................................

Email ........................................................................................................................................................

please tick all that apply

Mapping your assets – a valuable and practical tool for recording your personal information

preparing your will – a simple guide to putting your legal and financial affairs in order

i would like to remember Matthew talbot Homeless services in my will– please contact me for a confidential discussion.

i have already included Matthew talbot Homeless services in my will

PLANMAPDIRECT

a valuable and practical tool for

recording your personal informationMapping your assets

Post to: The Bequest Team, Matthew Talbot Homeless Services, PO Box 259, Petersham NSW 2049 or contact our Bequest Officers on (02) 9568 0234 or email bequests@vinnies.org.au.

As estimated 31,700 residential properties in Queensland have been flood damaged

Many families thought they were insured for floods only to be shattered by the fine print in their insurance policies. And even for those with insurance policies, how do you replace baby photos, family heirlooms, yearbooks and a lifetime of saving and hard work?

And what about the flood affected shops and businesses and the people

FLOOd WatERSdISPLaCEtHOUSandS

they employ? There are countless stories of businesses struggling to survive and people out of work. The St Vincent de Paul Society too felt the brunt of the floods as the Vinnies Centre in Bundaberg was inundated by murky waters.

In these difficult weeks and months ahead, the trauma will start to hit home and as always Matthew Talbot Homeless Services will provide

accommodation and support for people seeking a meal and a place to lay their head. With the devastation of the floods, the calls for help may escalate over the coming months.

Matthew Talbot Homeless Services will provide assistance where the government and insurance companies cannot, offering important human qualities such as compassion and friendship.

It is only with your support that the St Vincent de Paul Society and Matthew Talbot Homeless Services can prepare for the difficult road ahead. Your gift means that nobody will get left behind. Thank you. n

Vinnies Centre, Bundaberg

8

‘Frontline’ is produced by Community and Corporate Relations,

St Vincent de Paul Society nSW.ABN: 46 472 591 335 004 Copyright 2010

Editor: Julie McDonald designer: Claudia WIlliams

Contributors: Yolanda Saiz, Frances Roqueza, Kirrily Bateup

Responsibility for the content of this publication is taken by Julie McDonald.

Because we respect the privacy of the people we assist, names in this newsletter

may have been changed, stories summarised and pictorial models used.

For more information about Matthew Talbot Homeless Services

telephone: (02) 9560 8666or visit: www.vinnies.org.au

all correspondence can be sent to:

Publications and Design CoordinatorCCR, St Vincent de Paul SocietyPO Box 5, Petersham, NSW, 2049

Email: publications@vinnies.org.au

Printing and distribution by iGroup

39FROntLInEISSUE 39, AUTUMN 2011

MT1

1FLA

UZX

To make a regular or one-off donation to matthew talbot Homeless Services, simply complete the details below and post to: PO Box 259, Petersham, nSW 2049

With your help we can make a difference

CaLL tHE dOnatIOn HOtLInE: 13 18 12 OR VISIt: www.vinnies.org.au

If you wish to enclose a cheque (marked ‘not negotiable’) or money order, please make payable to: ‘matthew talbot Homeless Services’. Post to: PO Box 259, PEtERSHam, nSW, 2049 Matthew Talbot Homeless Services follows the National Privacy Principles. If you do not wish to

receive any more mail from us, please tick this box. The Society keeps donor information private.note: Donations over $2 are tax deductible. A receipt will be mailed.

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Despite being one of eight children surrounded by the hustle and bustle of a busy home, Jacinta

vividly remembers witnessing the work of the St Vincent de Paul Society at just nine years of age.

Jacinta’s father Sam was a dedicated Vincentian and she says seeing her father help in this way made her want to do her bit when she got older.

“I had a look at the Vinnies website and decided that leaving a gift in my Will was the best way to ensure that Vinnies is able to keep doing what they do best - help people.”

It was through such a bequest that Bailly House, a service for people trying to get back on their feet after a period of

WHERE tHERE’S a WILL tHERE’S a Way

homelessness, was borne. The house functions as an integral part of helping people re-enter society.

Not content with donating a small amount each month, a compassionate family wanted to provide

hope and a second chance to homeless people for many years to come. They understood that they could leave a long term legacy by remembering Matthew Talbot Homeless Services in their Will.

Leaving a gift in your Will to Matthew Talbot Homeless Services can make a real difference such as providing outreach to a homeless man that has moved through his homeless experience but who still requires support; providing emergency accommodation for a struggling homeless family for a year; or meeting urgent demands of the community by developing and delivering new homeless services for men in NSW. n

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