Three frontline charity groups will receive more than $1 million in funding under the highly successful Pathways out of Homelessness program, which will be confirmed in next month’s Council Budget.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has revealed Brisbane Housing Company Ltd, the Institute of Urban Indigenous Health Ltd and Youth Advocacy Centre Inc will help further tackle homelessness in Brisbane under the two-year funding agreement with Council.
“Brisbane is Australia’s fastest growing capital city which means we’re not immune from the housing shortage being experienced nationwide right now,” Cr Schrinner said.
“This crisis is having a big impact on vulnerable residents who are being pushed out of the private rental market at a time when there’s a chronic shortage of social housing.
“One of the ways our Council is helping to tackle this issue is through our Pathways out of Homelessness Grant Program which I introduced in 2019.
“These grants go to groups who deliver a range of innovative and successful programs that help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness get permanent homes.”
Cr Schrinner said next month’s Budget will confirm his $1 million commitment to the Pinkenba quarantine facility is in addition to Council’s three-year $3 million Pathways out of Homelessness program
“There’s now a million more reasons for the State and Federal governments to get on board with opening the Pinkenba facility as emergency accommodation,” he said.
“After positive recent discussion, I am confident the State Government will get behind this idea.”
The three new groups receiving Pathways out of Homelessness grants are in addition to the four announced last year – Micah Projects Ltd, Communify QLD Ltd, Brisbane Youth Service and Beyond DV.
More than 3,700 Brisbane residents have been supported by Pathways out of Homelessness since the program began.
The announcement follows Council’s Homeless Connect event on Thursday 18th May which has helped almost 20,000 of Brisbane’s most vulnerable residents since 2006.
Homeless Connect delivers free services and support, such as haircuts, health care and immunisation, as well as vital items to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
More than 800 people attended the event at the Brisbane Showgrounds, exceeding last year’s total.
There were more than 1900 meals, 317 health consultations, 26 pallets of food, 15 pallets of clothes and 5 pallets of shoes given to those in need.
200 haircuts were given, and 2,200 bags of food and toiletries were handed out to guests at the event.
A range of services are available at the event, including medical and allied health care professionals such as doctors, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists, and massage therapists.
For more information, visit brisbane.qld.gov.au and search ‘Housing and Homelessness”.
