Winter Deepens Homelessness Struggles

By Sarah Waters

A blanket is the difference between life and death for someone who is forced to live on the streets during winter, says Theresa Mitchell.

Mrs Mitchell is all too aware of the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness, especially as the temperature starts to drop.

As the founder of Agape Outreach in Tweed Heads she has helped thousands of people in the TweedByron region since 2009.

Agape provides homeless and vulnerable people with meals and clothing and also links them to support services.

This month, Agape launched its annual Winter Appeal to provide further support and comfort for those less fortunate.

The public are asked to help by donating blankets, tents, tarps, warm clothing and footwear.

Mrs Mitchell said warm and waterproof items made all the difference for people in need during winter.

“We have some really old, fragile, vulnerable people that are going to be sleeping in the elements,” she said.

“Just imagine if it was your grandma that was out there sleeping under a bridge at wintertime.

“It would be wonderful to be in a position to pay for some of these people to sleep in motels.”

With homelessness and housing insecurity at an all time high, Agape have experienced more demand for their services than ever.

The charity makes - and distributes - 1000 meals each week to people in the Tweed-Byron region and even throughout the Gold Coast.

On average,150 people come into the centre each day in need of food, clothing or sometimes a friendly and supportive face to talk to.

Mrs Mitchell said there has been a noticeable increase in the number of families, women and young people coming in for help.

And it’s not necessarily just because they are sleeping on the streets.

Many of them need help with food because the cost of living is so high, and others need warmer clothing because they can’t afford their energy bills. housing, not enough food and nutrition … they can’t pay the bills and things are unfortunately getting worse.” entirely community funded and rescues more than two tonnes of edible food per week.

“There’s so many different elements to poverty,” Mrs Mitchell said.

Mrs Mitchell is studying clinical psychology so she can help people with their mental health when they come to Agape.

With the growing need for the charity’s services, Mrs Mitchell said she hopes the government will step in and help out a bit.

Page 9

By Sarah Waters

“We’ve got so many people with housing insecurity - if not homeless - and so many more people facing homelessness.

She is currently fve years into her study and is working towards completing her master’s degree.

Since she founded Agape 15 years ago, it

Tweed Heads Charity Struggles to Keep Up

has grown to a team of 270 volunteers and fve paid staff members.

“There’s not just food insecurity, there’s electricity insecurity and of course it all impacts on people’s mental health as well… the mental health out there is really bad because people are not coping.

“They are not getting

In addition to providing meals and clothing, Agape helps people access NDIS, housing, legal and medical services, runs a psychology department and hosts sessions in life skills and wellbeing.

The organisation is

“We don’t have money to go beyond the 1000 meals a week that we make.

“We’ve had to turn some people away, sadly, and that will probably increase.

“But you know, we’re not funded, we have to fundraise for every dollar – we’re just keeping our heads above water.”

If you can help out with donations for Agape’s Winter Appeal please drop them into Agape Outreach at 56 Recreation Street, Tweed Heads.

Another option is to donate funds and Agape will purchase items on your behalf, please phone: 07 5293 7154.

For more information, please visit:

The invaluable contribution of volunteers across the country were celebrated last week for National Volunteer Week.

Volunteer Week is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering held from May 20 - 24.

The special event highlighted the important role of volunteers in the community and invited people not currently volunteering to give it a go.

The Northern Rivers Times caught up with some of the volunteers at Agape Outreach in Tweed Heads, a charity which supports homeless and vulnerable people.

By Samantha Elley

It’s not every day you get to hear about the moon coming for a visit, but that was what happened to Casino Christian School students when author and standup comedian Gary Eck came to visit last week.

As part of Beef Week celebrations, Gary read his latest children’s book, The Day the Moon Came to Stay to a group of very invested and intrigued Kindie and Year One students.

“I kind of see myself in a sense as a story teller,” he said.

“Everything I do has some sort of narrative. I am a stand up comic by trade.

“I’ve been doing it for 30 years and that in itself is micro-storytelling, telling short jokes, long jokes.

“I’ve always aspired to longer form stuff.”