“I’m Cherice. I’m a surgical nurse at a major Brisbane hospital. I became homeless at 16 after a family breakdown…I was working two jobs at the time, but it still wasn’t enough money to put myself through school and pay the rent, so I ended up homeless and needing support and help,” says surgical nurse and former Anglicare Southern Queensland client Cherice
Two Australian Anglicans – a young woman with autism and the parent of a child with autism – share their stories of inclusion and respect in parishes: “The overwhelming impression I got was that the parish community members were there for the common good rather than for their individual needs. As a result of their experience, both my primary-aged children understand church and want to go to church”
“I go to St Bart’s, Toowoomba CHARGE Youth camp each year to connect with others my age and leaders in a friendly environment where I feel like I belong. This year I was excited to go to CHARGE Youth camp on hearing the theme was ‘Belong’. I knew right away that this was going to be the camp that would speak to me,” says Noah Gunders, with Youth Minister Peter Dutton providing valuable camp facilitation tips for parishes
St Bart’s, Toowoomba parishioners and Toowoomba Anglican School students Zeke and Bethany share about their highlights and insights of the recent CHARGE Youth Camp, including about what it means to belong to God and to a community: “I learnt that we should love others because Jesus first loved us”
An inaugural festival of health and well-being was recently hosted by the Bundaberg Parish Anglican Support Ministry, supported by St Luke’s Anglican School, with a particular focus on caring for women at risk of homelessness
Meet Anglicare Southern Queensland lifestyle assistant Gary, who volunteers three times a week driving the Anglicare bus for Gold Coast respite clients: “Most of these guys like going to see the water. They like the beach…A lot of the people say, you know, they miss me when I’m not here”