“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:36 (NIV)
Baptist Care SA is delighted to partner with Lutheran Care, The Salvation Army, Mission Australia, Aboriginal Community Services and Sonder, to establish an innovative, new integrated response to homelessness called the Toward Home Alliance.
This dedicated group of organisations has been selected by the SA Housing Authority to provide Homelessness Services across the Adelaide CBD and the southern metropolitan and hills areas.
This announcement heralds the dawn of a new era of skilled and compassionate social support and intervention services, focused on making a collective impact on the complex situations of homelessness and the desperate need of support to restore health, shelter, stability and connection.
Under the new model, our dedicated WestCare Centre personnel will be working with our Alliance partners to increase the range of prevention and early intervention services available to people who are “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
Baptist Care SA will also be managing and overseeing four (increased from one) youth crisis accommodation services, providing skilled case management services for young people disconnected from their birth families, due to trauma, abuse neglect and broken relationships.
It is a sad reality that life in our fast-moving society can become overwhelming for children and young people. Tragically, these circumstances leave young people exposed to unsavoury influences that lead them to feel lost and alone.
When young people become homelessness, they very often fall out of school and their life trajectory quickly spirals downward.
Inspired by the gracious servant heart of Jesus, Baptist Care SA and our strong new Alliance will walk alongside those who need to know that support is at hand, offering compassionate support workers to help them take steps toward better life opportunities.
Please pray with us that through this innovative new Alliance, those feeling harassed, helpless and homeless receive timely and appropriate support that inspires hope and develops knowledge, confidence and skills; support that builds resilience to help overcome barriers and take strides toward the lives they want.
As our dedicated team embarks upon this venture, we:
- Highly value the prayerful support of those sharing our desire to see people live life to the fullest.
- Appreciate the ongoing support of our donors of both food and funds to sustain our emergency relief and services in the WestCare Day Centre.
- Respectfully request that people and businesses with a heart for vulnerable people and capacity to be generous to please consider making living gifts and bequests as we plan for a major upgrade of the WestCare Centre. Please contact Hugh Ballantyne, Manager, Fundraising on 0418 483 087 or hballantyne@baptistcaresa.org.au
Yours in Christ
Graham Brown
Chief Executive Officer
