FRAUD CASE HURTS YOUTH CARE
Couple charged with $50,000 theft from Cairns charity
A CAIRNS charity has taken a $50,000 hit and its former directors face fraud charges.
Suzanne and Roy Edwards are accused of skimming almost $50,000 from Street Level Youth Care for almost five years between 2013-2018 and spending the money on personal items.
The non-profit organisation is operated through the Cairns Baptist Church and has been a fixture in Cairns for almost 30 years.
Suspicions were raised during an internal audit last year and police launched an investigation before charging the couple on Tuesday.
The church says it will rebuild and be back on the streets despite the alleged thefts putting extreme pressure on the youth group.
A CAIRNS charity which helps homeless and disadvantaged children has vowed to rebuild after its former directors were charged with stealing money.
Suzanne and Roy Edwards are accused of skimming almost $50,000 from Street Level Youth Care for almost five years between 2013-2018 and spending the money on personal items.
The non-profit organisation is operated through the Cairns Baptist Church and has been running in Cairns for almost 30 years.
Suspicions were raised during an internal audit last year and police launched an investigation before charging the couple on Tuesday.
The church’s senior pastor Josh McGinty said Street Level Youth Care was forced to pull services and stop providing food for homeless youths in the CBD for almost a year. As well a number of volunteers were lost due to the alleged incident.
But he has vowed to return with hopes it will be back on the street by the end of the month. A fresh application has been submited to Cairns Regional Council.
“In the past 28 years, there’s only been a handful of times we’ve missed going out (to feed youths),” Pastor McGinty said.
“To pull back services, it was really, really hard to stop because I know that the kids were the ones suffering because they were the ones missing out on meals.
“The people in Cairns are so generous and the long-term supporters, and they have continued to stick by us as well.
“We’ve always considered ourselves blessed because of the generosity of the Cairns community.”
Two volunteers have continued to go out weekly in the Trinity Beach area and are providing meals for 15 youths.
Pastor McGinty said it was hoped to begin operating from a CBD park in the coming weeks and new volunteers were currently being trained.
The group previously set up in Munro Martin Park prior to its redevelopment.
“I want to thank our supporters and the community … for their understanding,” he said. “We will be back out as soon as we can. We’ve still got that drive to help people.”
The Woree couple, aged 60 and 51, will appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on March 21.