MEALS FOR NEEDY DOUBLE
A CHARITY feeding the Gold Coast’s homeless says it is handing out nearly twice as many meals compared to this time last year, as the COVID crisis continues to hurt the city’s vulnerable.
Agape Outreach founder Theresa Mitchell said her army of 150 volunteers supported about 400 people a week in 2020. That has skyrocketed to nearly 700 this year.
“We’re struggling to manage the cases we have and on top of this our food donations have dropped by half as people who normally help us are struggling themselves,” she said.
It comes as the Southport councillor Brooke Patterson on Wednesday revealed only three longer term homeless people remained on the streets of the CBD after a crackdown on the illegal camping tent site in Southport.
But Ms Mitchell said it was only masking the problem: “Sweeping (homelessness) under the rug and pretending it doesn’t exist just makes it a bigger problem the day next.
“There is literally nowhere for them to go and paying rangers to move them on shows the lack of compassion from our local council.”
Ms Mitchell said Agape did not receive financial support from the government or council and had not been able to fundraise this year.
“People are paying $450 (a week) for a one-bedroom apartment and when they fall behind in rent they are blacklisted and then the cycle of homeless begins.”
St John’s Crisis Centre’s general manager Dianne Kozik said the Surfers Paradise drop-in centre was overwhelmed with homeless locals searching for affordable accommodation.
“There is such a lack of rental properties, it’s just gone nuts. We’re now considering purchasing a property because we can’t rent anywhere,” she said.
Ms Mitchell said while volunteers could hand out food to the homeless in northern NSW without fear, on the Gold Coast anyone caught offering a meal to someone in a public place could be slugged with a $600 fine.
“We’re now having to pay to hire out venues just so we can give food to people who are starving. Some places cost $10 a week and others might be $40. I’m sick to the stomach that there’s so little compassion from city leaders. It’s also ignorance from local residents who don’t understand what homelessness is.”
A Gold Coast City Council spokesperson said homelessness was a complex issue and it was continuing to work closely with the Department of Housing & Public Works, Queensland Health, Specialist Homeless Services and Queensland Police Service to ensure the safety and welfare of all Gold Coast residents.