Sisters of Charity Outreach Centre was established in 1996 and supported by St. Vincent's Hospital Toowoomba

Located on the corner of Scott and McKenzie Streets the Sisters of Charity Outreach Centre was established in 1996, in response to requests from staff and members of the local community for the Sisters to assist in giving support to those who are lonely, disadvantaged and alone. Referrals to our Outreach Centre are received from Doctors, support agencies in Toowoomba, friends, neighbours and others associated with those in need.

The main objectives of the Outreach Centre are as follows:

• To respond to the needs of those who are disadvantaged or marginalised.
• To provide a caring, compassionate presence and companionship while working towards a better quality of life for those in need.
• To help break the cycle of poverty in all its forms by utilizing the skills of trained volunteers.

We achieve these objectives by:

• Supporting the disadvantaged, elderly, disabled people in assisted accommodation.
• Visiting people in their homes.
• Assisting with transport.
• Bereavement support.
• Providing training and support for volunteers in the community and the hospital.

Every week we visit residents in supported accommodation. One hostel accommodates approximately 14 residents and the other approximately 48.

Hostel accommodation is the nearest thing to home for some of society's most vulnerable members. Residents have a "full spectrum of low level disability" which includes acquired brain injury, psychiatric disability, intellectual disability, age related disability and some with physical disabilities.

Listed below are some of the ways that we assist these residents:

• Writing letters, making phone calls, taking them to medical appointments, to the hairdresser etc.
• Visiting them in hospital when they are unwell.
• Attending their funerals.
• Providing pastoral care to the other residents after a death.
• Alerting the managers to unmet needs and situations that need addressing, that they may not be aware of.
• Taking residents to visit their friends when they move on to another facility.

We network with many other agencies in Toowoomba by providing

• Transport for those attending medical appointments each week.
• Pastoral and social support
• Christmas gifts are donated to the Outreach Centre from a local agency and are distributed to all residents.

Another program started this year is a weekly ' English Conversation Group ' on Thursday mornings for those wishing to learn English.

Do let us know if you know someone who would like a pastoral or a social visit.