"There are 1,247 people with a disability [in Mildura] who need accomodation now but are forced to bide their time on the Government's waiting list, and the Auditor-General forecasts a doubling of the number of vulnerable Victorians on the waiting list in the next eight years."
(Mary Wooldrige MP 20: April 2009 Media Release)
A critical need
The Victorian State Disability Plan 'commits the Victorian Government to strengthening communities across Victoria so that they are more welcoming, more accessible and more inclusive of people with a disability.' However, in Mildura as at January, 2005 there were some 275 people with a disability registered as eligible for Shared Supported Accommodation ' there were only 35 actually accommodated.
Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that in Mildura (as at 2008) there were 2,315 receiving the Disability Support Pension.
For those of us who have not had the experience of looking after a person who requires extra support for daily living, it is difficult for us to understand and realise the full impact, struggles and worries faced by families and carers. There are people who require care 24 hours, 7 days a week and because of their disability, are unable to independently complete daily activities without support.
A little about us
Sunraysia Residential Services has been one of the leading providers of support for people with disabilities for over 30 years. Founded in 1976 as a response to a critical lack of support in the region for specialised disability supports, SRS now owns three dedicated houses for support and accomodation, as well as providing residential care and respite support throughout the Sunraysia area.
Our work ethic and culture revolve around the people we support, helping them to achieve their life goals, and providing them homes -- not institutions -- to reach the outcomes that are important to them.
This year, we're building supported accommodation homes for people with disabilities to provide much needed accommodation for socially vulnerable and disadvantaged people in rural and remote Victoria.
With Mildura Rural City Council approval finally secured, we're ready to begin construction of this new complex in earnest -- but we've still got a lot of ground to cover, and we could use your help.
Here's where you come in
A new housing complex will be a great boon to the community and is sorely needed, but it doesn't come cheap - with construction, administration and other costs exceeding 1.5 million dollars, and with government monetary support at a minimum we're digging deep to fund this project, and we ask that you do the same with us.
1.5 million is a lot of money, but when our community pulls together, we can achieve some amazing things.
Through fundraising events, public appeals and everyday generosity in 2011, you've already helped us make some major headway towards raising the funds needed to see the Community Living Project become a reality.
Every dollar you donate helps us to make a difference for people that need it (and it's tax deductible, too).