Uniting Church raises over $9000 for people seeking asylum

Members of the Uniting Church and the local community have raised $9, 400 worth of shopping vouchers for key agencies to support people seeking asylum. The money was raised through the 2018 Give Hope Christmas Voucher Appeal. Alex Hogan from the Uniting advocacy team handed over the vouchers, on behalf of all who donated to representatives from Jesuit Refugee Services, The Asylum Seekers Centre and House of Welcome.

This appeal was launched at a Community Forum, hosted by Blacktown Uniting Church and Parramatta Nepean Presbytery in November 2018. The forum explored various ways Church members could assist people seeking asylum.

Case managers from the three agencies were present spoke at the forums about the circumstances of their clients who are facing significant hardship, due to lack of work rights, a loss of key support services and mental and physical health issues.

Miriam Pellicano is the Executive Manager of the House of Welcome. She said the vouchers would serve as a, “critical safety net for many clients in emergency situations who were having to make the decision between paying rent, purchasing food and buying medications.”

“We will now be able to stock up our food banks with the essentials—which are empty at the end of each week. For many people, their access to resources and support has always been slim… now it’s none.”

These appeals are part of the practical support initiative of the Give Hope campaign, are an opportunity for Church members to be able to provide practical and tangible assistance to those in the community.

For more information on how to get involved in Uniting’s work for people seeking asylum, contact Alex Hogan: ahogan@uniting.org / 02 9407 3230

Jonathan Foye is Insights’ Editor