Christmas Assistance
With direct help from Charity Link we offer a Christmas food hamper to our clients and those who live in the Belmont area at Christmas time. Applicants complete a form during October and November and collect their hamper just prior to Christmas. Children’s toys are also available to those who apply but this is not guaranteed as it is subject to Charity Link Donations.
We offer our appreciation to The Belmont Professional Women, Synergy, Highgate Primary School and Gwelup Primary who all help Jacaranda Community centre during our Christmas appeal.
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Blanket Assistance
With direct help from Charity Link we offer winter blanket assistance to our clients and those living in the Belmont area. A booked appointment is required and there are double and single blankets available. The distribution usually occurs in May of each year but is subject to availability. Please call Jacaranda to make appointment for collection.
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Telstra Vouchers
Jacaranda Community Centre operates as a sub agency through Anglicare for Telstra vouchers and this assists a client in financial difficulty to keep their phone on by vouchers to help pay bills.
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Telstra Phone Cards
Telstra provide Jacaranda Community Centre with phone cards to a value of $5.00. The phone card is used in telephone boxes. We also distribute Phone away cards. These are used from landlines and are issued in cases of need. Both phonecarrds are distributed to clients in need. A one per month rule exists to enable both cards to be distributed to as many people in need as possible.
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Bread/ Fruit and Vegetables
On Monday’s Jacaranda distributes unsold bread this is as a part of a social get together for clients. Many thanks extend to Brumby’s as they currently provide us with bread for this service.
With special thanks to Food Rescue we distribute fruit and vegetables on a Tuesday afternoon. The amount we receive varies and a list of those in need is used as we endeavour to evenly distribute.
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AlintaCARE Scheme
The AlintaCARE scheme is designed to assist clients in financial hardship who are unable to pay a current bill.
Prevention of disconnection is a first priority; however, recognition is given to the need for preventative action where there is a large debt, but no immediate threat of disconnection.
for details about the scheme, eligibility criteria and AlintaCare dates please click on the guidelines link below.
Clients are encouraged to utilise Centrepay, Bill Smoothing, or direct debit to assist them to continue payments and maintain their accounts so that they are not in continuous financial difficulty.
Please click link below for:
Guidelines PDF | Word Doc
Application form PDF | Word Doc
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WA Nils
In January 2000 WA NILS was started and we became one of the first members.
This has become extremely popular within the community for people who have no other way of procuring finance to replace or obtain items such as fridges and washing machines. The program allows individuals on low incomes and Centrelink payments to apply for an interest free loan to purchase an item up to the value of $1500. Clients have the option of repaying this loan over a 12-18 month period through Centre Pay or direct debit.
The Jacaranda Community Centre has become a leader in providing support for Aboriginal members of the community to apply for these loans as well as other community members and many hours per week are taken up with the loan applications.
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Strong Families
We received funding for one year to work intensively with a family under a case study plan that has been linked to the Strong Families meetings. This has included numerous hours assisting to obtain housing and maintain housing, Family Support, medical, school support, working with the Department of Justice & supervised bail, attending court and a wide range of other support and activities. We are also the lead agency for other Government and Non-government agencies to link into with regards to this family.
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School Assistance
Jacaranda Community Centre with help from Charity Link provides a School Bag service for primary school children in the Belmont area. Clients with children are linked and bags distributed in February each year. Amount of bags received is directly related to availability form Charity Link and is not guaranteed.
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Other Core Services:
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Open environment for community members to meet two days a week to share experiences over a coffee
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Casework, information and options in housing, appeals, court work, submissions, restraining orders and all issues involving domestic violence
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Casework, information, options and negotiation on consumer credit issues
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Assistance to obtain State, private and community housing and assistance to obtain goods to start off a home
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Family support services and counselling
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Indigenous family support under the Metropolitan Model of Aboriginal Family Support
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Voluntary bill paying
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Government and non-government service negotiations and support
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Debt negotiation with Synergy, Alinta, Water Corp and Telstra, commercial debt collectors, banks, financial institutions, pawnbrokers and other creditors
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Budgeting and financial counselling
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Emergency relief to assist in a crisis in conjunction with a case plan
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Bankruptcy information and assistance if no other option
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Assisting with homelessness
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Home visits and support under a family case management approach
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Centrelink issues such as assistance to fill in forms, dealing with overpayments, loans, claims rejected or cancelled, financial hardship (emergency payments), Centrepay, income statements, child support information and applications for assistance, Centrelink reviews
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Some child support and tax support letters
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Assistance and referrals for drug and alcohol issues
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Family mediation and mediation between families and government departments
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Income Management
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