LIFEWALK is a fundraising effort created by LifeHouse Care to boost the not-for-profit’s depleted funds in order to continue to support homeless people across the Coffs community.

“We have been hit really hard the past two years with Covid, then throw in the fires/floods/hailstorm and more floods our funding has been smashed with so much need,” Mandy Dawkins, Community Care Leader at LifeHouse Care told News Of The Area.

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LifeWalk is happening on Saturday 4 June, starting at Gallows car park, walking 7kms along Boambee Beach, finishing up at Boambee Bay Reserve with a sausage sizzle.

“We’re encouraging participants to get dropped-off and picked-up, but we are also offering a bus return service to Gallows.”

People can walk individually or as a team for part or all of the route.

“I’d love to encourage the businesses, individuals, families, schools/sporting groups in the community to really get behind LifeWalk,” said Mandy.

“We are all aware of the devastation of homelessness in our area.

“Our goal is to continue to support and care for the people in our region without turning anyone away.”

LifeHouse Care receives funding, but since Coffs has had such a hard couple of years with fires, floods, Covid, hailstorms to more floods, the need to provide is greater than the availability.

“We offer support to families and individuals that may be affected by DFV, homelessness, high rent increases, high medical expenses, increasingly high food/fuel expenses, and flood victims.

“Obviously, it costs more to be able to support more people and so we need to fundraise to meet the shortfall.

“We don’t ever want to turn away people in need, so we did some brainstorming and came up with LifeWalk.

“Our heart is to keep expanding the level of support that we are able to offer,” said Mandy.

LifeHouse Care meets people where they’re at.

Over the 23 years spent operating in Coffs as a local community charity, LifeHouse has built up its services to be able to offer personal crisis intervention, food assistance, pharmacy expenses, clothing and furniture, electricity vouchers, advocacy and referral services and swags/tents.

“With the rising level of homelessness though, our goal is to be able to offer more services specific to those without a home,” added Mandy.

To get involved, register to walk as an individual, gather a team and walk and fundraise together, or sponsor a team if you can’t join yourself.

Businesses or individuals can donate to support on a larger scale.

For more info see https://www.lifehousecare.org.au/lifewalk.

By Andrea FERRARI