COFFS Harbour Neighbourhood Centre has been announced as one of the local organisations to benefit from NSW Government funding to provide support for social, health and disability sectors.

“The grant from the NSW Government is designed to help our service get back on track,” Di Woods, Manager at CHNC told News Of The Area.

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“It enables us to recommence implementing a range of family support programs that were suspended.

“Programs recently re-started and underway are: making fun and healthy lunchboxes, meals made easy, homework help, school holiday activities and support for families which are impacted by someone’s substance use.”

Programs are designed to strengthen community members and families, building their skills and social connections.

“Many local services were impacted significantly by Covid and Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre was a key local support for many families and community members,” said Di.

“Our doors remained open throughout to ensure that we could continue to provide a huge range of supports that people needed during that time.

“We are grateful for our amazing team of volunteers.

“We could not have stayed open and offering our service without them.

“We could not provide the array or quality of services we do.

“Throughout Covid they were an absolute inspiration.

“The empathy and care they show every day to people of all walks of life that come through our service, always with a smile is heart-warming.”

While Covid impacted the Coffs community, the CHNC team of volunteers took on extra shifts so people could navigate services and help.

“On many occasions our volunteers supported people to access services that had moved online, when not everyone has access to computers or phones or can even understand the online world.

“They gave support amid huge rent increases that many could not afford.

“When people find themselves in stressful situations, which can sometimes be overwhelming, there can be so much going on mentally that it can make it difficult to think clearly and collect their thoughts.”

The volunteers supported many people who just popped into the centre, when they simply didn’t know where to go or which service could help them, if at all.

The Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre team redirected many resources and supports to the immediate needs that the community needed at that time.

To find out more about the services or programs Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre provides, visit  www.chnc.com.au.

By Andrea FERRARI