Lent is a time of prayer, fasting, and giving.
Through acts of charity or service, we can help lighten the burden of others and enrich our faith.
There are plenty of opportunities across our Diocese where you can give back and share your skills. Signing up to become a volunteer is not only a fantastic opportunity to positively impact the lives of others, but also a great chance to enrich your own life! You may also wish to make a donation to enhance the charitable services offered by the Diocese.
The Diocese values the significant contribution volunteers and donors make to all our schools, programs and services.
CatholicCare Social Services Hunter-Manning is just one of the areas you may be inspired to contribute to this Lent. CatholicCare is a registered not-for-profit and the official social services agency of the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.
CatholicCare’s Community Programs receive no government funding and depend on the goodwill of volunteers and donors to help those most in need. The Community Programs encompass homelessness outreach services, including the Taree and Forster Community Kitchens and Hunter-based BBQ food trailer, and the Refugee Hub, which provides a range of supports to refugees and asylum seekers settling into life in Australia.
Discover more about how you can help CatholicCare’s Community Programs thrive and support children and young people in need.
Sign up to become a volunteer with the Refugee Hub
CatholicCare’s Refugee Hub supports people from refugee, asylum-seeker, and vulnerable migrant backgrounds engage with their local community and empower them on their journey to independence.
The Hub operates a comprehensive and individualised intake and referral system and provides casework and advocacy support for refugees and new migrants to access community services.
In 2022, your help is needed more than ever, with an average of 20 new families referred to the Refugee Hub every month.
Volunteers are the backbone of the Hub, and each brings their unique talents to help refugees benefit from health, education, social, and welfare opportunities. This support includes offering tutoring to primary and secondary students, helping with citizenship applications, and providing a helping hand with writing job applications.
By choosing to become a volunteer at the Refugee Hub, your support will enable CatholicCare to continue providing a range of practical programs that promote inclusion, wellbeing, confidence, and skills development.
You can sign up to become a volunteer here.
Lend a hand at the Community Kitchens
Working together with local communities to help ease the burden of homelessness and food insecurity, CatholicCare Food Programs provide hot, nutritious meals across the Maitland-Newcastle diocese. However, people visiting these services are offered much more than a meal. With the assistance of volunteers, CatholicCare has created a space where people can feel safe and enjoy the company of others. The Community Kitchens are also an opportunity for disadvantaged people to access other services via information and referral.
At the end of 2021, the Taree Community Kitchen proudly served its 50,000th meal. Such an achievement could not have been possible without the commitment and collaboration of all those in the community looking to help those in need.
By signing up to be a volunteer, you can help these Community Kitchens to continue supporting those less fortunate in your area. CatholicCare has Community Kitchens right across the Hunter-Manning, including Hamilton South, Maitland, Newcastle, Taree and Forster.
The Community Kitchens opening days and times vary between Monday and Saturday for lunch and dinner, allowing you to choose a time that suits you to volunteer.
For more information, visit: www.catholiccare.org.au/support-us/become-a-volunteer
Become a Foster Carer
Through no fault of their own, there are many and varied reasons why children and young people come into foster care. They come from all walks of life all ages and different cultural backgrounds. One thing most of these children and teenagers have in common is they need support to reach their full potential, due to experiencing neglect, abuse, or trauma.
There is a real shortage of foster carers in our local community. CatholicCare Hunter-Manning is looking for committed people who have available time, love to give, and support to offer a child in need.
CatholicCare provides quality training, 24/7 support and tax-free financial assistance to dedicated foster carers.
Are you interested in supporting local families and the community? Are you willing to provide a safe, secure and predictable home environment to care for these children and young people?
There is no perfect formula for being a foster carer. Everyone is different and brings unique experiences to this important role. CatholicCare welcomes applications from people regardless of their gender, culture, ethnic and religious backgrounds. Young or old, with or without children, married or single, foster carers come from all parts of our community.
What matters most to CatholicCare is that you have the enthusiasm and commitment to provide unconditional love and support, a sense of family, and connection to a child who needs it.
To learn more about becoming a foster carer, please get in touch with us on 1300 590 898 or visit www.catholiccare.org.au/foster-care.
Make a Donation
The success of CatholicCare’s Community Kitchens and Food Programs is contingent on donations and the generous support of local businesses who provide fresh produce, meat and bakery items that our volunteers use to make nutritious meals. Due to a lack of government funding, our Refugee Hub also requires donations to support those relying on these services.
By donating to one of these community services your generosity and support will provide CatholicCare with the resources to continue helping the most vulnerable in our society through their Community Kitchens, Food Programs and Refugee Hub.
Find out how you can make a tax-deductible donation here: www.catholiccare.org.au/support-us/donate