Mission of the Month

Mission of the Month

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The House of Welcome

The House of Welcome at Granville assists and supports refugees and asylum seekers in the community by providing shelter and a resource / referral centre. Their services include medical and legal support, as well as assistance in finding emergency and permanent accommodation, gaining employment and enrolling in English classes.

The Pastoral Care Committee of Epping parish has actively supported The House of Welcome during the past several years. As always, the HoW has a increasing demand for assistance from their many clients, especially during 2020 and 2021 with the added stress of COVID-19.  Many of their clients who had secured temporary jobs, have now lost their jobs and because of their asylum seeker status are not eligible to access Job Seeker payments. 

The HoW has seen an increase of 110% in requests for assistance with food, rental support and financial assistance. People are calling the centre in acute states of distress wondering how they will feed their families. Because of COVID-19 restrictions the Pastoral Care Committee is unable to shop and deliver food and cleaning items. By the Parish donating cash, the HoW will be able to use the money to buy in bulk and make good use of the money they do receive.

The House of Welcome is also expanding their work in the asylum seeker and refugee community.  For further information about The House of Welcome and its many programs and activities, please refer to the display on the Narthex board, or visit website https://www.stfrancis.org.au/house-of-welcome

There are a few ways you can financially assist The House of Welcome.

• Donate funds directly to The House of Welcome using a credit card on their website https://www.stfrancis.org.au/house-of-welcome/make-donation-house-welcome

• Transfer funds electronically to the Saint Alban’s account – please ensure that you use the tag ‘The House of Welcome’.

• Drop off your monetary donation to the Church office on Tuesday or Thursday mornings; leave it in the Church office letterbox any time; or mail a cheque to the Church office at PO Box 79 Epping 1710 with a note that the funds are intended for The House of Welcome.

• Place your gift in the ‘Beyond the Parish’ side of your offertory envelope (please write ‘The House of Welcome’ next to the stamped date) or in a plain envelope marked ‘The House of Welcome’ and deposit the envelope in the collection box as you arrive for a service at Saint Alban’s after the current lockdown.

Two ways you can donate