Northern Beaches Council will continue to provide grant funding to Manly Women’s Shelter and Manly Community Centre over the next three years as part of a new funding agreement.
Manly Women’s Shelter will receive an annual grant of $61,102 and the Manly Community Centre $90,349 a year, which includes $10,000 to support its Homeless Outreach Service.
Northern Beaches Council Administrator Dick Persson AM said both not-for-profit organisations were highly regarded for providing essential support services for women in need, especially in dealing with issues such as homelessness and domestic violence.
“Both the Manly Community Centre and Manly Women’s Shelter are held in high regard and form an integral part of the Northern Beaches’ social infrastructure, and it’s important that Council supports them,” said Council Administrator Dick Persson
Manly Women’s Shelter is a community-based, non-government organisation that provides accommodation for up to 10 women at any one time and support for homeless and at risk women who do not have dependent children. It was established in response to the desperate lack of emergency accommodation for local women in need.
“The Manly Women’s Shelter provides homeless women with security, support and assistance so that they can take control and rebuild their lives.”
“For some women this service is literally lifesaving,” he said.
It costs $530,000 to run the Shelter per year, including the grant from Council.
Manly Community Centre is a community-based, non-government, charitable, not-for-profit organisation located in the heart of Manly. Operating for over 40 years, 1,300 people contact the Centre each month.
“This community resource and common meeting place gives residents access to information, counselling, financial and legal advice, multicultural services and homelessness services which might otherwise be unavailable to them”, Mr Persson added.
It also provides the base for a range of community services and organisations, such as Legal Aid NSW outreach and Centrelink outreach services.