Our programs include:

• Meals Plus
• Women's Services
• Youth Services
• Men's Services
• Community Visitors Scheme

Meals Plus
Over the past 15 years our Meals Plus service has evolved to become the primary entry point for the homeless, and those at risk of homelessness, within the Parramatta CBD enabling them to access a range of services provided by Parramatta Mission and its partners.

Meals Plus operates 5 days per week providing breakfast and lunch as well as services to clients including medical, legal, chiropractic, optometry and podiatry clinics. Centrelink provides an outreach service to clients two days per week. Access to financial counselling is also available.

55,000 meals will be served from Meals Plus during the next 12 months.

For more information on Meals Plus, please contact Michael Wright - michaelwright@parramattamission.org.au

Women's Services
The Thelma Brown Cottage Refuge provides accommodation for women and their children who are often fleeing from family violence. For many of the children at the refuge, this program provides vital early intervention, giving them and their mothers the support and skills they need for their lives to develop normally and preventing them from falling into patterns of living which result in youth homelessness. For more information on our Women's Services, please contact Donna Pearce - donna@parramattamission.org.au

Youth Services
Parrahouse provides crisis accommodation for teenagers aged 14 - 18. Homeless teenagers are often acting out, can be severely emotionally damaged and psychologically impaired and are very vulnerable. Others may have encountered a less serious problem, over-reacted to it and run away. Staff of Parrahouse can help homeless teenagers assess their situation and reconnect them with their parental home if it is appropriate or help them find long term alternatives if they are at risk.

Koompartoo is a medium term service for young people, aged 18-21, for up to two years. The young people are attending TAFE, school or university or beginning employment. Most come from one parent families, and now have little or no support from other family members. They are there to learn skills to prepare them for living independently as the family breakdown does not provide the option for them to return home.

When the young people move from Koompartoo into independent living, for most it is a transformation that has occurred. Most go from timid, vulnerable, and hurt young people to strong and confident young adults who believe in themselves and know they can move forward.

For more information on Youth Services, please contact Nicky Zaouk - nicky@parramattamission.org.au

Men's Services
Hope Hostel provides crisis accommodation for homeless men over the age of 18 as well as having support groups, counselling and case management available.

For more information on our Men's Services please contact Michael Wright - michaelwright@parramattamission.org.au

Community Visitors Scheme
The Community Visitors Scheme offers residents in local nursing homes, who may not have regular contact with family or friends, the opportunity of receiving visits from volunteers on a regular basis.

The scheme is funded by the Federal Government, and administered by various churches around the country. Parramatta Mission is responsible for providing visitors to residents in the Parramatta Aged Care Facility. We are currently funded for 15 visitors and it is pleasing to note that we have our full complement at the moment.

Visitors range from all walks of life and are aged from 18 up to people in their 70's. They commit to visiting a specific resident twice per month. The whole idea is that they befriend a person who is isolated by the fact that they have no friends or relatives nearby who can visit them. They often take small gifts for their resident, such as magazines, soaps, lollies etc. but this is not important. The important thing is that they become a friend to the resident who really looks forward to their visit and that they visit regularly.

One resident, Joan*, really looks forward to the visit by her visitor. Whenever any of the members of the visiting team appear, Joan asks, "Is my lady coming today?" She really loves her visitor, who does more than her share of visiting and actually visits every week, however, it is not a requirement to visit so often, but the visitor really enjoys her visits also, and gets a great deal of satisfaction out of visiting and providing friendship to someone who, otherwise, would be quite lonely.

* name of resident changed for privacy reasons