CatholicCare provides emergency relief assistance to people aged 18 and over who are unable to meet their basic needs due to financial hardship or crisis. We also link people to relevant services within CatholicCare and in the community to help them address the challenges that are affecting their financial wellbeing.
ONE-OFF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Emergency relief provides immediate one-off support to people in financial crisis. If you are overwhelmed by your situation we may be able to help. Our aim is to help individuals and families out of their situation with immediate relief and referrals to other services that can assist you and your family. All individuals and families are assessed to ensure that they receive services that can assist to alleviate their situation. Please note we do not distribute emergency relief vouchers from any of our offices or Family Centres. You must call us for an assessment.
WORK & DEVELOPMENT ORDERS
Work and development orders (WDO) are made by the Revenue NSW to allow eligible clients to reduce their fines. CatholicCare is an approved sponsor to support WDO activity. Clients can satisfy their fine debts through voluntary work, financial and other counselling, mental health treatment, and/or educational activities. You are eligible if you are homeless, have a mental illness, intellectual disability or cognitive impairment, have a serious addiction to drugs, alcohol or volatile substances or are experiencing financial hardship.
FREE FINANCIAL COUNSELLING SUPPORTS
We provide free, independent and confidential financial counselling to anyone having difficulties managing money. We have offices in Artarmon, Brookvale and Ryde. This service is funded by the NSW Office of Fair Trading and the Commonwealth Department of Social Services. Our Financial Counsellors can help you prepare a budget or money plan, manage your debts, set realistic financial goals, understand your rights, and if needed negotiate with creditors. More information here.
For more information:
P: 1800 324 924
E: info@catholiccaredbb.org.au
Frequently Asked Questions
I am not Catholic, can I still access your service?
Can I call anytime for support?
What sorts of financial supports can you offer me?
What will you need from me?
Where so I have to live to be able to get support?
How long will it take before you will contact me back to organise the support I need?
Can I get emergency meals if I am without food?
You have helped me before? Can I call you again?
Latest News
Calls for emergency relief surge
Wild weather, natural disasters and the rising cost of living has seen a spike in demand for CatholicCare’s emergency relief services. “Towards the end of the financial year, our requests for help just went ballistic,” says Emergency Relief Lead Kristy.
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Learn more about our financial counselling and emergency relief programs
Throughout Australia, housing prices are on a sharp increase. In fact, the Commonwealth Bank forecasts that housing prices will continue to go up by 16% over the next two years due to the housing market boom.
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CatholicCare refuge changing lives for women experiencing domestic violence
Imagine coming to Australia from another country with your husband and two young children, only to find yourself living in fear from domestic violence, with nowhere to turn, no income, unable to speak the language and seemingly no way out. This was the situation for Farida and her children before she found the safety and support of a CatholicCare women’s refuge, which she says has changed her life.
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New emergency relief funding very much needed
More than 13% of Australians live below the poverty line, after housing costs. Of the three million people living in poverty in Australia, 731,000 are children.
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