Helping others
WE ARE officially in Spring, my favourite time of year. It is a season filled with watching birds nest (mindful of the swooping), flowers blooming, and a kiss of sunshine and beautiful breezes. Spring also signals that Christmas is not far away, and before we know it, the Christmas lights will start popping up. However, this time of year can also be challenging for those going through tough times.
I want to give a shout-out to some wonderful community groups who are reaching out with kindness and practical help. Maybe you need to connect with them for help yourself or you wish to support them in their work.
Firstly, one amazing group is the Everyday Foundation, formerly known as Suncoast Care, which is fighting food insecurity. Based in Nambour, they also cover our area of the Sunshine Coast. The Everyday Foundation runs a low-cost grocery store in Nambour, which serves over 1,000 people a week from Nambour to the Maroochydore Electorate and beyond who have a concession card. They also gave away over 52,000 free meals in 2023. This store plays a crucial role in supporting those experiencing financial hardship and food insecurity on the Sunshine Coast. The Foundation is currently expanding its services and moving to larger premises.
I was also approached by a special little girl named Tali and her dad, Adam, for support with her initiative for National Homeless Week. Tali started “Cangive” in 2023 after noticing some children at her school without lunch and wanting to help those struggling with hunger. I was honoured to be a ‘Canbassador’ and support her charitable work. My office was overwhelmed and heartened by the outpouring of donations—our reception area was filled with hundreds of cans of food. Tali collected truckloads of cans this year, an outstanding achievement for an 8-year-old with a supportive father.
These donations went to the Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre (another amazing group) and other homelessness services. Thank you to everyone who supported this event by donating at the Cangive collection points at my office, local schools, and kindergartens. Organisations and initiatives like these remind me why I love where I live, as people respond with kindness and care to help our neighbourhood.
Election assistance – postal vote and early voting information
My office is starting to get inquiries regarding early voting for the State Election on October 26, as people plan their lives and may not be on the Sunshine Coast. As more information is released, I will share it with you, but so far the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) has advised that early voting centres will be open Monday to Friday, from October 14 to 25 October 2024, from 8 am-6 pm (excluding the weekend) at locations still to be advised. Postal voting will also be available.
As always, don’t hesitate to contact me if there is anything that I can be of assistance with – contact me care of my office on 5406 7100 or maroochydore@parliament.qld.gov.au