McKenzie Day Centre

The McKenzie Day Centre has been in operation since 1978. It provides meals and services for more than 15,000 people a year.

The centre currently operates with the invaluable assistance of 15 volunteers. We couldn’t operate without them! We also depend on donations to provide our clients with nutritious meals.

What services do we provide?

• free morning tea Monday to Friday (serving around 15 people a day)
  
• free showers Monday to Friday (averaging 10 a day)
  
• free clothes-washing facilities Monday to Friday (averaging 6 loads a day)
• welfare assistance such as furniture and assistance with electricity bills
  
• counselling services by appointment, for gambling counselling, low cost family relationship counselling and personal issues counselling
• youth service to help younger members of our community
• referral services to the Department of Housing, detox/rehabilitation centres and other accommodation/welfare agencies
  
• Centrelink staff visits every Monday and Wednesday (12.30pm to 1.30pm)
  
• clothing for the homeless and disadvantaged
  
• drop-in centre facilities

In addition to the above, we also :

• have recently accepted General Practitioner referrals. The referral numbers are  steadily growing and in this way it offers many counselling services that many of  these individuals normally would be unable to use due to financial constraints
• have a very successful and efficient accommodation program where residence is offered to people of need. We manage 130 bed-sitter units suitable for single occupancy and also have 3 family homes with families residing in these. We are currently acquiring more bed sitter units through the Department of Housing to assist in housing our ever increasing number of homeless people in this city.
  

Our vision

Our goal is to transform the McKenzie Day Centre into a ‘one-stop shop’ so the homeless and disadvantaged can have access to a wide variety of support at the one address. We envisage a range of service providers operating together at the centre, sharing skills and resources to secure better outcomes for the homeless. This is a very exciting new initiative for the Hunter region.

There is a strong need for these types of services. In fact, there are approximately 40,000 disadvantaged people in the Hunter area who could benefit.

Our vision for the McKenzie Day Centre includes the provision of:

• information, assessment and referral to other accommodation and support services
  
• doctors
  
• psychiatrists
  
• mental health workers
  
• drug and alcohol advice
  
• Centrelink staff
  
• employment programs
  
• life-skills programs (e.g. parenting, gambling, budgeting)
  
• recreation options for homeless persons
  
• medical doctors

Negotiations are under way with a number of services and government departments to take up office space in our building. CRC Justice Support currently maintains an office, providing advice and assistance to prison inmates and former inmates, their families and friends. CRC offers casework, referral and assistance in obtaining accommodation, counselling, post-release support and subsidised transport. They also offer a court support service to help people to understand the court system.

The Newcastle Homeless Interagency Network also has an office in our building.

To find out more, contact:

Tony Scully
14 Wood Street
Newcastle West NSW 2303
Tel: (02) 4969 4761 or 0439 892385
Fax. (02) 4969 2903

If you are in the Sydney area and need more information about our Homeless Services, please visit our website.