Emergency Relief is the provision of financial or material assistance to people experiencing a financial crisis. Individuals or families may access emergency relief to help them through a ‘one-off’ episode; while for others, emergency relief becomes part of their experience of dealing with ongoing financial disadvantage. The aim of emergency relief is to assist people experiencing financial crisis in a way that maintains dignity and fosters empowerment.

Assistance usually comprises:

  • The provision of financial or material aid to meet an immediate need – chemist vouchers, assistance with paying bills, food vouchers, food parcels, clothing, or household goods.
  • Information and referrals that may help to resolve the underlying causes of a financial crisis.

WA's Community Relief Sector

More than 300 agencies and their outlets across the state.

Funding from State and Federal Government Departments, agency revenue, philanthropic sources and public donations.

Supported by both paid workers and volunteer providers.

Providers range from small volunteer run services to large multi-program organisations.

The Program

The Community Relief and Resilience Program exists to coordinate policy and sector support to services who provide material and financial assistance to people living in hardship in Western Australia.

The Program aims to:

  • Increased networking opportunities to support relationship building.
  • Improve understanding of issues related to ER service delivery across WA.
  • Increase information sharing about service demand and trends.
  • Increase knowledge of relevant services across WA.
  • Improve access to workforce development opportunities for the CRR sector.
  • Encouraged relationship building across sectors including government, funding bodies and community services.

Sector Support

If you are a volunteer or provider of emergency relief or charity food services, visit the CRR Sector Hub to access free resources and be part of the network of community organisations supporting individuals and families in Western Australia.

CRR Sector Hub

Policy Representation

Through the Program WACOSS lead collective policy and advocacy to improve outcomes for the community relief and resilience sector and people accessing these services. Committees such as the State Emergency Relief Committee and Fair Food WA advise WACOSS of issues impacting the sector and what changes are needed to address policy, funding and systems challenges. A range of relevant submissions are available in the WACOSS Policy Library.

List of CRR Members

12 Buckets

AAPT

AccordWest

Adventist Development and Relief Agency  Australia

All Saints Church Food Hampers

Alternative Education Programs Australia

Anglicare WA

Ascension Church Midland

Australian Asian Association of WA

Australian Red Cross

AYLA Inc

Black Swan Health

Boyle & Associates

Broome C.I.R.C.L.E. Inc

Busselton Hospice Care

Cancer Council Western Australia

Carers Assosiation of WA

Carnarvon Family Support Service WA Ltd.

Centacare Family Services Geraldton

Centacare Kimberley Association Inc

Centre for Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Detainees

Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing

Circle Green Community Legal

City of Armadale

City of Bayswater

City of Cockburn

City Of Fremantle

City of Joondalup

City of Mandurah

City of Melville

City of Rockingham

City of Stirling

City of Wanneroo

Communicare Inc

Community Legal WA

Consumer Credit Legal Service WA

Crossways Community Services

 

Curtin University

Department of Communities

Department of Education

Department of Health

Department of Social Services

Dream Builders Church

Eatup WA

Edith Cowan University

Esperance Care Services

Eternity Church

Ethnic Communities Council WA

Financial Counsellors Association WA Inc

Financial Wellbeing Collective

Foodbank WA

Foundation Housing Ltd

GIVIT

Gosnells Community Legal Centre

Headspace Midland

Homelessness – We Care

Hope Community Services Inc

Indigo Junction

Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Services

Italo-Australian Welfare and Cultral Centre Inc

Jacaranda Community Centre

Joongari House – Wyndham Family Support Inc.

Kimberley Community Legal Service

Koolkuna Womens Refuge

Kullarri Regional Communities Indigenous Corporation KRCIC

Kununurra Neighbourhood House

Kutjungka Catholic Parish Balgo

Legal Aid

Linkwest Inc

Lotterywest

LUMA

Margaret River Community Resource Centre Inc

Marra Worra Worra Aboriginal Corporation

Mercycare

Metro Church

Midlas

 

Milligan Community Learning and Resource Centre Inc

Mission Australia

No Limits Perth

Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre

Peel Youth Services Inc

Prepare Produce Provide

Regional Alliance West Inc

Richmond Wellbeing

Riverview Community Services

Second harvest

Secondbite WA

Services Australia

Share & Care Community Services

South West Kinships Cultural Immersions

Southern Aboriginal Corporation

St Catherine’s College UWA

St Patrick’s Community Support Centre

St. Vincent de Paul Society WA Inc

Starick

Sussex Street Community Law Service Inc

Synergy

Telstra

The Big Issue

The Essentials Collective

The Salvation Army WA

The Shopfront

The Smith Family

The Spiers Centre Inc

Uniting Aid

Uniting WA

WA Network of Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies

Wanslea Family Services

Water Corporation

Western Australian Local Government Association

Wheatbelt Agcare Community Support Services Inc

Women’s Legal Service WA

Wungening Aboriginal Corporation

Zonta House Refuge Association Inc

Major Supporter

The Community Relief and Resilience Program and Forum would not be possible without the generous support of Lotterywest.