Following the Victorian Government’s announcement to impose Stage 3 Stay at Home directives for metropolitan Melbourne, Doncare remains committed to responding to the guidelines provided by the Department of Health and Human Services.

As Doncare considers the public health, economic and societal impacts of Covid-19 and the constraints and uncertainty the pandemic presents to the organisation and the community we support, we remain determined to deliver a holistic model of services to Manningham residents experiencing crisis or disadvantage.

Doncare will continue to adapt service delivery as daily updates emerge and it is with this in mind that as CEO, I write to provide an update on service provision and how we plan to manage the next six weeks.

I want to acknowledge how disappointing this latest development is for all of us.  Our op shop team have worked tirelessly behind the scenes and re-opened the Blackburn North op shop on 1 July. Sadly, we have made the decision to temporarily close the store again. The safety of our customers and volunteers is paramount and we look forward to re-opening our six op shops when it is safe to do so. Meanwhile, customers can explore our online op shops on ebay and depop.

Whilst Doncare’s Community Support Workers, Counsellors and Family Services workers had resumed face to face appointments with clients on Monday, the team will now return to providing support remotely. I know a lot of people were thrilled to be able to access our services face-to-face and to see the shops reopen.  Our most important concern is to protect our staff, volunteers and customers and maximise health, safety and wellbeing outcomes for our clients. For the time being, the majority of our staff, students and volunteers will work from home.

Doncare’s Emergency Relief program will continue to provide financial and material aid to the members of our community who are most in need. Assessments will be conducted over the phone and necessary support including food parcels and vouchers will be available for collection at our office at MC2. In some circumstances, our staff may arrange delivery. Please call reception on 9856 1500 to discuss your personal situation.

DAWN, family services and social support for seniors clients will continue to be supported via telephone and video. Telehealth counselling is available and current clients will be contacted by their counsellor to arrange mutually convenient times. New enquiries should be directed to the Counselling Intake team via reception. Family Services will also be conducting some home visits based on the DHHS risk assessment tool, particularly for families with children two years and under.

We understand that this pandemic has had a huge impact on our community. We expect that we will see an increase in demand for Doncare’s services as we come out of these latest restrictions, with children, young people and families being impacted most significantly. More people will need support to address mental health concerns; there will no doubt be families who experience heightened financial stress; and sadly more women and children affected by family violence.

As an organisation, Doncare has suffered significantly during this pandemic. The financial implications on our fundraising due to the temporary closure of the op shops and cessation of fund-raising events and initiatives has been detrimental to our income streams. Doncare relies heavily on the revenue generated by the op shops and philanthropic donations, so now, more than ever, may I encourage you to support us with a monetary donation. Please donate now.

I acknowledge that for many of our wonderful volunteers, the loss of social connection and the constraints of the pandemic may impact their decision to return to their volunteering roles. I wish to remind everyone that Doncare has been predicated on volunteerism and part of the fabric of the community for half a century and we would like to continue this vital work for another 50 years. We simply can’t do this without your continued support and participation. Please remember to support our Op Shops when we re-open.

I thank all of our wonderful staff and volunteers, and the wider community for their continued support and hope that everyone stays safe and healthy during these challenging times.

Yours sincerely

Gaby Thomson
Chief Executive Officer