28 January 2009

Downtown Community Ministry steps into 2009 ready to continue its strong commitment to assisting people in need.

This year, DCM staff have already responded to a great number of diverse situations for people without any other real support.

In the next few months DCM will release Director Stephanie McIntyre’s research report on the use of Wet House facilities in the UK and North America. The report clearly shows widespread and effective use of ‘wet’ accommodation for homeless people with chronic alcohol dependence.

DCM is also researching appropriate opportunities for service users to engage in social and recreational activities. As a starter; staff are promoting, and signing clients up to, the Wellington City Council’s Leisure Card which offers discounts on Council recreational facilities.

Director Stephanie McIntyre says, “We are excited about investigating ways for service users to develop healthy social activities”. This will be a developing area of focus this year.

In 2008 DCM celebrated a busy, yet successful, year in which 1597 visits were made to the food bank, 109 people used the Street People Project banking programme and 36 people were accommodated through the Project Margin housing project (Jul-Dec).

The bookfair was a staggering success and recorded another record total. It shows us that Wellington people love the bookfair and support our important fundraiser.

Lastly, DCM supported the development of the Street Football Aotearoa Homeless Football Team. This proved a rewarding and enjoyable activity for the many DCM service users taking part. We look forward to it beginning again this year.

“Here’s to a great year!”

ENDS

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