Queensland not-for-profit The Lady Musgrave Trust is on the hunt for land in inner north Brisbane to build a homeless shelter for young women as it strives to meet escalating demand for services.
Findings from the Australian Community Sector Survey released last week paint a grim picture for Brisbane’s homeless services, as expensive housing forces more young Australians into poverty and funding for homeless services shrinks.
This recent spike in demand for homeless services has only galvanised The Lady Musgrave Trust’s resolve to raise one million dollars to provide accommodation, care and long-term support to young homeless women and mothers.
The Lady Musgrave Trust, currently in negotiations to procure land, needs to raise $500,000 by this year to be on target to decrease the number of young women collecting on Brisbane’s streets, a goal that President Ms Isobel Annat says has never been more important.
“We’ve had an unprecedented number of young women seeking our services,” said Ms Annat. “We fill an important niche in Brisbane’s homeless sector because we not only provide long-term shelter; we offer counselling services and instil these young women with the courage and opportunities to find education and employment to turn their lives around.”
The new shelter, to be built in Brisbane’s northern suburbs, will gift young women with education and employment opportunities, and give mothers in TLMT’s care privacy with their families.
“Studies show that it’s important to break the cycle early on,” Ms Annat continued. “Young people thrust into homelessness are more likely to become homeless later in life and raise families who in turn become homeless. We equip young women with the resources to escape the poverty trap and thus save future generations of families from suffering the same fate.”
With sixteen per cent of homeless services currently struggling to fill demand, Ms Annat is realistic but firmly positive that TLMT can reduce homelessness in Brisbane if the local community bands together to keep its homeless services afloat.
“The Trust has been helping young women in need to build a better life for themselves for over 125 years,” Ms Annat said. “We are not going to stop now.”
To donate to The Lady Musgrave Trust’s new shelter, please visit The Lady Musgrave Trust website at http://www.ladymusgravetrust.org.au/ or support them on Facebook and Twitter.
For further information on The Lady Musgrave Trust please contact Graymedia.
Media Enquiries: Please contact Melissa Payne at Graymedia on 07 3250 9404, email gms.admin1@graymedia.com.au.
About The Lady Musgrave Trust
The Lady Musgrave Trust continues to change the lives of many young women in need in Queensland every year through the provision of essential and often life changing accommodation. The young women who use these services, aged between 14 and 25, often come from violent or abusive backgrounds, and are in desperate need of shelter. As these women also often have young children, TLMT provides them and their young families with a fresh start in life that would otherwise not be available. It is through the provision of accommodation and other vital support services, such as pastoral care and counseling, that the primary mission of TLMT is achieved.
The History
TLMT has a long Queensland history having been established in 1885 by a group of community-minded women under the leadership of Lady Jeanie Lucinda Musgrave, wife of the then Governor of Queensland. Established by women, to help women, TLMT has supported the Queensland community for over 125 years, keeping alive the vision of the Trust and keeping many young girls and families from sleeping on the streets.
The Board
The Lady Musgrave Trust is governed by a carefully selected board of directors who donate their time to giving women at risk of homelessness and their children a chance in life. They have a passionate commitment to the work of TLMT and are dedicated to saving and enhancing the lives of young women in Brisbane. The Trust is proud to have Her Excellency, Ms Penelope Wensley, AC, Governor of Queensland as its patron.
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