Time for a Sanctuary update

In case you missed it, we revealed in December that the Sunshine Coast Council has decided that our operating facility in Doonan would better serve the community if it was given to the Yandina and District Pony Club (YDPC) that already has 30 acres just next door.

This is despite a recent independent service evaluation, conducted by researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast, which found that our programs provide “a substantial improvement in the participants’ wellbeing post intervention, with a magnitude of difference that is exceptionally significant.”

Without a home, we would be forced to close, an outcome which we sincerely believe would cost lives.

This is what’s happened since our last update:

Council has offered that we can move to the former YDPC grounds in Yandina.
The site is flood-prone and less than half the size of our current site – both of which will impact program delivery.
Council has committed (subject to funding availability) to provide some infrastructure at that site (is it a ‘commitment’ if it’s subject to funding availability?) so that it can meet our basic needs.
The site is available on a 12-month permit only with no guarantee that the permit will be renewed.
Works at the site have started in the last week but we have been advised that they will not be completed until May/June.
Council is still refusing to allow us to stay at our current location until the works are completed at the new location – we must vacate the current site by February 28th.
We have escalated this issue to every level within council – as far as new CEO John Baker – with no change in position.

What does this mean?

Our mental health programs will be forced to stop until the new facility is ready.
Our (already too long) wait list for mental health programs will grow to an unmanageable size.
Our staff will be severely impacted financially as they are all paid on a casual basis because we never have guaranteed future funding. No programs = no wages.
Our team will need to endure the mental, physical and emotional toll of moving twice – and being homeless in the interim.
We will need to continue with our capital raising campaign to raise the funds needed to purchase our own home so that we can be assured that the Sanctuary has a safe home from which we can continue to serve the amazing women and children in our community.

How you can help

Donate to the capital raising campaign below.
Make a general donation to help us with the moving costs
Email us if you have time to help with packing up at Doonan between now and Feb 28th (we’ll add you to a Facebook group that’s been created for this purpose)
Contact us if you know someone who can move a 40ft shipping container for us (for free would be amazing but any discount welcome) from Doonan to Yandina.