Mingara and our local community

Mingara’s vision is to make a significant contribution to the quality of community life. Over the last 10 years, Mingara has proudly contributed over $14.6 million in Central Coast community grants to local charities, sporting groups and organisations. 

Mingara’s 2018 ClubGRANT recipients

The Glen

“The Glen” is a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in Chittaway.
This organisation makes such a difference in our local Community it is hard to describe the impact that it has on so many people’s lives. The work they do in transforming lives and creating a sense of trust and family is inspiring. The Glen doesn’t just believe in creating a sense of community within, but constantly embrace that sense of community within our local area, from cleaning up the beautiful Tuggerah Lakes to cooking a Bunnings BBQ,  or creating that sense of community at one of their touch footy days. The Glen is passionate about what they do and the change they can make and are constantly driving change within their sector. They’re currently rallying support and planning a much-needed women’s facility here for the Central Coast.
 

 

Operation Christmas Hamper

If you ever want to see a room full of community spirit and passion, then you need to come along and join in for the hamper packing at the House of Praise. What started as a relatively small operation has grown into a full-scale operation that changes the lives of over 3000 people every Christmas time. The wonderful Sandra & Paul coordinates the hamper packing with helpers from all over, it takes about 10 hours and 100 people to pack the hampers.
It’s a great collaboration of community, I know the clubs and our team love to get involved every year.
One of the great things about Operation Christmas hamper Is the support it provides to so many different community groups, once those hampers are packed it’s a full afternoon of charities and community groups picking up their hampers. This certainly for me sums of the true meaning of Christmas.
 

Central Coast Kids in Need

Rhonda and Lorraine run Central Coast Kids in Need and are two of the most generous and caring ladies you can ever meet. 
Most families with very sick children have to travel to Sydney or Newcastle for long-term care, leaving at least one parent unable to work as they stay with their child in the hospital.
Central Coast Kids in need takes that massive financial burden away during these tough times by helping to pay for accommodation and fuel costs. Mingara is proud to support this initiative in our community.

 
 
 
 

Lutunda

Camps are some of the greatest childhood memories, but even more so for kids in out of home care.  These Camps provided by Lutunda give children in out of home care an opportunity to have fun, escape from their current reality and meet other kids who are in similar situations as themselves.
For some children it also provides stability, For a child that has been moved in and out of foster families which is often the case, the camp is something they look forward to, something that is familiar and somewhere they can enjoy.
If you have the chance you should take the time to check out all the activities they have, from Quad biking to Archery, Camp Fires and Tug Of War, it’s a really great retreat. These camps also provide much-needed respite to help carers re-energise, as often these children come with extremely high needs. The Club Grant funding will be used towards supporting another Out of Home Care Camp. 

Bateau Bay PCYC

The PCYC is such a great place for kids to visit and make friends in a safe environment. It’s also a place where kids who are doing it tough can get some additional support and guidance from some amazing people.
Over the year’s Mingara has been lucky enough to work with Senior Constable Kurt Webb and Senior Constable Racquel Hassett on so many amazing activities for the kids. These activities include The Cops vs Kids Oz Tag Day, everyone’s favourite, Blue Light Discos and more recently the Rise Up Program.
Mingara has been fortunate to work with the PCYC on the Rise Up program in our local community. The Rise Up program is a new strategy developed and facilitated by the NSW police force and PCYC which connects disengaged young people to work placement opportunities.
Both Senior Constables Racquel and Kurt from Bateau Bay PCYC have been working with disengaged youth in our area.  
Through this program, Mingara has been working with Senior Constable Kurt Webb and the Rise Up hospitality program which was partnered with John and Barb at Central Coast Outreach Services. This program took students through a 10-week hospitality program, showing them practical cooking skills and providing them with an opportunity to learn about all these cooking and hospitality. The team at Mingara experienced first hand the dedication of some of the students who prepared a 3-course meal at their graduation. Following this, we were able to provide them with some work experience. These were students who had checked out of the schooling system, were not attending school very often. Without the program, these students were becoming very disengaged with our local community and society. Mingara was proud to offer two of the student’s positions with our kitchen team and assisted in the preparation of the Community Celebration dinner. An amazing outcome for not only the boys, but for our local community and of course the Mingara kitchen team with two new eager workers.
 
Berkeley Vale Pre-School
Berkeley Vale Pre-School has been providing early education for 35 years. Their funding is to buy the materials to refurbish an outdoor area for the children at the Pre-School. Mingara’s Construction Manager, Ben De Bono, has volunteered his time to build the area for the Pre-School. We can’t wait to see the finished work.
 
The Annex
The Entrance Annex Support Unit at Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College – The Entrance Campus, works extremely hard to keep kids in school, working with some of our most vulnerable kids who require much more support than just education. Students can focus on studying life skills or a more mainstream pattern of study. The aim is to enhance the student’s vocational and employability skills.
Mingara is proud to have worked with this school for many years.
Mingara has worked with The Annex to provide:

  • a community garden,
  • support for swimming lessons at Mingara Aquatics for the students,
  • funding for a gardening and skills program
  • and our favourite day the Christmas and Awards presentation.

Most recently, we were happy to support a snow trip for some students who worked really hard throughout the year, which is the pictures you can see on the screen behind me. A visit to the Annex is never boring and usually filled with a few games of handball, which we’ve never won.
 
Perform – Ability
Perform-Ability started when a beautiful young girl with hearing impairments and Down Syndrome enrolled into Centre Stage Performing Arts in 2009. Her presence made every class rewarding and she absolutely lit up the stage at her end of year concert. Her mother happened to mention to the Principal that there were no dance programs around for people with special needs or disabilities.
The Principal of Centre Stage Performing Arts, Miss Miranda Daisy, founded Perform-Ability in 2010. They have over 20 classes running in many locations throughout Newcastle, the Central Coast and Sydney, with more than 120 students attending each week.
 
TLK Alesco
TLK Alesco, a small school with a very big heart. Similar to The Annex, this school provides education and support for kids that aren’t dealing with main stream schooling life. If it were not for schools like these, many Central Coast children and young adults may not have gone on to finish their education or worse become disengaged from society. TLK Alesco provides a great environment and family atmosphere for kids to finish their schooling in a setting that works for them.
Mingara has been lucky enough to spend time with the kids at TLK. We look forward to watching this school develop.
 
Berkeley Vale High School P & C
Our schools foster our next generation. Berkeley Vale High School is an exceptional local school that provide more than just mainstream schooling. The High School has embraced the Duke of Ed program for its students. Berkeley Vale High School has received recognition as a key driver of the program within our state schools in NSW and has one of the highest uptakes of students participating in the program. Over 70 students took part in 2018, the program encompasses our community with projects and student support of community projects throughout the year.
Bateau Bay Neighbourhood Centre
Neighbourhood centres are the lifeline in many of our local communities for people that feel isolated, desperate, looking for help or just need a friendly face. The Bateau Bay Neighbourhood Centre provides great support in our local community. The Bateau Bay Neighbourhood Centre provides the basics like food and clothing, a friendly catch-up or a cuppa with someone and much-needed chat. Bateau Bay Neighbourhood Centre provides so many great services including a Self Esteem Friendship Group, Grandparent Support Group, Community Hub and an after school drop in service.

Central Coast Outreach
This organisation provides so much support to our local community, and the man behind it all is one of a kind, he dedicates his life to helping others, nothing is ever too much for him, and he gives unconditionally to others, before himself. John and his wife Barbara provide support to the local community by helping domestic violence victims, providing food and welfare to those doing it tough, always helping our seniors and their newest adventure which is opening a Friendship Café.
This café is an inclusive friendly place which will provide not only friendship but support and food for those struggling. John and Barbara are equally as passionate about community and together with their work at Central Coast Outreach, they make our community a better place to live.
 
Rotary Club of Gosford North
Mingara entered a partnership with the Rotary Club of Gosford North about 5 years ago. They introduced Mingara to a program they were supporting –  SOKS, Save our Kids from Suicide. Mingara supported the program wholeheartedly thinking if we could save just one life then it was worth every cent.
The SOKS program is run through local high schools to give students and teachers the skills to identify someone who may be at risk of harming themselves. A sensitive topic – it’s one that when openly discussed has the potential to save lives. Since Mingara first partnered with the Rotary Club of Gosford North, 495 people have been assisted.

 
Books In Homes
Books in Homes is an organisation that not only shares Mingara’s vision but lives this vision every day leaving a legacy of lifelong readers in our children. Books in Homes provide books to children in low socioeconomic environments where children may not have the greatest access to books in their households. Books In Homes supports indigenous communities in the Northern Territory and assists children in our local schools. The organisation encourages young kids that reading can be fun. Mingara has been lucky enough to work with books in homes over the past few years supporting many of our local primary schools, most recently at The Entrance Primary School.

 
Camp Breakaway
Camp Breakaway has been on the Central Coast for over 35 years providing support to those with a disability. Camp Breakaway provides camps and respite for individuals, families and their Carers. These Camps provide some much-needed rest for families, fun for participants and a safe environment for many individuals who would otherwise miss out on experience like this. Mingara has been supporting Camp Breakaway Camps for many years, and this year is providing support for a Sibling and Young Carer’s Camp. Mingara has had the pleasure of being able to go along to see a camp in action and talk to some of the participants to see how important these camps are to them.

 

 
Christians Against Poverty (CAP)
Sometimes things happen in our lives that change our financial situation for the worse, a loss of job, an illness, or just lack of budgeting knowledge can see us get ourselves into debt. Financial pressure can be crippling, and unfortunately, for some people, it can feel like there is no way out.
The amazing team at CAP are passionate in assisting families on the Central Coast. Local Warren Price gives up a day of work every week to volunteer and helps families by taking away all of the financial burdens and assisting them through their financial breakdown.
Top Blokes Foundation
Top Blokes provides a program for young teenage boys, being a teenager is hard these days, there are so many things that teenagers have to deal with, social media makes life as a teenager even harder. This program provides support workers who run a program with small groups of boys who may not have the role model or support at home they need. The program covers all sorts of topics, from social media, mental health, sexual health, drugs, alcohol and healthy relationships. They work with them in a small group so they can ask all the difficult questions and feel safe to ask things they may never ask a parent. Mingara is proud to support this relatively new foundation to the Central Coast and looks forward to watching the foundations impact on the Top Bloke of the Central Coast.

Find out more

To find out more about Mingara’s ClubGRANTS process or to apply, please contact Sarah Ferman, our Sports and Community Manager at [email protected]