COMMUNITY

Wests Group Macarthur is pleased to offer $20,000 to Lifeline Macarthur to help deliver much needed services within the Macarthur region in the coming months. The timely funds offered via Club Grants aim to alleviate some of the stress associated with the challenging times that individuals and families within the Macarthur LGA are facing right now.

Lifeline Macarthur share there has been a significant increase in calls this year and that in the months of March, April and May they had received more than 250,000 calls for help. Lifeline reports that following the start of the Pandemic, 47% of callers mentioned COVID-19-related issues, from which health was the common concern, however more recently 28% of callers with Covid-19 concerns were related to unemployment and finances.

The range of services include 24/7 Crisis Support Telephone Line as well as Financial Counselling services offering professional and confidential support and guidance for those experiencing all sorts of difficulties including stress, anxiety, growing bills, and those generally having difficulty coping. Together Wests and Lifeline hope that by making further services available that the risk of suicide incidence and ideation is reduced, and the overall health and wellbeing of the community is improved.

Lifeline MacArthur’s, Ellen George comments, “This year our community has faced some extraordinary challenges, drought, bushfire, floods and now COVID-19. This coupled by the usual stress people experience will have a long-term effect on our community. Now with forced closures, additional financial stress and social isolations impacting our community, we are experiencing higher demand for our services”.

Wests Group Macarthur CEO, Tony Mathew says “Part of the Wests community mission is to recognise where the key challenges lie in the community and work hard to support partners, like Lifeline Macarthur that can really make a difference. We are proud of our long running association with Lifeline and honoured to be able to assist people in these tough and uncertain times”.

Also, in support of Lifeline Macarthur, Wests are offering a special $6.50 Coffee and cake deal across all venues whereby a portion of all sales up to August 2nd will be donated to Lifeline in support of Stress down Day 2020.

Lifeline Macarthur and Western Sydney is a leading charity that serves South West Sydney, Western Sydney, Macarthur, and the Southern Highlands with the purpose of empowering and supporting individuals and communities to be resilient and suicide safe.