Based in Beulah Park, Eastern Services provides emergency relief for people who are struggling with poverty and meeting basic day-to-day living expenses. The innovative Hope’s Cafe initiative also provides community support to people who are new to Australia.
Emergency Relief
If you’re on a low income, managing your daily expenses can be tough. Our Emergency Relief service provides emergency support if you are struggling.
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We can provide:
- budget counselling and legal information
- workshops on a range of energy and money management issues
- referrals
- food parcels and monthly free food and vegetable distribution
- Christmas hampers
- and limited assistance with bills.
This service operates in eastern and north eastern Adelaide and is funded by the Department for Families, Communities, Housing and Indigenous affairs, as well as through generous donations.
Hope’s Café
Run together with the Clayton Wesley Uniting Church, Hope’s Café offers people from the eastern suburbs and surrounding communities – including refugees and those who feel disengaged and vulnerable – a place to get to know others and develop a sense of belonging.
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Delicious, healthy and affordable meals are served at the café on a ‘donate what you can’ basis. The café also has:
- English classes for Iranian, Korean and Afghani students
- assistance for asylum seekers with the preliminary stages of their applications, and refugee protection
- employment workshops
- a community garden – no gardening knowledge is needed and new faces are always welcome
- a laundry service – the Orange Sky mobile laundry service will wash and dry your clothes in one hour, while you enjoy a coffee
- art and craft activities
- a visiting Welfare Rights Service
- a meeting place for community groups.
No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS®)
If you are living on a low income, it can be hard to purchase important household items.
The No Interest Loans Scheme can help, with interest- and fee-free loans for individuals, families or couples. This community-based initiative helps people to access fair, safe and affordable credit to buy essential goods and services.
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Loans can be up to $1,500 and are repayable over 12 months. You can use them to purchase items such as:
- a fridge, washing machine or television
- furniture
- health equipment
- computers and more.
NILS® will not cover regular living expenses like bond or rent; utilities or phone bills; food or clothing; existing debt or debt consolidation; items in pawn brokers or similar; or items already purchased.
Services are available from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. We operate from various locations in Adelaide, as well as Victor Harbor and Goolwa.
Please note that eligibility criteria will apply – contact us for more information.
Loans are provided by National Australia Bank. The service is funded by the Federal Department for Social Services and the South Australian Department for Communities and Social Inclusion, in partnership with Good Shepherd Microfinance.
Enquire about NILS
Dental NILS Pilot
This pilot program is being trialled until the end of 2017. If you have a gross annual income of $45,000 or less, or receive a Centrelink pension, benefit or health care card, you may be eligible for a loan to assist with dental fees.
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We have agreements with a number of metropolitan Adelaide dental clinics who can assess you and provide an itemised list of work. You then choose services and organise for a NILS loan for that amount (up to $1200 and based on capacity to pay). You will then start making regular repayments (approximately $35/fortnight for a $1200 loan). The Dental Clinic will invoice Uniting Communities for the work completed.
Before you visit the dentist, you will have a NILS interview so that you know the loan amount that you are eligible for. This can take place at Smithfield, Adelaide or Christies Beach, or over the phone.
Find out more information here or call (08) 8202 5180.
NILS loans for your education
You may be eligible for support to pay your education expenses.
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Loans can be used for educational costs, including:
- tuition fees
- uniforms
- camps
- sporting activities
- music
- tools and equipment (e.g. laptops)
- membership fees
- other extra-curricular expenses.
Call Uniting Communities and let us know that you are interested in applying for a NILS Loan for Educational Expenses. We will check your eligibility, send you an information pack and make an appointment for you to see a microfinance worker. Before the appointment you will need to collect the necessary paperwork.
Read more about Educational NILS.
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