About us

Funding and Partnerships

NSW Department of Communities & Justice, funds the Centre for all our general operations, and services.  Fair Trading NSW provides funding for our No Interest Loans program Loans Officer & 1800 NILS NSW Referral Line. Dept. Social Services provides emergency relief/practical support funding to enable the Centre to support Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Penrith, Lithgow & Central West families/individuals who are facing tough times. 

The Centre works in partnership with Blue Mountains City Council and other partners who provide assistance to enhance our services. These include:

• THRIVE Family Service Katoomba & Lithgow
• Springwood Sports Club
• Nanna's Touch Community Connections Lithgow
• Fusion
• Mt Riverview City Church
• Springwood Baptist Church
• Springwood Uniting Church
• Strong Nation Church
• Rotary Club Springwood
• Bligh Park Community Service
• Gateway Family Service
• Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre
• Lithgow Information Neighbourhood Centre
• Oberon Neighbourhood Centre
• Lithgow City Council
• Hawkesbury City Council
• Women's Cottage-Richmond
• We are also grateful to our commercial donors and supporters who provide resources to assist the well-being of those who attend the Community/Homeless lunches.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

To enable the centre to operate we are always needing the kindness of volunteers. We have a variety of positions that range from working in the centre, participating in our community shop, helping out at the Monday lunches, school reading program at Winmalee Public School, or if you have a specific skill or craft we would love to hear from you.

With the increase in loneliness and social isolation we know it can be difficult to make the first move to volunteer, however our current volunteers tell us that they look forward to their days at the Centre. Just Drop in and meet our friendly staff or phone to speak with the General Manager. We look forward to hearing from you. 47544050

Be involved! Make a difference. You will fit right in

Return & Earn-drop your R&E and earn money

The centre now takes bottles and cans through the Return & Earn Scheme. People who take their bottles or cans to the centre get 10cents on each eligible container and the centre earns 3cents, which may not seem a lot but every small amount adds up.

These containers are most commonly found as litter in NSW. They’re often consumed ‘on the go.’

• Cans (e.g. soft drinks)
• Bottles ( e.g. beer bottles)
• Cartons (e.g. flavoured milk cartons)
• Juice boxes or poppers

Most containers between 150ml - 1litre (soft drinks up to 3 litres) are accepted and can get you a refund. However, they must…

• Be in good condition (not be crushed or broken)
• Be empty-Have the label attached
• Be clean to enable the bar code reading

• These items aren’t accepted, but can still go into household recycling. They’re often used at home.

• Glass wine - spirit bottles - Juice bottles over 1 litre - cordial bottles - casks
• Check with staff to see if your containers are eligible

Winmalee Community Food Cupboard

Did you know that more than one-10th of the food bought by Australians winds up in the trash, costing the average household more than $1000 a year. In 2019 alone the country threw away $10.1 billion worth of food, according to the latest Rabobank Food Waste Report, making Australia the fourth-worst food waster in the world.

The centre has been proactive in reducing nutritious, edible food going to landfill for the past 8 years. We became  one of the first to gain support with Secondbite.

At 8am every morning we take our van to the Coles dock at Winmalee Shopping Village and stock it with food that would otherwise end up in landfill. This food is then taken to the centre where the staff assess the quality, it is then placed in our commercial refrigeration  for families who struggle financially to access.

This food is also distributed to many families in the Blue Mountains and we also support Foodbank with donations of fresh food. 

The centre has the resources to take surplus food. With a grant from the Environmental Trust as part of the NSW Environment Protection Authority's Waste Less, Recycle More the centre has been able to purchase a new commercial fridge and freezer so we are able to ensure food remains fresh and stored correctly. We have also been able to purchase Cambro insulated hot/cold food pan carriers along with trolleys.

As a service that assists the most vulnerable in the community we want more businesses, cafes, clubs, growers etc. to participate in ending food insecurity for many people which in turn assists our environment. If you know a business, food producer etc. who would like to donate to our Fresh Food Programs please pass on our information.

Our strategy is ensuring families have healthy food available remains a priority. Providing healthy nutritious food along with education on cooking etc. has been associated with positive changes for the overall family including food and nutrition knowledge.

Our food programs are a core part of supporting our communities however there is no long term funding to increase our capacity. We are always seeking new avenues on how to ensure these programs become sustainable. If you would like to be involved in our programs please ring the centre. 

 Our Community Shop

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

To enable the centre to operate we are always needing the kindness of volunteers. We have a variety of positions that range from working in the centre, participating in our community shop, helping out at the Monday lunches, school reading program at Winmalee Public School, or if you have a specific skill or craft we would love to hear from you.

With the increase in loneliness and social isolation we know it can be difficult to make the first move to volunteer, however our current volunteers tell us that they look forward to their days at the Centre. Just call in or phone to speak with the General Manager. We look forward to hearing from you. 47544050