Since 1976 Mercy Services has assisted: older people, people with disabilities, people with alcohol and other drug issues and families in distress across the lower Hunter.

Government funding does not always cover the full costs of these services. We pride ourselves on meeting the person's need and sometimes this means providing more hours of service or more equipment than Government funding will cover.

Many clients have little money, no local family or their family are unable to assist them. Because of our organisational values, we will support people with limited resources or if they have complex needs. There is an ever increasing call on our services as a greater proportion of Australians live longer and the number of frail, older Australians places strain on their often small and far flung families. Our role is often to be the supportive community that would otherwise be an extended family.

We work as partners with clients and their families and help the person build/maintain their self-reliance and existing support networks. It is important to us that the client and their carer keep control of their life and we provide the type of practical assistance they want from us.

Donations from businesses and individuals also enable us to provide some services for which we receive no Government funding - such as our Holyoake Alcohol and Other Drugs project.

How will the funds be used?

The General Appeal funds are used to enable Mercy Community Services to provide flexible and high quality service beyond those funded by the Government departments

Key Areas of Expenditure

• $20 pays for art and craft supplies for a day centre activity
• $200 pays for nursing supplies for one month
• $600 pays for immediate home modifications assessment (rather than the client having to wait for up to 9 months for a publicly funded assessment)