Did you know that Travellers Aid has remained open all the way through the COVID-19 pandemic and last year’s lockdowns to help people connect to essential services and places of support?
Like many of you, during the COVID-19 pandemic we have experienced a whole range of different challenges. Thanks to the generosity and compassion of our supporters, Travellers Aid was extremely pleased and proud to be able to remain open as an essential service within the Victorian public transport network. Our sites at Flinders Street, Southern Cross and Seymour stations remained open to the community during lockdowns. As a result of the pandemic, we assisted a range of different service users as our regular traveller numbers were reduced to about 10% of pre-COVID-19 numbers. We continued to serve those who needed to travel to essential medical appointments in Melbourne’s CBD, many of whom travelled from regional Victoria.
However, what we did experience was a different cohort of people coming in to utilise our services; those who were homeless or sleeping rough. Especially during the shutdowns and lockdowns, Travellers Aid was able to provide some important services to allow people to remain connected.
During the lockdowns, many of the social services and community services around Melbourne’s CBD were closed. These were services that people in need would usually rely on. Travellers Aid was able to provide access to showers and internet facilities for people to stay connected with loved ones, friends and support services during these difficult times. We also acted as a connector to help find what other services had remained open and how these members of the community could best access the support they needed.
Travellers Aid will always do our best in times of crisis to help people connect to their community.
In this mailing we share with you a letter from John*. There are times in some people’s life when they find themselves in situations that they could never have foreseen. Whether life’s challenges are temporary or permanent, Travellers Aid are here to help people connect, engage and participate where we can. Even if it’s just an internet connection and a friendly chat.
The Travellers Aid team are so pleased that we could help John during this time, and John’s story is just one of many from our service users who needed us during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our team is ready and waiting when you are ready to travel again. We intend on being here during times of global or personal crisis when you need us most, but we need your support. By donating to Travellers Aid you enable us to build our team of staff and volunteers to be where we are needed most to assist people with mobility challenges to connect, engage and participate, remembering that some mobility and travel challenges may be invisible.
Please donate to Travellers Aid today to ensure we are always here when you need us, no matter what the crisis.
Yours sincerely
Elias Lebbos
Chief Executive Officer
*Names changed to protect privacy.
Donations over $2 are tax deductible
ABN 79 004 080 862