Emergency Relief Program At Hinchinbrook Community Support Centre

Hinchinbrook Community Support Centre (HCSC) delivers an Emergency Relief (ER) Program, a vital support service funded and supported through Neighbourhood Centre's Queensland and delivered by neighbourhood centres across Queensland.

Emergency Relief provides short-term assistance to individuals and families experiencing financial hardship. Support may include food assistance, essential items, and referrals to other services, helping community members navigate periods of crisis while working towards longer-term stability.

Since December 2025 and into January 2026, HCSC has experienced a significant increase in Emergency Relief requests. With the rising cost of living and growing housing insecurity, more individuals and families are being forced to make impossible choices, which often look like going without food in order to pay rent, electricity bills, car insurance, registration, and other essential expenses.

HCSC is incredibly proud to be able to offer this program and provide immediate, practical relief to members of our community during times of need. While Emergency Relief cannot solve every challenge, it can ease pressure in moments of crisis and ensure people are not left without basic necessities.

Importantly, Emergency Relief appointments also allow our team to identify underlying and compounding issues that may be contributing to a person’s situation. Through these conversations, we often learn that individuals and families are experiencing homelessness, domestic and family violence, psychological trauma, or other significant life stressors.

As a Neighbourhood Centre, HCSC plays a critical role in connecting people to further support. Many clients accessing Emergency Relief are referred to additional services, which may be internally within HCSC programs or externally to other specialist service providers. This holistic approach helps individuals receive the right support to address their circumstances and work towards improved stability and wellbeing.

We are deeply honoured to support our community in this capacity and extend our sincere thanks to our donors, funding bodies, and community partners, whose generosity makes this essential work possible.