A welcome boost has been provided to two deserving local community groups, HOPE Inc. who are transforming the lives of those living in crisis and DeafBlind West Australians whose goal is to facilitate participation and inclusion in the community for people who are DeafBlind.
HOPE (Helping Out People Everywhere) assist people experiencing hardship or living in distress, with access to food relief, emergency financial assistance, showers and clothing.
Through P&N Bank’s Helping &nds program, HOPE will be able to provide warmth and restore basic dignity through the purchase of much-needed sleeping bags and toiletry packs to distribute to those who are sleeping rough.
Operating out of their Perth CBD community drop-in centre, HOPE serves thousands of people from diverse backgrounds each year, including those experiencing homelessness, elderly people looking for social interaction, and refugee families seeking practical assistance. In addition to providing food relief to over 160 individuals and families every week, financial appointments also assist people avoid homelessness or to move forward in their lives.
DeafBlind West Australians received a P&N Bank Helping &nd grant which will fund the provision of Auslan interpreters to assist group members at their various activities and events, such as workshops, rock climbing, bushwalking, archery, Christmas lunches and go-kart driving.
The group aims to ensure people who are deafblind have meaningful, interesting and fulfilling lives. Deafblindness is a unique and isolating sensory disability resulting from the combination of both hearing and vision loss or impairment, which has significant impacts on communication, socialisation, mobility and daily living.
General Manager P&N Bank, Angela Newland, said the bank has a long-standing history of supporting those in need in the local WA community.
“We know that when people work together, individuals, families, groups and our community will flourish,” Angela said.
“On behalf of our customers, we are proud to be able to provide support to WA community groups and small not-for-profits, such as Hope and DeafBlind West Australians, through P&N Bank’s Helping &nds program to ensure they can continue undertaking the vital work they do within our community.”
P&N Bank members can nominate individuals in need for a Helping &nds grant at any time during the year.