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150 Years of Care
Anglicare Southern Queensland is honoured to be part of the lives of Queenslanders since 1870, advocating for the most vulnerable and transforming lives through compassion and care.
Trusted to be there
This year marks Anglicare Southern Queensland’s 150th anniversary. We’ve been proudly empowering generations of Queenslanders by providing care, compassion and hope since 1870. We know when times are tough, Queenslanders are tougher and we’ve been trusted to be there from the very beginning of this great state.
Thank you for trusting us with your grandmothers, grandfathers, your mums and dads, your brothers, sisters and your children. It’s our job to make sure you and your family live their best lives, even when it’s not the best of times. It’s not always easy. But we do it because we care.
To our staff who care, at work and at home – thank you. You are there every day for more than 40,000 Queenslanders – providing dignity, relief, love and care.
Our history
The focus and determination of five ladies who founded the Brisbane Female and Infants Refuge in Ann Street, Brisbane in 1870, is where our Anglicare story begins. It’s a story of hard work and a pioneering spirit that is replicated throughout our history.
From the women’s refuge to paving the way for community nursing, always striving to support the wellbeing of vulnerable people, even if it meant travelling miles to visit sick people in their homes.
Seeking out opportunities to always do better for those in our care, from new modes of transport, to influencing government reform and being there to provide specialist care for marginalised groups such as people living with AIDS.
Although we’ve come a long way since that one refuge, we continue to be there for those most vulnerable in our community. Every day.
Our today
We continue to work with humility and hope, providing compassionate care to one in every thirty Queenslanders. Our level of commitment is still there now more than ever, delivering over one million hours of community aged care, over 400,000 nights of support for children in out of home care and close to 7,000 hours of outreach to the homeless.
Today our staff numbers are over 3,000 strong, supported by 639 generous volunteers. Today we continue to support people as they age, help the homeless get back on their feet and lend a helping hand to our youth so they can move forward with confidence. Today we guide those with mental health challenges through the darkest of times and are there for foster care families and the children they care for. Today and every day we are committed to caring.
Our future
For the past 150 years Anglicare has met worry and fear with love, hope and care. We have continued to adapt and evolve, from our humble beginnings as a women’s refuge to services and supports for the youth, family, and elderly in our community.
Our future is bright. We challenge and innovate; embracing the power of individualised care; technology to connect and reduce social isolation; and new facilities with greater accessibility and efficiencies. With the strength of our dedicated staff, partners and supporters we will continue to make a positive difference to the lives of others.
Connecting with people at every stage of their life journey – responding with love, care, hope and humility.
Always there for Queenslanders
“In the future we’d love to think poverty won’t exist, unjust structures preventing people fully participating in society will be shattered, and organisations like Anglicare will no longer be required. But the reality is there will always be people in need of care and support, whether through ageing, disability, life circumstances, or life choices.
As our society becomes increasingly focused on the benefits digital technology can bring, the power of human-to-human connection will continue to be incredibly important. The compassion and empathy of our staff will be vital as they share in the life journeys of the clients, residents, children and families we support.”
Karen Crouch – Executive Director (2013-2021), Anglicare Southern Queensland
Above & beyond
In the midst of COVID-19, a regional Queensland town was running low on medical supplies when their cries for help were answered thanks to a Good Samaritan.
Anglicare’s Brisbane-based maintenance coordinator and self-described hobby pilot David Lefrancke was delivering hand sanitisers to St John’s Residential Aged Care home in Toowong when he overheard the urgent need to send medical supplies almost 500km away to Roma.
Less than two days later, David along with his friend and fellow pilot Phil Watkins boarded the co-owned 2007 Czech Sport Aircraft with 48 hand sanitisers, 20 gowns, two boxes of gloves and 10 masks for our Community Aged and Disability team in Roma.
40 years of care
The Mackay family have been connected with Anglicare Southern Queensland for the past four decades, a service which has continued to this day.
Colin Mackay is 89-years-old and living independently at his Alexandra Hills property after the passing of his late wife Olga in 2018.
Colin can still drive his car, has his own mobile phone and drives his motorised scooter to the shops unassisted and fills in his day by gardening and handy-man work.
His wife and his mum were both looked after by Anglicare Southern Queensland.
Going the extra mile
From the red dirt of Roma to the glistening eastern coastline, our people and our staff have been there with resilience and commitment. The work we do for the Queenslanders that need us continues to be our greatest legacy.
Thank you for showing up every day with the determination to make a difference. To our 3,749 staff and 639 volunteers, thank you for your commitment.
Thank you for caring.
Acknowledgement of First Nations People
Anglicare Southern Queensland acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) peoples as the first Australians and we recognise their culture, history, diversity and their deep spiritual connection to land, sea, sky and community.
We will continue to work together to build a service that values and respects our First Nations people. We continue to undertake a journey, increasing our awareness to embedding cultural capabilities as an everyday practice.
Anglicare recently commissioned a piece of artwork to tell the story of how we embed cultural capabilities into everything we do. The artwork represents Anglicare. At the centre of the artwork is a love heart with four circles. This represents a campfire and the heart represents Rel8, the core foundation of how we work in partnership with clients, colleagues and others and how we translate our values into everyday work. The four circles represent the cultural capability levels of knowing, being, doing and embedding.
A voice for others
Anglicare remains a committed voice for others, advocating on behalf of vulnerable Queenslanders.
We drive change by shining the spotlight on rental affordability for low income earners, to create urgent policy responses. We advocate to government for the option of extended care until the age of 21 years for young people transitioning to adulthood from the out-of-home care system.
We work in collaboration to increase the availability and sustainability of private sector rental accommodation for people with complex needs. We support the national campaign to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people grow up safe and cared for in family, community and culture.
We will continue to be the voice for others when they need us to echo their words, or act on their behalf to seek social justice and drive change. It’s not always easy. We do it because we care.
24/7 of Anglicare Southern Queensland
Caring doesn’t stop, even in a pandemic. At Anglicare Southern Queensland, we support more than 42,000 Queenslanders a year, and we’re proud to empower people from all walks of life.
Our staff are the heart of everything we do, and their dedication and commitment are what keep our services going. No act of care is too big – or too small. From a safe place to stay and an ear to listen, to a cup of tea just when you need it, they are by your side, 24/7.
Proudly by your side, Queensland.
Our 3,749 staff and volunteers care for more than 40,000 Queenslanders of all ages. Our staff are the backbone of Anglicare Southern Queensland. Even when times are tough, we provide care, hope and love to those who need it. It is what drives our work in the community every single day and is a significant part of our 150-year legacy.
There is no better way to celebrate our frontline workers than with words from those they help and support the most – our clients.