Toowoomba Together Business Community Award
28 May 2021
We are so absolutely honoured and humbled to be the first ever winner of the Toowoomba Together Business & Workplace Community Award.
A little excerpt from the Toowoomba Together Post:
"Protea Place received this award in recognition of “The magical support web they weave, which ensures the continuum of safety and the preservation of dignity to those less fortunate within our community. The impact on our local community is immeasurable.
Not only do they help so many women and families but they were one of the only agencies that stayed open during the whole of Covid lockdown, to make sure everyone had a safe place to go. Instead of closing the doors they opened them wide for people to go if they needed support with DV, homelessness, showers, food etc.
Protea Place also have assisted women to create homes with their Welcome Home project, Oakey outreach, free daily lunches, health support and advocate for women in Family court and child safety issues."
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we, the Protea Place team, try to articulate the profound sadness and grief we feel at the loss of our beautiful friend, Louise Hunt. Today, standing alongside Mayor Geoff McDonald , we struggled to find words adequate to express the devastation that has gripped our community. The raw emotion and visible distress of our Mayor spoke volumes about the impact Louise had on everyone who knew her.
MASSIVE SHOUTOUT: Celebrating Our Amazing Local Supporters! Today, we want to shine a light on the incredibly generous and supportive local businesses who are the backbone of Protea Place, helping us make our everyday operations possible. Many of these wonderful businesses have been with us since we opened our doors in 2019 and continue to stand alongside us in unwavering support of our community. From having 100% of our rent covered by the incredible TUFF Australia , to the beautiful complimentary floral arrangements provided by Floral Image Ipswich & Darling Downs , every single contribution is deeply valued and treasured.
Huge thanks to Lou's Place ! Six years ago, in our early days of dreaming and building Protea Place, we journeyed to Sydney to visit the incredible Lou's Place . It was the closest model we could find to the vision we held, a beacon of hope in action for vulnerable women. We spent a day surrounded by kindred spirits – women utterly devoted to creating a better world. We spoke the same language, shared the same unwavering determination, and knew we had found our tribe. [ Link to ABC Compass story about Lou's Place ] Lou's Place generously shared their invaluable knowledge, learnings, and insights from their many years of incredible work. While six years have brought changes – a move to a new home in Redfern and the natural evolution of staff – the bond forged that day remains a cherished part of Protea Place's history. Amanda D, Jacqui, and Amanda T made that crucial trip possible six years ago, allowing the Toowoomba Women's Collective to learn from Lou's Place's 20 years of impactful work. We continue to admire your vital work in providing a safe and non-judgmental space for women in crisis. Thank you for your pioneering spirit and for showing us what's possible!