News: Wrapping up Birthday Month at Protea Place

2 October 2024

A Heartfelt Thank You and a Call to Action.

Birthday Month at Protea Place Women's Support Centre was a whirlwind of celebrations, thanks to the incredible support from our community. We're so grateful for all the well wishes, donations, and kind gestures that made this month so special.

We were also thrilled to announce it when we received a one-off grant from the state government (Stephen Miles) to help keep our doors open. While this is a significant boost, we know that it's only a temporary solution. Our long-term future depends on securing recurrent funding.

We're calling on our BOTH sides of Government to make a PUBLIC commitment to supporting Protea Place. Behind-the-scenes promises are NOT ENOUGH. We need to see concrete actions and a clear commitment to funding our vital services.

Quote from Andrew Wielandt:

"Whilst it was great to hear the news that the Queensland Government has provided funding of $636 108 (but who is counting …) to help fund Protea Place, it is frustrating beyond belief that Amanda and her team as well as Megan O'Shannessy and the Protea Place management committee has to spend so much time with fund raising and advocacy, rather than focusing on their core business - supporting women in need.

As a community, we need to be holding David Crisafulli MP Trevor Watts and David Janetzki MP as well as the Labor candidates for Toowoomba North and South to account for long term funding for Protea Place in the upcoming election campaign. With the Queensland economy worth $503 billion (that’s $503 000 000 000 000) in size and knowing the scourge that homelessness & domestic violence is, we as a community simply need to do better in supporting people like Amanda and her team to help those in their time of need."

- Andrew Wielandt, Protea Place 2024 Community Champion

Let's work together to ensure that Protea Place can continue to provide safe, supportive housing and essential services to women in need.

Your support is invaluable.

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A group of women are posing for a picture on a balcony.

Thanks to Lou's Place

8 April 2025

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!

Thanks to the Avenues of Highfields

3 April 2025

A massive thank you to The Avenues of Highfields ! One of the most rewarding aspects of our work is transforming houses into safe and beautiful homes for women and children recovering from domestic and family violence. The Avenues of Highfields made a generous donation of stunning homewares and furniture from one of their display homes. This has allowed us to create a truly beautiful and healing environment for a family in need. We don't just furnish houses; we create spaces of healing, helping women and children get their lives back on track. And a special shoutout to our amazing Protea Place staff, Ash and Kat, who worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life! We don't just furnish houses; we create spaces of healing!

A group of people are standing around a table cutting a cake.

Thanks to Harvey Norman Toowoomba

31 March 2025

A big thank you to Harvey Norman Toowoomba for hosting this important event We were honoured to join fellow awesome local charities It's a Bloke Thing Toowoomba, Toowoomba Hospice, Toowoomba Hospital Foundation, LifeFlight, and Hope Horizons Inc. at the Harvey Norman community morning tea. It was a fantastic opportunity to chat with Paul Murray LIVE about the vital work of Protea Place and the URGENT NEED for Government funding just before the airing of Paul Murray Our Town: Toowoomba . Thank you for bringing our community together!