This month the Complete Parts and @ The Coalface $500 Community Gift goes to a Survivors R Us, a not-for-profit charity that supports the fight against domestic violence, homelessness and unemployment.

When it was founded six years ago, Lake Macquarie-based charity Survivors R Us had a focus of domestic violence prevention and support.

Founder and owner of Survivors R Us Ann-Maria Martin is a survivor of domestic violence and the organisation was founded with a mission to help people get back on their feet and get them the help where they need it.

“We endeavour to help them to believe in themselves, that they can do anything they set their minds to, and that they are worth the effort,” Ann-Maria said.

“The reason for us being so passionate about helping those in domestic violence situations is because we know how hard it is, and when children are involved it’s even harder.”

But since Covid 19, everything has changed.

“It’s become crazy,” Ann-Maria said, “with increases in interest rates, people going without food for up to three days because of pressures on their finances.

“Survivors R Us is based in Lake Macquarie, but we go everywhere in the Hunter – during the severe drought, our volunteers were helping in Moree and in Lismore during the floods.

“We are all volunteers and rely on assistance from the public, because there are no government funds for our operation, even though we have helped more than 70 thousand people over our six years – help with food, clothing and referrals to other services which may be able to help with personal problems.”

Ann-Maria said one of the key advantages of the group was it could now be used as a contact for people from around the region who need to know who to contact and what services are available.

“We’re a one-stop-shop for information,” she said.

“We may not have the services available ourselves, but we are able to help people to get in contact with support and emergency services around the region, and with so many people suffering stress at the moment, it’s important that people are able to know where to call without being left in the dark.”

Survivors R Us can be contacted via survivorsrusincorporated.com or on 0477 702 151.