When thinking of what makes us feel good, being around people and helping others is consistently near the top of the list. Locals are invited to combine the two and soak up that warm feeling at Karabar Housing’s Fashion Fundraiser hosted by Debbie Maree at Queanbeyan Uniting Church on Thursday 22 February.
Launching its latest community fundraising appeal in July last year with the ultimate goal of raising $10 million, Karabar Housing Cooperative dropped a poster into Debbie Maree’s Fashion Boutique. Owner Debbie Maree Carvolth asked how she could further help and offered to host a fashion parade, donating all proceeds to the local affordable housing charity.
Now with the fashion parade upcoming, the organisers are hoping the great Queanbeyan community will continue to embrace the giving spirit.
“Why not have a good time, come and have champers and some delicious little morsels while you look at Debbie’s fashion show. Who wouldn’t want to do if they could … We just thought how wonderful is that? People have got an opportunity to donate $50 and have a good time as well,” says Vivian Cox, Chair of the Board, Karabar Housing Cooperative.
All the funds raised from the evening will go directly to the cooperative, a local, independent charity that has been operating in the Queanbeyan region for the past 37 years. Through their portfolio of homes, they offer affordable housing to Queanbeyan locals on low to moderate incomes.
“We’re very committed to the integrity of our accommodation; we make sure that we respond immediately to any maintenance issues. We have units that were built in 1986 that people would never know were affordable housing,” says Sylvia De Luca, Secretary, Karabar Housing Cooperative.
“Also, we’re a cooperative, our tenants are members of that cooperative as are the board and our secretary. Our tenant cooperative members really feel that it is a home for life, we value them and we work like a family,” adds Ms Cox.
The cooperative owns 21 properties leased to 47 people including 14 children. As their waitlist is ever expanding, they want to provide more residences that won’t leave their tenants with no money after paying rent.
“Often, we’re only charging that very lowest level of affordable rental which is a service we’re happy to provide and it is indicative of just how tough things are,” says Ms Cox.
The affordable rental rate is set at 75 per cent of the market rate, the women explain. They charge between 64-75 per cent which is still a struggle for the majority of the tenants.
“We’ve got lots of people on a fixed income, welfare payment, new start payment or a disability payment, who are waiting for social housing. The supply of social housing is not enough, same as affordable, so 60 per cent of our people are on that lower income and they’re really struggling,” says Ms Cox.
“Even the 75 per cent, they’re struggling and it isn’t good for us either because we need more income to grow and build houses, so it’s not a win-win,” agrees Ms De Luca.
The cooperative tries to reduce costs for its tenants where possible. In July last year, they installed solar on the roofs of a complex of 12 units thanks to an election promise of Steve Whan, NSW Member for Monaro. They both agree the renters are already seeing the benefits that help with the cost-of-living challenges.
“One had no bill in the December quarter,” says Ms De Luca.
“Somebody else said that they saved $200,” says Ms Cox.
A quiet little achiever of an organisation, as Ms Cox calls it, she says they are trying to spread the word about the work they do in the Queanbeyan community.
“We’re hoping to raise the profile, raise awareness of the quality of the organisation that Queanbeyan has had for 37 years to try and maximise and grow that service for our community,” says Ms Cox.
Over the next three years, Karabar Housing Cooperative has a goal of expanding its portfolio by building an additional 35 houses, varying between one and three bedrooms. Although the goal is to build more houses, Ms Cox says they wouldn’t say no to any opportunity that arose.
“We also have a small management service that we would be happy to do, for example, if somebody had a property and they’d like us to manage it for affordable accommodation use,” says Ms Cox.
“Our preference is to add to the supply of housing because the supply is too little to meet the demand and that’s actually nationwide, it’s not only here in Queanbeyan. But here in Queanbeyan, it is quite drastic at the moment,” says Ms De Luca.
Hoping to help reach their $10 million goal with the help of government funding, Ms Cox says all levels of government are responding to the fact that Australis is experiencing an affordable housing crisis.
“The Housing Australia Future Fund just came out on the 15th, the eligibility and requirements for that. We have been growing our organisation to be a community housing provider that will allow us to apply for government funds to build,” explains Ms Cox. “The local Queanbeyan-Palerang council are supporting us, our local state and federal members meet with us regularly.”
Thankful for the benevolent contributions of the community already, they were shocked when a generous local family, who wishes to remain anonymous, donated $1 million.
“It’s absolutely amazing, they don’t want any publicity, they just said ‘We’ve always wanted to do something and we’re older and all of a sudden, here it was, we’re in a position to do something’,’” smiles Ms Cox.
Also inspired to do whatever she can, Ms Carvolth wanted to help the community organisation as the need is only growing – and not just locally.
“It is extreme with the cost of electricity, gas, day-to-day, groceries and people on income looking for homes who’ve got children and families just to feel dignified.
“People have different surnames, different addresses, but they all have stuff going on in their lives that they need help with. There is no judgment; when your fellow person needs a helping hand, it doesn’t cost anything to support them in some way,” says Ms Carvolth.
Helping in the way she can, the boutique owner is recruiting models of all ages and shapes to showcase the latest fashion in the upcoming event. She says it is important to show that we can all feel and look good at any stage in our lives.
“All girls, it doesn’t matter what shape or size we are, we all look amazing in what we have on. We tend to show that something that may look good on a petite can also look good on a fuller figure. It gives us the confidence about owning who we are and enjoying fashion,” she says.
Along with fashion trends, the evening is a chance to catch up with friends or network with new people.
Karabar Housing’s Fashion Fundraiser hosted by Debbie Maree at Queanbeyan Uniting Church on Thursday 22 February 5pm; karabarhousing.org
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