Homelessness has increased in Lithgow and, with the cold weather setting in, Lithgow Information and Neighbourhood Centre (LINC) general manager Sharon Holt said there was a need for action.
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"Since I've been here homelessness in Lithgow has grown particularly with younger people. A lot of those affected by homelessness come knocking on our door for help, we try our best to accommodate them," she said.
LINC helps find immediate overnight accommodation through Link2home and then sends the affected person to Family and Community Services (FACS) or Lithgow Community Projects for further assistance.
But, Ms Holt said people in need often did not venture past that point and she suspected it was often the case of too many processes. She said some people found the process "overwhelming".
"A lot of them don't have ID, so that's another process they have to go through, it's a vicious cycle. It can be overwhelming for them to talk to people and go through all of the processes," she said.
Ms Holt said FACS assists homeless people in finding a house but going through the steps to secure help was a daunting factor that kept many people from seeking assistance.
She said the prevalence of the drug 'ice' was a factor in some people's homelessness in Lithgow.
"It's easy to notice the aggression that comes with it," she said.
Ms Holt said she believed everyone deserved the chance to have a roof over their head.
"It breaks my heart... we can't give up on them," she said.
Ms Holt said most homeless people could manage themselves throughout the day but when it came time to lay their head down things were difficult.
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"These people stay in cars, garages and God knows where and now that the cold weather is setting in it's going to get worse and the [risk] of death is quite high," she said.
She said LINC was more than happy to make the call when people came knocking on the door, but it was their choice on what to do next.
"I wish we could do more, we're currently in discussions and looking at getting a LINC soup van or kitchen set up through winter, but it's all a planning process. It would be ideal," she said.
Ms Holt said Lithgow needed to look at ways of monitoring homelessness and the sooner the better.
"We need to work together so we can ensure we do our best to look after our vulnerable community members and have somewhere they can get back on their feet," she said.
If you would like to help those who suffer from homelessness in Lithgow LINC are accepting donations of winter clothing and bedding to distribute them to those in need.
Vinnies Lithgow also do a hand out of a grocery bag and provide shoes, jumpers and pants on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to those who need them.
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