June brought on some thrilling news. As we welcomed the cold and end of the 2022 financial year, we were please to also attend some amazing events.
We started off with the privilege of our Founders Sheriff & Mariatu, being recognised and awarded together with others at the 2023 Queensland Day event held at Algester State School on Sunday, Sunday, 4th June 2023.
The QLDay Family Fun Day was a fun-filled event with many wonderful activities and entertainment organised by Algester Parkinson Lions Club who teamed up with the Honourable Leeanne Enoch MP.
The awards presented celebrated and appreciated organisations and individuals within the Algester Electorate that work tirelessly to improve the lives of individuals and families in their communities.
A huge thank you to Hon. Leeanne Enoch MP & Hon. Jim Chalmers MP Feberal MP & Treasurer of Australia, for the recognition.
We extend congratulations to all the other recipients of the Algester 2023 Queensland Day Awards. In deed, they were well deserved for all the incredible work being done in the community.
Changing lives one at a time is what we know and what we will continue to do.
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Volunteers are the heart and soul of any community. Their selfless dedication, passion, and commitment makes a significant impact on the lives of others. National Volunteer’s Week is a special time to honour and appreciate the invaluable contributions made by these everyday heroes. This year’s was held during 15 – 21 May 2023, with the theme being Change Makers.
This year, in celebration and appreciation of our selfless and relentless Change Maker’s, OHCC ensured organised a Social Media Campaign, celebrating and shining the spotlight on our wonderful team.
We started the week with two of our dedicated volunteers Barbara and Skip, who have both selflessly dedicated their time to giving back to their Community and making a real difference. The mother and son duo commenced volunteering at our Neighbourhood Marketplace 1 day a week back in October 2021, and now being 2 days. Chances are many who have attended the Neighbourhood Marketplace been served by the wonderful Barbara, and been assisted to your car by the ever-cherpy Skip!
Mid-week we celebrated our hard-working volunteers Grace and Alice. Grace has been with OHCC as a volunteer since July 2022 and has been part of the THOP Community since 2011. A Full Time Healthcare worker and a mother of 4, Grace is one of our Support Workers ne of our Support Workers, who still makes time to volunteer at our Neighbourhood Marketplace either before or after shift work! More like Grace, Alice has been apart of the THOP Community since 2009, and has been Volunteering at the Neighbourhood Marketplace since June 2021. A Full-Time student, yet Alice finds joy in giving back to her Community. As our Administration and Shop Assistant, chances are you’ve been welcomed by her warm smile.
Finally we acknowledged and celebrated our hands on, hard-working men of OHCC Alex and Robert. Alex has been part of the THOP and Open Hands team since launch, and heads the Welfare and Hospitality Teams of THOP. Alex oversees Community Engagements & Outreaches, and back in Oct 2022, worked with the Team, to pack and distribute over 400 Food Hampers through our “Leave No One Behind” Food Relief Drive! He’s dedicated his time, efforts, energy and passion to making a meaningful and impactful difference in his Community. Similarly, Robert has also been apart of the THOP and Open Hands teams since launch, and as one of our Managing Directors, heads the Disability Support Services Team at Open Hands. A Full-Time Healthcare Worker, yet Robert still makes the time to volunteer as one of our Food Rescue Drivers, facilitating the redistribution of good quality surplus food from our Charity Partners @Foodbank, @Secondbite & @Coles, ensuring our Marketplace is stocked with quality fresh produce daily, that would otherwise go to landfills.
We are beyond grateful for all the hard-work and perseverance of our volunteers of OHCC. We are thank for all our volunteers taking out the time to contribute to the vision and mission of our organisation.
On behalf of our Founders, Management and Staff here at OHCC, we hope that all had a wonderful week celebrating all volunteers nationally. This week serves as a powerful reminder that everyone can contribute to making the world a better place, and bring forth real Change! By sharing stories of remarkable volunteers and their impact, we can inspire others to take action and as an organisation we will, continue to stand by you and with you always!
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Our dedicated and resilient volunteers Barbara and Skip alongside our Operations Lead – Pule attended the Volunteer Connect Membership Appreciation / Community Awareness Day on Sunday, 7th May 2023.
Volunteer Connect, a thriving community organization dedicated to connecting volunteers with meaningful opportunities, recently celebrated a momentous day of membership appreciation and community awareness.
It was a day filled with delicious food, joyful connections, and a shared commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of those in need.
This event served as a platform to express gratitude to the dedicated volunteers who selflessly contribute their time and skills, while also raising awareness about the organization’s mission and impact on the local community. The day was marked by vibrant art exhibitions, engaging activities, and heartfelt expressions of gratitude, leaving a lasting impression on all who attended.
Open Hands Community Care extends a heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers who have generously given their time, skills, and compassion to make a positive impact on the lives of others. Their selfless dedication and unwavering commitment to community service serve as a shining example of the power of kindness and empathy.
Their unwavering commitment to community service has made a significant difference and has inspired hope and kindness in countless individuals
Their contributions have transformed lives, built stronger communities, and inspired others to follow in their footsteps. The gratitude and appreciation for their invaluable work will forever be remembered and cherished.
All smiles all round. Thank you to the team for representing our community and OHCC.
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On Saturday 6th May 2023, our Operations Lead recently had the honour of attending the 2023 QACC AfriQLDS Awards on behalf of Open Hands Community Care (OHCC). The QACC AfriQLDS Awards is an annual event that recognises individuals and organisations for their dedication and commitment to improving the lives of people in their local communities.
Queensland African Communities Council (QACC) is a non-profit organisation for African communities in Queensland, who working towards uniting African communities irrespective of their ethnic, political, religious, national or regional backgrounds.
In alignment with OHCC’s goals and values, QACC is committed to engaging and supporting community organisations and individual members.
The QACC Awards is a significant honour for Open Hands Community Care to be in attendance, and it is a testament to the hard work and dedication of their staff and volunteers. We are proud to have been given the opportunity to attend this significant event.
Overall, the QACC Awards is a wonderful event that celebrates the contributions of individuals and organisations that are making a positive impact in their communities. Open Hands Community Care takes pride in being part of such cause and initiatives as the organisation continues to grow and having tremendous impact via its community support services
At OHCC we endeavour to continue with our goal in providing food assistance, disability services and advocacy & advisory services which includes identifying impacting gaps and assisting people navigate social barriers. Our dedicated a team of dedicated volunteers also continue to ensure that the community’s most vulnerable members are taken care of food relief initiative.
A huge thank you to the QACC team for such a remarkable event and invitation. The team had a marvellous and enjoyable night.
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Open Hands Diversity Day Celebration: Community Family FUNDAY is an annual event that brings together families, friends, and members of the community for a day of fun and activities. The event was organised by the Open Hands Community, a non-profit organisation that works to improve the lives of people in the community by providing various forms of responsive, person-centred, and tailored supports.
This year’s Diversity Day Celebration, was a huge success, attracting more than 200+ attendees from all around the Brisbane South-East region. The event, which took place on Saturday, 25th March 2023, featured a wide range of activities and entertainment for individuals and families of all ages. With a light drizzle, the weather was beautiful with Sunshine enjoyed throughout the day.
Children enjoyed a range of games and activities, including face painting, jumping castles, animal farm and various arts, crafts and cultural African drumming workshops. There were also several other physical activities, including a sack races, pony rides and raffle competitions.
Adults were not left out, either. They enjoyed live music, African drumming performances, and a range of market stalls with varied food and drink options. There were also several local community vendors with handmade crafts, jewellery, clothing, and other items.
One of the highlights of the event was the community collaboration of all community members coming together to celebrate each other’s cultures. The FUNDAY event celebrated cultural diversity, inclusivity, respect, and a sense of belonging for everyone irrespective of backgrounds.
Another highlight of the event was the raffle, which raised vital funds for the Open Hands Community and our services and programs on offer. Several Government officials such as the Honourable Milton Dick MP, the Honourable Leeanne Enoch MP, Councillor Angela Owen – Calamvale Ward, Councillor Steve Griffiths – Moorooka Ward & sponsored and donated prizes, including gift certificates, hampers, and other valuable items. The lucky winners of the raffles were thrilled with their prizes, and all the funds raised will go a long way in supporting the work of the Open Hands Community.
Overall, the Diversity Day Celebration: Community Family FUNDAY was a huge success in bringing together members of the community for a day of fun, entertainment, and community spirit. The event was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Open Hands Community, as well as the incredible generosity and support of local businesses and our valued community members.
The success of the event has inspired the Open Hands Community to continue to work hard to improve the lives of people in the community, and to organize more events like the Open Hands Community Family FUNDAY in the future. With the continued support of the community, the Open Hands Community is sure to make a lasting impact on the lives of many people in the years to come, living up to our ethos of “Transformation for a life lived abundantly”.
A huge thank you to all our Sponsors especially the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, the Honourable Leanne Linard MP and the Queensland Government, for supporting Open Hands Community Care with a $5,000 grant which enabled the team to make this event possible and memorable for all. A special thank you to the Queensland African Communities Council (QACC) President; Mr. Beny Bol OAM and Vice-President; Ms. Belleange Tshibangu for gracing the occasion. A special thank you to the Core Leadership Team of THOP Church, our wider THOP Church family and of course to all community members and supporters for making it all happen.
We look forward to creating more unforgettable moments such as the Diversity Day Celebration: Community Family FUNDAY, with more future events.
Watch this space!
On International Women’s Day, March 8th 2023, women from around the world came together to celebrate the progress and achievements made in advancing gender equality. As part of the festivities, many organisations host luncheons to bring women together for a time of fellowship, networking, and inspiration. Open Hands Community Care had the privilege to attend one of those luncheons hosted by Radio 4EB.
It was a day where women of all ages, races, and backgrounds came together to celebrate the contributions of women to society and to learn from each other.
At the luncheon, OHCC representatives Managing Director Sherifaye Kargbo and Operations Lead Pule Salafai, alongside other attendees were treated to delicious meals and inspiring speeches from women who have made significant contributions in their various fields and industries. It was a chance to network, share experiences and challenges, foster friendships, and learn about various supports and services available for CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) Women in Brisbane QLD.
One of the main themes of the International Women’s Day is the importance of supporting women and girls around the world. This includes advocating for policies and programs that promote gender equality, such as equal pay and access to supports and education to name a few.
This is of importance for the OHCC team to be part of, with not only our organisation being Co-founded by a Woman, but our volunteering and support teams consist of over 60% women, these themes therefore are of extreme importance, and we strive to continuously address these within all areas of OHCC’s services.
Another key theme is the importance of Mentorship and Leadership development for women, which OHCC strongly advocates and assists within our Outreach, Advocacy & Advisory Services. Many successful women credit their mentors and the leadership training they received as critical to their success.
The luncheon provided an opportunity for attendees to connect with potential mentors and to learn about different CALD women leaders and their programs, from Refugee and Migrant resettlement officers, women’s activists to radio broadcasters, the room was filled with Leaders and Change Makers!
The International Women’s Day Luncheon was also an opportunity to recognise the progress that has been made in advancing gender equality, but also to acknowledge the work that still needs to be done. It was a reminder that women’s rights are human rights, and that we must continue to work together to ensure that women are treated with dignity and respect and have equal opportunities to thrive.
A huge thank you to the Radio 4EB for the invitation and hosting our OHCC ladies. We look forward to many more to come.
For more info follow this event on our social media post: https://www.facebook.com/OpenHandsCommunityCare/posts/pfbid02uo5TrPPuZPe9nXb1BRGWfLr4TXqg6qetWSq7Nv6TyC56xMXQoVojJf7UFhnkBxVul
February 2023 brought on a lot of new and exciting opportunities for Open Hands Community Care (OHCC). As successful grant recipient of the Heritage Bank – Forest Lake Community Grant Round, we were thrilled to be supported with the purchase of a brand-new ride-on lawnmower! This has since been used in the cleaning and proper maintenance of our property located on 318 Ritchie Road, Pallara QLD 4110, exclusively used for our various community activities, programs and services.
The House of Prayer, together with Open Hands Community Care have been utilising its 13 acres (5.1452 hectares) of property since 2015, delivering a range of community base initiatives that are innovative, relevant & responsive, ensuring that member of the community remain engaged and connected to supports, services and the community.
As a non-profit organisation, OHCC continues to provide essential services such as Food Relief, Community Support Services, Disability Support Services and facilitates various outreach programs tailored to individuals, families, migrants and refugees doing it tough, and this grant funding will go a long way, in ensuring our premises is able to be maintained, in order to continue facilitating these vital services.
“We are extremely grateful to the Heritage Bank Forest Lake Branch team and the Forest Lake One Community for their generous support in this brand-new ride-on lawnmower. This has allowed us in part to continue our important work of supporting those in need in our communities, as it has enabled our grounds to be clean, safe and welcoming for all members and visitors,” said Mr. Sheriff Jalloh, Co-Founder & Managing Director of OHCC.
The new ride-on lawnmower has been a significant achievement for OHCC and has allowed the organisation to expand its services to enable more space on the ground, whilst cleaning and maintaining the property, ensuring that the site remains visually appealing, welcoming and safe, for all our community members.
Sierra Leone Outreach Program
Open Hands Community Care is an umbrella of many vital community services. Under the direction and vision of the Co-Founders, Sheriff &MariatuJalloh, in conjunction with The House of Prayer, Open Hands Community Care has been blessed to be able to stretch forth its arms and carry out works not only within Australia but Internationally as well, through our Charity Foundation in Sierra Leone, and four (4) Churches in Liberia – West Africa.
Outreach programs with the Open Hands Foundation banner (OHF) is part of the not for profit arm that focuses on contributing to the capacity, building and transforming of lives of Africans through economic empowerment schemes.
Formed in 2017, the foundation currently operates in the Makeni City of Sierra Leone, West Africa, seeking to ensure the welfare of youths, children, men and women alike. The “Take a Step to Empower a Child in Need” program is one of many that is currently in operation by the foundation, which aims to offer 30 orphaned and/or underprivileged children Annual Scholarships with the inclusion of the following:
- Provision of school stationery items and support supplies.
- Payment of tuition and schooling fees.
- Regular home, school and welfare visitations.
- Provision of welfare, food and medical supplies etc.
The Foundation works closely with other youths and child protection bodies in Serra Leone to help advocate for their rights and cater for their individual wellbeing.
This is the case for children like Ramatu Conteh, a sponsor child of Open Hands Foundation (OHF) in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Her mother Mrs FatmataConteh, a widow of 3 children currently residing in the city of Makeni, Sierra Leone couldn’t hold back her gratitude when she spoke with OHF staff;
“Som tem den ar kin kraiwaear nor ebul ep mi pikin den wit den skulbiznes, en for ivingidem tin for eit. Nar all dis mekardaeselchakole for kip bodienwatatogedawaear nor get betehmoni for ad pan mi bizness. Wi don ucenaw for eit wan tem pan daewaewi nor abuleitthri tem” (Krio)
Translation: I sometimes burst into tears knowing I’m unable to afford my children’s schooling and provide them with good food to eat. This has therefore led to me selling charcoal at home just to keep body and soul together since at the moment I can’t afford reasonable capital to start up a reasonable small-scale business. It has been normal for us to only eat one per day since I can’t afford three square meals a day, as a widow.
As a recipient of the program, this has meant that her daughter has benefitted from the giveaway of food items, provisions and clothing, but most importantly, the payment of her daughter’s schooling expenses, which has been of tremendous assistance to the widow, providing relief, consistency and hope.
Ramatu (OHF’s Sponsor Child) has been providing excellent performance in school with good grade scores, especially in the 2021 BECE exams, where she was placed with great aggregated results. This, therefore, meant that the young girl was elected as a Head Girl in her school due to her great academic performance.
Pallara Community Information Day
At Open Hands Community Care (OHCC) we are an umbrella of many vital community services. Our passion for the community and the full inclusion of all our members stems through all of our services including our Disability Support Services.
On Saturday, 26thNovember 2022, Open Hands Community Care was invited to a ‘Community Information Day’ at the PallaraSports Field. Hosted by Councillor Angela Owen from the Brisbane City Council – Calamvale Ward, our team got to experience a fun-filled day sharing helpful information about how our disability services can assist members of the community.
The team has the opportunity to bring along information bags full of goodies and stationary items to share with the public.
In our discussion with the public, the main issues that arise was ‘How’ to get NDIS and the ‘eligibility criteria’ involved. The team found that this is a major gap OHCC can bridge with our support staff linking you to the right people to achieve your desired goals.
As a Registered NDIS Provider, OHCC priorities our participants to make the most of their approved NDIS plan’s, connecting them to the right supports, assisting them to achieve their desired goals. Sherifaye and the team got to highlight this and how our services differ from other providers.
OHCC, would like to thank Councillor Owen, for inviting us to be part of this community event.
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On Saturday 5th of November Open Hands Community Care had the privilege of hosting a charitable Fundraising Gala Dinner event in honour of our co-founder Mr. Sheriff Jalloh for the award won as 2022 Emerging Philanthropist hosted by Queensland Community Foundation (QCF).
Prior to the event, OHCC in conjunction with THOP FC had the privilege of hosting a team-bonding community soccer tournament which included teams from THOP, Guinea, Elama Star, Red Scorpion, Vida FC, Best United, MBC, Liberia, Brisbane All Star and Redbank United.
All teams played outstanding games representing their various clubs and countries, showcasing an exceptional form of young and aspiring talents within the various CALD communities of QLD, but most especially community resilience, collaboration, team efforts and sportsmanship. A big congratulations to Redbank United taking 1st place, followed by Guinea FC in 2nd Place. This event not only amplified the community spirit within the CALD communities but enabled OHCC to raise funds to host the Fundraising Gala Dinner.
As the Fundraising Gala Dinner was OHCC’s first official hosted event, we are proud to have accommodated over 200+ people including distinguished quests and members of the community at large.
It was a night with an ambience full of fun and excitement with exotic entertainments and artwork coupled with delicious African and non-African cuisines.
On the night many members of the community were awarded and acknowledged for all the tremendous effort been done in the wider community.
We wish to additionally acknowledge all the hard-working and influential people that continue to render their restless services and contribution to the wider community. The gesture of togetherness and harmony was indeed evident on the night.
A big congratulations to the recipients awarded within the categories of Community Sports Award, Community Leadership Award, Community Partner Organisations & Volunteers for Community Spirit Award.
From the team at OHCC, we are very humbled by the tremendous support from everyone,specifically our community partners and sponsors Foodbank, OzHarvest, Hon. Milton Dick MP, Hon.Leeanne Enoch MP, Cr. Steve Griffiths and Cr. Angela Owen.
We are immensely grateful for everyone’s support and contribution to the cause Open Hands Community Care continues to strive for, transforming the lives of our community members, one life at a time!
For all your sacrifices, OHCC would like to extend gratitude to our family, The House of Prayer and community members at large for your upmost support.
This is just the beginning of greatness for all.
