Anglicare Sydney – Bridging the gap 

Media release

Anglicare Sydney’s 2025 Social Impact Report details how the organisation has assisted almost 24,000 people who accessed one or more of its community services programs, including food and financial assistance, mental health, counselling, family support, post-separation support, foster care and adoption services, and youth services. 

The report shows Anglicare’s support leads to measurable improvements in people’s lives. Those assisted by Anglicare reported an increased capability to manage day-to-day expenses, improved personal wellbeing and ability to manage a mental illness, and improvements in family functioning.

Simon Miller, Anglicare Sydney’s CEO, said, “This report shows that when people are supported with practical help and compassionate care, they can regain stability, build resilience, and move forward with confidence.

“It’s a reminder of the essential role community services play in helping individuals and families navigate some of life’s toughest moments,” he said.

Anglicare Sydney provides a comprehensive approach, combining practical assistance with tailored advocacy and holistic case management.

Material impact in the face of a cost-of-living crisis

The report highlights that, in 2024, Anglicare provided material aid to more than 15,000 people, including food hampers, case management, advocacy, support with paying rental arrears and electricity bills and received over 27,000 customer visits to its Community Pantries. Through this support, Anglicare’s interventions have assisted clients to improve their financial situation or prevent further deprivation. Clients receiving casework support have shown:

• Improved life circumstances through improvements in material wellbeing (80%) and reduced impact of financial crises (90%)
• improved capacity and agency through improved knowledge (94%) and financial resilience (82%)

‘What is evident from this report is that people who access our food relief services have measurable improvements in financial resilience, and can better cope when crises occur’, said Simon Miller.

Mental health support empowers individuals and reduces social isolation

The report highlights that cost of living alone is not driving the need for support; Anglicare has also provided effective support services to people experiencing mental health challenges.

‘We do this by working with individuals, side by side, to build capacity to manage their mental health, assist in the development of social connections and reduce social isolation,’ said Mr Miller.

This approach is clearly working. The report highlights that people accessing Anglicare’s suite of mental health programs experience improvements in their capability to manage a mental illness (72%), their wellbeing (63%), and ability to look after themselves (57%). Almost 50% indicated improvements in their social connections and community participation. What all this means is that many of the people accessing our services have a greater opportunity for flourishing in life.

Families in crisis

A particular focus for Anglicare has been the number of families and children experiencing poverty, as well as challenging relationship issues including family breakdown and domestic violence. In 2024, the organisation assisted over 6,500 people through our children and families’ services.

Here too, Anglicare is making a measurable difference.

Through Family Support programs, supported playgroups and parenting courses, Anglicare reaches out to families in need. The Children and Parenting Support program saw 73% of clients report an improvement in family functioning. Through accessing an Anglicare service, many individuals and families have improved capacity and agency, personal wellbeing, social connection, family functioning, and relationships with family members.

What makes these programs effective?

According to Simon Miller; ‘It is the provision of holistic support and best-practice interventions to meet complex need. That includes focusing on capacity building and fostering family and social connections, which create the most impactful outcomes.’

The ripples of these impacts go far beyond the people who are directly assisted.

‘For every person served there are families and communities who also benefit, as well as savings to Government due to reduced use of services and income support,’ said Simon Miller.

‘Anglicare’s vital work is bridging the gap for so many people in the community. However, we are also aware that much more needs to be done, by Government, both Federal and State, to improve the levels of JobSeeker and address the rental affordability crisis.

“Adequacy of income and access to safe and affordable housing are fundamental human rights for everyone in the community. Agencies such as Anglicare remain pivotal in trying to bridge the gap’, he said.

Ends

Anglicare Sydney is a Christian not-for-profit organisation providing care to older people and community services throughout Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Illawarra, Southern Highlands, New England North West, Central West and Norfolk Island. Anglicare has been serving those in need for almost 170 years, employing more than 5,000 staff and serving alongside 1,300 volunteers. Anglicare provides a diverse range of services including providing care through residential aged care homes, at home care services, retirement living communities, affordable homes for people over 55, community services for children, families and those experiencing social isolation, disaster recovery in times of crisis and helping to effect change through research and advocacy.