Welcome to East Creek Community Centre
East Creek Community Centre is a catalyst for community development.
Our dedicated paid staff and volunteers have provided services, support, advice, advocacy and professional development for over 30 years.
We work with community groups and individuals throughout Toowoomba.
East Creek’s programs are for everyone – children, adolescents, young adults, seniors, people with disabilities, multicultural groups and those who are socially isolated.
We encourage all members of the community to participate.
Please refer back to this page regularly for any major updates / public service announcements. You will find any such announcements directly under this heading.
——— Updates / Public Service Announcements ———
*New* Tax Help 2024 – 16th July 2024 – 31st October 2024
The Centre is running the Tax Help program once again for 2024, and appointments are now being taken. Our onsite Tax Help volunteers will be commencing appointments on Tuesdays from the 30th July 2024, and from Thursdays on 1st August 2024, so please make a booking should you require assistance with your simple individual tax affairs.
Please be advised that this year, there will be stricter adherence to the rules set by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to ensure the smooth and safe operation of the program for the Tax Help Centre and Volunteers. Please ensure that you first check your eligibility as per the link here and make sure you meet the requirements to participate in the service. Make sure you also have all the pre-requisite services (such as MyGov account with the ATO linked) ready beforehand, as failure to do so may mean we cannot assist you with your Tax Return. Should you require further clarification on eligibility or any requirements, or wish to book an appointment, please contact us directly on (07) 4639 2755 to receive support.
*New* OzHarvest Change of Days Notice – 16th July 2024 onwards
To all service users who receive OzHarvest food support on a Wednesday, we have been informed that deliveries will no longer be taking place on this day. Instead, as of 16th July 2024 onwards, they will be delivered and distributed on Tuesdays weekly. The specifications of the delivery (timing, availability, method of acquisition etc.) all remain as before. No changes have been made for those receiving support on Friday deliveries at this stage. Should you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact the Centre as per the details in the ‘Contact Us’ page of this website.
*Amended* Emergency Relief Funding Announcement – 16th July 2024
As of today, a very limited amount of Emergency Funding has been made available to the Centre for distribution to those in need. Much like previous Emergency Relief efforts, the eligibility and application procedure remains the same, with the following changes.
1. To accommodate the very limited amount of funding, support is limited to no more than $100 gift card for either food or fuel (not both). There will be no Electricity Co-Contribution option available during this iteration of Emergency Relief Funding. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
For those who have not received any Emergency Relief Funding from the Centre before or are unaware of the requirements / procedures to receive aid, please contact the Centre using the details in the ‘Contact Us’ page of this website and one of our friendly staff will get in touch with you to help you. Should you have any comments or concerns, feel free to let us know via the ‘Contact Us’ page also.
Notice Regarding OzHarvest – May 2022 – Mid – July 2024
To all service users who receive OzHarvest food support on a Tuesday or a Friday from East Creek. Please be advised of the following rules taking effect from May 2022.
– In the interest of ensuring fairness for all recipients of OzHarvest, and given the overwhelming need in the community, we are limiting all individuals to no more than 1 collection per household, and request that recipients only come either on the Wednesday or the Friday, but not both days.
– We are requesting that all children who are in attendance when OzHarvest deliveries arrive, do not take directly from OzHarvest deliveries. Instead, we request that they pass on a request to a responsible adult to take any particular goods for them in their place.
– If a recipient is taking goods for multiple individuals / families, you are to notify the Centre Coordinator or a member of staff and request permission before before taking multiple bags / increased amount of goods from OzHarvest.
– We ask that all recipients bring their own bags to place any OzHarvest goods into. The Centre does have some bags available, but due to limited resources, we may not be able to provide bags in all instances. To avoid disappointment, please ensure you carry your own bags with you. If you wish to donate any unused bags of your own to the Centre, we are grateful for anything members of the communtiy are able to offer.
– Delivery times for OzHarvest are an approximation only. The Centre is unable to guarantee exact arrival times due to factors outside of our control, and therefore, we request recipients to be patient and understanding of any delays / cancelled deliveries.
– Similarly, the content of deliveries are decided by OzHarvest and not the Centre. Therefore, the Centre is unable to guarantee the availability of specific goods, and request our recipients to be open-minded about what is available.
– If there are any concerns or queries, please direct them to a member of staff and they will do their best to assist you.
To make sure that we can continue to provide OzHarvest to individuals in a manner that maximises freedom of choice for our recipients, we ask all recipients to be considerate of others when receiving goods from OzHarvest. Thank you for your understanding and for your continued support of our community.
A word from Sally…
See what our Centre Coordinator has to say about the latest that’s been happening at East Creek. Take a look at our Monthly Centre Newsletter, and see what’s available. Come in and be a part of our many activities, learn more about the Centre, or just join us for a cuppa, it’s all possible at East Creek.
Message from Lee…
Stay up to date with developments from our Older Person’s Action Program (OPAP) Coordinator Lee. From social groups to outings with friends, there’s sure to be something on offer to appease all eligible individuals.
Tales from the IT Corner
That stubborn computer / phone / tablet / technical thingamajig not behaving the way you want it to? Drop by the IT Corner, and have one of our skilled, friendly and patient volunteers take a look, fix, and / or teach you the in’s and out’s, no matter the issue. We run our affordable ($3.00 per session negotiable) one-on-one sessions that go at your own pace to make sure you’re never left behind, so give it a try.
Learn the Basics
For those just starting on their Computers / Smartphones / Tablets, we’ll go through all the basics like getting familiar with your device, using the Internet and Email, transferring Photos, using Skype etc. It can be a scary step, with the right support, commitment and dedication, you can learn what you want quickly and easily.
Security and Staying Safe Online
The more we become part of the online world, the more important it is to spot the dangers when on the Internet. Having appropriate Internet Security, knowing how spot scams / viruses, and taking adequate precautions when shopping and banking online can keep you safe from fraudsters looking to steal your information / credit card details / identity, so don’t leave it till it’s too late.
Microsoft Office
Learn how to make documents, spreadsheets and powerpoints to nail that presentation, resume / cover letter submission. Great for those looking to upskill themselves, tackle a new job, or just looking to write letters to friends and family.
Whatever else you have trouble with…
Our volunteers are open to the issues they tackle, regardless of how obscure. If at first they don’t succeed, they’ll return to their tech labs and figure it out by the next time you drop by. What’s more, they’re happy to go through it as many times as you need till you’ve finally achieved mastery. We’ve got volunteers available every day of the week at the moment, so give us a call to arrange a time today.
Social Groups Galore
What better way to be part of the community than to join an activity with people from the community. We’ve got a number of different activities, from activities with meaningful outcomes that help those down on their luck (ie, Blankets for the Homeless group), to more adventurous and creative activities. See what’s on offer, and we hope to see you there.
Blankets for the Homeless Group
“I thoroughly enjoy my time at the Blanket Group. It motivates me to do work where I see the fruits of my labour first hand.” – Dianna
Cuppa and Cards Group
“I love the social interaction when I play cards every Tuesday. It is a lot of fun and I’ve made some really good friends.” – Lyndell
Disability Art (Artability) Group
“I enjoy colouring!” – Mike
Crochet Group
“Big and engaged group with a lot of different individual crochet projects going on. We learn from and support each other as we make bigger and better things.” – Lorraine
Stroke Support Group
“Everybody loves our morning teas!” – Nate
Craft Group
“A safe place to meet friends, chat and do all kinds of craftwork.” – Janet
Contact us / Feedback
Please fill in the form below if you would like to get in touch with us, or email / call us at the methods made available below. If using the form below, please ensure you that your contact information is correct, or we will not be able to get back to you.
East Creek Community Centre acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which we are situated, the Giabal, Jarowair and Jagera people, and the significance of their elders, ceremonies, traditions, and connection to land and country.
East Creek Community Centre acknowledges everyone’s right to their own faiths, values, beliefs and ideologies, and the right to practice, demonstrate and be supported in their chosen gender(s), identity(ies), sexual orientation(s) and their method of self-expression.
