Crossroads Community Care Centre is usually the one that assists vulnerable people in finding shelter, but this time the support service was the one that secured a roof over its head.
A hub of help for vulnerable families that has provided aid to the community for more than 50 years in Sutherland Shire has a new premises.
It remains in the same suburb - Miranda, but is no longer tucked away from street view.
From its previous site inside Westfield to a more prominent position on the corner of Kiora Road and Kiora Lane (number 51), it is now in full view.
The charity provides housing to those in need, including women escaping from domestic violent situations.
It hosts social groups including book clubs, counselling, parenting programs and workshops on coping with emotional pain and maintaining self-esteem, among others.
Service coordinator Christine Bird is thrilled with the new location.
"We are delighted that Westfield has given us this place," she said. "There's better access to the public and a lot more space."
Crossroads has also launched a food pantry, in response to a demand for faster food relief.
The service was approached by the Second Bite Program, which connects charities with Coles supermarkets. Food that may be otherwise thrown due to 'best before' and 'sell by' dates out is donated to those in need.
Ms Bird says while there have been some positive steps forward, more needs to be done to support the roles of neighbourhood centres.
This week the NSW government signed a global agreement to halve street homelessness across the state by 2025. In addition, rental reforms that enable victims of domestic violence to immediately break their lease come into effect on February 28.
"The signed agreement is great but we are concerned with growing inequality," Ms Bird said.
"We receive no funding to provide domestic violence accommodation for women and children. Most government-funded services for women escaping domestic violences don't take women who have no income.
"Where we get wonderful support is from the community. Ordinary members of the public help us. We were offered community housing in three new developments but we had to turn that down because affordable housing policy allows developers to charge rent to only 20 per cent below market rate. That's still far too expensive for pensioners or single mothers."
