Mission Australia releases Annual Report 2019

The generosity of Mission Australia’s supporters and the tireless efforts of our staff and volunteers saw 161,595 disadvantaged Australians receive the help they needed to move towards independence in 2018-19.

Released today, our Annual Report 2019 highlights the positive steps taken towards our goal of reducing homelessness and strengthening communities across the country, and details our plans to further this vital work in 2020 and beyond.

Highlights for the year:

This year we celebrate the 160th anniversary of our organisation, which we trace back to the foundation of the Brisbane Town and Country Mission in 1859
We also mark 40 years of our Missionbeat mobile outreach service; an occasion made even more special by the expansion of Missionbeat into the Northern Territory
This year is also the 30th anniversary of Triple Care Farm, our residential withdrawal and rehabilitation program in the NSW Southern Highlands, which has helped around 3,000 young people to overcome alcohol and other drug issues
With support from government, we’ve commenced planning for two new alcohol and other drug residential rehabilitation centres in Batemans Bay and Cairns, as well as a new Youth Foyer to support homeless and disadvantaged young people in Townsville
Our new Home and Healthy program launched in July 2019 is expected to help up to 1,200 people at risk of homelessness to transition from hospital to stable housing in Sydney over the next six years
Our capital appeal to raise funds for a new Mission Australia Centre in Coffs Harbour is off to an encouraging start, with a number of large philanthropic donations made towards the construction of this much-needed community hub
Through impact measurement, we’ve improved our ability to understand how our services are improving the lives of our clients and the communities we work in. Last year we rolled impact measurement out to 110 service sites across the country. Over the next year we will introduce these practices to over 100 additional services. This will mean over 70 percent of our services can measure the difference they’re making in people’s lives.
In October we joined forces with Australian Red Cross, Centre for Social Impact and PwC Australia to launch The Constellation Project, which aims to bring together government and the private and non-profit sectors to achieve solutions to help end homelessness in a generation
Also in October, we were awarded the 2018 National Award for Excellence in Social Impact Measurement by the Social Impact Measurement Network of Australia
And we can’t reflect on the year that has been without mentioning our brush with royalty! We were honoured to welcome Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (more familiarly known as Harry and Meghan) to a tasting session and lunch of native flavours and ingredients at our Charcoal Lane restaurant in Melbourne.

Mission Australia continues to be a responsible steward of the funds entrusted to us, with 93.0% of our income invested straight back into our programs and services in 2018-19.

As we embark upon a new year serving Australians in need in 2020, we do so with the same conviction that led to our foundation 160 years ago.

With the support of our donors, funders and partners, we step forward with confidence, striving to create real and lasting change for individuals, families and communities across our nation.

Together we stand.

Annual Report 2019 Annual Report 2019 infographic Annual Financial Report 2019