Katie Rose Cottage Hospice has received a helping hand to top up on personal protective equipment and essential cleaning supplies thanks to a $9,600 COVID-19 Grassroots Community Grant from Hand Heart Pocket the Charity of Freemasons Queensland.
The three-bed palliative care facility on the Sunshine Coast which has remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, was put forward for the funding by one of the local Freemason Lodges.
Cooroy Queen Alexandra Freemasons Lodge Secretary Rick Templeton said they were proud to support the local service.
“It’s been really challenging for the Katie Rose Cottage Hospice over the last six months or so, especially with the temporary closure of their op shops which was their main source of income to run the facility,” Rick said.
“We thought we could give them a bit of a hand up by nominating them for this grant, to help them top up on the vital supplies that they need to continue providing both onsite and in-home palliative care services on the Sunshine Coast.”
Hand Heart Pocket Acting Chief Executive Officer Robert Qualtrough said the charity was focused on assisting its existing charity partners and working with Freemason Lodges to increase support at a grassroots level during the Coronavirus pandemic.
“To date, Hand Heart Pocket has provided over $785,000 in COVID-19 emergency support and Grassroots Community Grants to charities across Queensland during the pandemic,” Robert said.
“We are glad we could provide this extra support to Katie Rose Cottage Hospice at a time when they needed it the most.”
Photo: Katie Rose Cottage Hospice Director/Chairperson Carol Raye (centre) surrounded by Cooroy Queen Alexandra Freemasons Lodge representatives Leon Pethick, Kevin Ward, Bruce McNab, Ian Jorgansen, Frank Hiscock and Rick Templeton.