Our Vision, Mission, Faith, Motivation & Values
Our Vision
We are a community based, Public Benevolent Institution (PBI) with God at our centre and our vision is to see people resourced and empowered with hope to handle life’s struggles and to fulfill their God given potential
Our Mission
To be actively connected to our local community, recognising their needs and to provide relevant, tangible help and support.
Our Faith & Motivation
As a Christian organisation, The Kogarah Storehouse seeks to see the lives of those we help transformed with hope through the healing power of the Gospel. Our motivation is to be obedient to the example and call of Jesus to help those in need with compassion, empowering them with God’s love.
Our Values
Our core values, which underpin everything we do, are to respect all people without discrimination, excluding no one, showing concern and compassion without judgement.
The Kogarah Storehouse Story
It started back in 1990 with a simple vision and a strong belief among the members of the Kogarah Uniting Church that God was calling them to reach out into our local community and offer tangible help to those who were disadvantaged, lonely, homeless, newly arrived migrants the unemployed and many others. They wanted to share God’s love and give hope to those in need.
The Kogarah Storehouse opened its doors in February 1992 and has been serving those in need in the surrounding St George area ever since.
Many thousands of families and individuals have received assistance in practical direct support and with it, given a sense of hope and purpose, knowing The Storehouse stands with them in their struggles.
The Kogarah Storehouse is the outreach mission of The Kogarah Uniting Church ( https://kogarah.uca.org.au ) and operates with the support of dedicated donors, sponsors and friends. It receives no Government funding for its operations. Its reputation in the community is held very high.
Our original vision sums up our purpose : “To be a haven of hope and practical help to people in need in our community”
Our Governance
Lala Noronha OAM – General Manager
The Storehouse is in the excellent hands of our General Manager. Lala Noronha. Lala comes to us with a wealth of experience and passion in wanting to help people in need and to be an agent of God’s love. Lala’s enthusiasm and energy is infectious which attracts many who want to come and help as a volunteer. Originally born in Indonesia she spent her early years in Germany before finally migrating to Australia 30 years ago. She connects well with the multicultural demographic of the St George area.
The Management Committee
Russell Foxe OAM – Chairman
Russell is a retired businessman who brings wide general management and organisational experience, gained from being Managing Director of his own company for 28 years. Russell received an OAM in 2019 for service to the community through charitable organisations.
Robert McAlpine – Secretary
Robert is a retired High School Principal whose skills in administration are highly valued. As part of the original team from the beginning, Robert brings a wise oversight and passion to see The Storehouse grow.
Jim Bird – Deputy Chairman and Treasurer
Jim is a retired accountant and with his wife, long time supporters of The Storehouse. He is committed to the work being done and brings a particular contribution as head of the Building Property Committee. He is the ‘go to’ person for all property matters.
Ern Edwards – Committee Member
Ern is a retired entrepreneur with a long and successful history in business. It is Ern’s enthusiasm to get things going with the many opportunities that present themselves which endears him to The Storehouse team.
Testimonials
“My name is W. Kupluk and I am an Overseas Visa Holder that currently lives in Sydney. As a fresh graduate and self-sponsored student, I hold Temporary Graduate Visa, that require us to continue to work to keep survive. In the middle of this pandemic it’s very hard to find a job to fulfill our basic needs – I simply don’t feel I can afford it. I’ve been very lucky and grateful that I’ve been aided by The Kogarah Storehouse for months. And fore mostly I feel really welcomed there. They treat us equally without seeing our background. I believe Storehouse give me HOPE to keep going during this uncertainty”.
