Encircle lands top award - again

Encircle was back in the winners’ circle for a second successive year at the 2023 Moreton Bay Business and Innovation Awards on Friday.

For full list of winners click here

The charity received the SRJ Walker Wayland Award for Not-For-Profit Excellence during a gala night at St Columban’s College, Caboolture.

“It’s fantastic,” CEO Chris Staines said, “It’s a reflection on just how much hard work happens and the generosity of our community.

“As a community-based organisation, we cannot do anything without our community. To be recognised and supported is so reassuring.

“It has taken 36 years of hard work, dedicated volunteers, people who have dedicated their professional careers to working and giving back to their local community.

“It’s the culmination of a long investment of time, energy and compassion in other people. 

“Everything we do is about our local community. The programs we deliver programs we’re involved in …. bringing people together after COVID, helping people to reconnect.”

Encircle has 45 staff and 150 volunteers operating in Lawnton, Strathpine, Redcliffe, Zillmere, Kallangur and Kedron.

They help the vulnerable and disadvantaged with such as emergency food relief, homeless outreach and early housing intervention, community legal services, counselling, family support, events and workshops, financial counselling and adult literacy.

It also has a qualified legal team providing free legal support and family mediation.

Encircle started in 1987 as the Pine Rivers Welfare Association - a community response to the lack of government agencies in that area.

As the needs of the community evolved, so has the organisation and in 2014, the name was changed to Encircle.