Gratitude Reports

HBNC Gratitude Report - 2025 

From the CEO - Tanya Stevenson 

Every community has a story. Some stories are told through statistics, reports, and funding outcomes. But the real story of a community is written through everyday acts of kindness, connection, and courage. This year at the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre, we witnessed thousands of those moments. More than 30,000 people reached out to HBNC for information, advice, and support, while thousands more participated in programs, events, and initiatives that brought people together across the Fraser Coast. Behind each of these numbers is a person. A young person finding confidence through mentoring, a parent discovering support during a challenging time, an older resident reconnecting with community after feeling isolated, a new migrant finding belonging in a place that now feels like home. Neighbourhood Centres are often described as places where people go when things are tough. But I believe they are much more than that. They are places where possibility begins.

Over the past year we have seen what is possible when a community chooses to show up for one another. From 3,069 meals served through Comfort Kitchen, to the 5,000+ attending Pop-Up Recovery Lounge supporting families following Ex-Cyclone Alfred, to creative initiatives like the Belonging Art Story Wall and Global Beats & Eats, our community has demonstrated that connection, creativity and compassion are powerful forces for change. Our volunteers contributed 18,109 hours of their time, quietly shaping the social fabric of our region through acts of service that rarely make headlines but make an enormous difference in people’s lives. Programs like Read Bears, youth mentoring, the Local Learning Network, and our social enterprise café, The Wandering Teapot, show that when we invest in people, the ripple effects extend far beyond a single moment. They build confidence, skills, employment pathways, and a deeper sense of belonging.

At HBNC we often say that community is not something that happens to us, it is something we create together. Every volunteer who gives their time. Every local business that donates supplies. Every partner organisation that collaborates. Every resident who attends a workshop, event, or gathering. You are all part of this story. As we look ahead, our vision remains simple but powerful: to continue creating spaces where people feel welcomed, supported, and inspired to contribute to something larger than themselves. FROM THE CEO Tanya Stevenson Donate today to support HBNC Communities are built by people who care enough to act.

To everyone who has supported HBNC this year, our volunteers, partners, donors, staff, and community members - thank you. 

Donate today to support HBNC