Mackay’s Samaritan House, run by the Salvation Army, provides crisis accommodation for families who come through their doors seeking solace from violence having nothing but the clothes on their backs. The Rotary Club of Mackay West Samaritan House project was to improve the facilities for children at the centre.

A Rotary Foundation District Grant of $2,983 contributed almost half of the cost of the renovations.

Over a dozen Rotarians were involved in painting the internal walls, ceiling and cupboard doors, re-laminating the benchtops of the cupboards and sink, tiling the splashback, installing drawers in the lower section of the cupboards, installing a wall of storage cubes, removing the redundant airlf o conditioner, repairing the opening, and even mounting the TV on the wall.

The project has provided a safe, happy and nurturing environment for the children and women to b able to start healing and overcoming the trauma they have been exposed to. This room is hoped to be able to provide a place to heal and rebuild the children's sense of self as a child, to build relationships with their mothers and with trusting others around them.