Odyssey House Hope Centre

Community Partnership – Odyssey House – Hope Centre

We were honoured to be invited to attend an official opening ceremony to mark two years of operations at Gippsland’s first residential rehabilitation facility, the Odyssey House Hope Centre in April 2022.  As a foundation partner of the Hope Centre, we were thrilled to congratulate the volunteers responsible for creating this life-changing facility in person and tour the centre after years of pandemic restrictions. We proudly accepted a plaque recognising our contribution to the centre’s construction and its ongoing operations.

Our support for the centre over three years from 2018-2020 totalled $490,000 as follows:

• Contribution to building construction, including a solar energy package in the first year;
• The equivalent of three additional beds committed to Latrobe Valley residents for a further two years.

Hope Centre Board secretary and treasurer John Glynn described the partnership as an “outstanding success”.

“(Loy Yang B has been) an immense support for Hope Restart Centre in building the facility, and for Odyssey House Victoria in funding additional beds,” he said.

“The installation of solar power has been most successful in keeping costs down to the amazing extent of 93% over two comparable periods.”

The 58-bed centre commenced operations in 2020, amid the COVID pandemic, and has already seen many residents successfully transition through the program and back into society.

More details about the Hope Centre can be found here.

  Loy Yang B Accountant Craig Milligan and Loy Yang B General Manager Tony Hicks with Hope Restart Board Members Ricky Ross, Margaret and Peter Down, and Odyssey House Victoria CEO Dr Stefan Gruenert.

Loy Yang B General Manager Tony Hicks (right) turns the first sod on the Hope Restart Centre with Gippsland MP Darren Chester and Hope founder Peter Down in February 2019.

               The finalised Hope Restart Centre in April 2021 – 12 months after operations commenced.