Should a Refuge have a woman in their care with an urgent need, and no funds can be found elsewhere, the Refuge may apply to impact for an interest-free loan. 

frequently asked questions:

QUESTION:
​Does the application for an interest-free loan have to come via a Refuge or can an individual apply on her own behalf or on behalf of a friend?

ANSWER:
Yes. impact works at arm's distance from the women and children in crisis. This is to ensure that impact's practices are transparent, ethical and accountable.


QUESTION:
Who knows the identity of the woman seeking the loan?

ANSWER:
While the Case Worker describes the need to the President [or his/her representative], only the Treasurer [or his/her representative], the Refuge's Case Worker and the woman herself know her identity. This is because impact takes confidentiality extremely seriously: as an organisation we need to know the 'story' but not the identity of the woman.


QUESTION:
Is a contract drawn up?

ANSWER:
Yes. A contract which the woman, the Refuge's Case Worker and impact's Treasurer [or his/her representative] signs is drawn up outlining the purpose of the loan, the quantum of the loan and the repayment plan to which the woman agrees.


QUESTION:
To whom are the funds dispersed? To the woman herself or to the Refuge?

ANSWER:
The funds are dispersed to the Refuge who then passes it onto the woman concerned. This, again, is to ensure impact's practices are transparent, ethical and accountable.


QUESTION:
What are some examples of interest-free loans impact has given?

CASE STUDY 1:
A family of five children under the age of 15 were in Refuge with Mum. Tragically, Mum died. The 15 year old organised Mum's funeral only to discover the day before the funeral that the Funeral Director would not release Mum's body because the children did not have the $6000 that the cheapest funeral on the books would cost [please note: this was over a decade ago].
impact loaned the children the funds to enable them to bury Mum with respect.
The children regularly deposited $20 a month as per their repayment plan but, after a few months, impact decided to forgive this particular loan.

CASE STUDY 2:
Mary* needed extensive facial and dental surgery due to the horrific injuries resulting from the beatings she had received from her partner. impact loaned Mary the out-of-pocket expenses and also contributed to the speech therapy sessions she needed.

CASE STUDY 3:
8-year old Jack* and his mum, Jill*, were moved from Refuge to Refuge because Jack's dad, Jill's husband, kept finding them. As a result, Jack was relocated from school to school: as the new boy, he was the target of bullying. Jack also had a severe eye condition which meant he looked 'funny': another reason for becoming the target of bullying. Because of Jack's medical condition, and because he was never at the same school for more than several weeks, Jack could not read: another cause for bullying.
Not only was Jack's self-esteem totally destroyed but, because Jack's condition was not life-threatening, he was always on the bottom of the hospital's waiting list for surgery.
Jack and Jill's Case Worker found an ophthalmologist prepared to to the necessary surgery but who wanted $3000 as out-of-pocket expenses!
impact loaned the funds to Jill and, only six months post surgery, received a thank you note from Jill telling us the wonderful news that, in just that six months, Jack was now reading at an age-appropriate level. WOW! What an impact we made!

CASE STUDY 4:
Sally's* partner magnanimously gave Sally the car, but not the car keys - Family Violence is, after all, about power and control. Sally had three children under the age of five with her, one of whom had medical issues requiring frequent visit to the doctor and to a number of therapists. impact loaned Sally the monies required to get new car keys recut to enable her to have some independence in getting to medical, legal and court attendances.