Members of the community, partners and stakeholders, clients and staff attended the launch of the official name change from Cooma Challenge Limited to Monaro Community First (MCF) at the organisation’s Mittagang Road respite care accommodation in Cooma on Thursday.

The name may be different now, but the same values, purpose, services, dedication and delivery of services apply.

Monaro Community First (operated by Cooma Challenge Limited) provides care and support for people with disability and the elderly in the Snowy Monaro region and beyond.

Chief executive officer, Angie Ingram, said the name change reflects the fact that MCF delivers care and support across the whole Snowy Monaro region and surrounding communities and MCF’s vision is for a vibrant and inclusive community in which all people have the opportunity to live life.

“All organisations move forward and we need to move forward too,” Ms Ingram said.

“Today we are celebrating Cooma Challenge’s shift to the future. I came here three years ago and the first thing I wanted to do was to change the name,” she told those gathered at the launch.

“I was asked why, and I said it doesn’t say who we are, what we are and what we do or anything like that. It says we are in Cooma, we’re challenged and we’re limited. So, challenge and limited are both negative words and Cooma is defining geographically where we provide services.

“That started a bit of a journey, and I was really lucky the board was behind me in wanting to look at where we are going in the future.”

The same team, the same care and the same strong relationships continue, Ms Ingram said, but under a name that more clearly reflects the provider’s mission and reach.

“Monaro Community First fits with our strategic plan because we want to encourage and support people we work with, but we need to support the people who are looking after those we work with, in the form of educations, training, new facilities and upgrading of facilities - which the board has been supportive of.”

Ms Ingram said most importantly, MCF provides care and support that enables members of the community to live their life with choice and with dignity either in their own home or by accessing the provider’s respite services.

MCF is a registered aged care and NDIS provider that provides a range of services, including: flexible day and night overnight respite; social and community access support; domestic assistance; personal care; nursing services; support co-ordination (NDIS), plan management (NDIS) and transport - help to get to social events, appointments or errands.

“I am very proud to be the CEO of Monaro Community First and I hope we are making a difference.”