Harper Sercombe
A new Whittlesea community grants program was endorsed in a meeting on June 27.
As part of council’s 2023-24 budget an urgent round of grants for food share organisations to support an increasing demand for food due to the rising cost-of-living will begin.
The new program offers six grant categories: small, medium, large, individual, unincorporated groups and emergency grants.
One of the significant changes is the introduction of all year-round grants, with approval rounds conducted on a monthly or quarterly basis.
Emergency grants are also now proposed to provide immediate support to eligible applicants experiencing unforeseen financial hardship.
Chair administrator Lydia Wilson said council’s new program would ensure a more equitable approach to sharing funds with community groups and individuals.
Ms Wilson said the first round of grants will be for local food share groups to share in $100,000 in food relief funding.
“We hope this will enable them to continue to provide these important services and programs to those in our community who are experiencing difficult times,” Ms Wilson said.
Whittlesea customer and corporate services director Sarah Renner said current financial strains to do with the cost of living is taking its toll on locals.
“Many of the food relief services within the city of Whittlesea are seeing an increase in demand,” she said.
This message has been repeated by local food service organisation From Us 2 You chief executive Deborah Henry. She said her organisation has been “going crazy” recently. She supplies fruit and vegetable boxes to those in need in Epping, all from her home in the area.
Council has also endorsed an increase in total grants funding of 33 per cent with much of this increase going to support seniors’ groups.
“This new grants program will enable us to better partner with our community to support the brilliant work being done by many organisations and individuals in our community,” Ms Wilson said.
Details- www.whittlesea.vic.gov.au/grants
