ABORIGINES ADVANCEMENT LEAGUE (VIC) $10,000

Supporting Elders with food packages

The Aborigines Advancement League (AAL) has been providing emergency relief to Aboriginal community members for the past 63 years. Through its Family Services and Housing Units, AAL provides emergency relief in the form of food, vouchers, and assistance with utility bills for the most vulnerable Aboriginal clients in the Northern Metropolitan Region, Victoria.

This funding is supporting AAL to respond to increased demand for food and vouchers from families who are now spending more time at home.

ADRA CASEY (VIC) $10,000

Covid-19 Emergency Relief Response

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) works with people in poverty and distress so that everyone can experience a better quality of life. ADRA Casey provides nutritious meals to soup kitchens and homeless shelters, and work to boost social connectedness through communal meals and the provision of emergency relief packages to those isolated. During Covid-19, attendance and referrals to this project have increased exponentially.

This funding is supporting ADRA Casey to find creative ways to meet the spike in demand for meals while adhering to social distancing protocols such as drive-thru distributions of cooked and frozen meals, and pop-up pantries to people in high-risk groups.

ALBURY WODONGA REGIONAL FOODSHARE (VIC/NSW) $25,000

Purchase of refrigerated van for food package delivery

Albury Wodonga Regional FoodShare works to fight food insecurity in the Albury Wodonga region. 2020 has been a particularly challenging year for FoodShare with the region affected by the 2019/20 bushfire season, and Covid-19 border closures raising challenges for the organisation’s cross-border volunteer base. However, FoodShare has been able to continue services in both Victoria and New South Wales, covering 10 Local Government Areas and working with 225 partner organisations. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, FoodShare has established a Community Pantry, which is available to agencies and the general public.

This funding is being used to purchase a refrigerated vehicle so that FoodShare can provide services to areas up to 150km from the FoodShare warehouse.

AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATION OF PSYCHOLOGISTS (NATIONAL) $10,000

‘Find a psychologist’ online tool

The Australian Association of Psychologists Inc. (AAPi) is the leading not-for-profit peak body representing all psychologists Australia-wide. Launched in 2010 by a group of passionate, volunteer grassroots psychologists, AAPi aims to make mental health support accessible to all by removing barriers such as high out-of-pocket costs. AAPi has reported a marked increase in people accessing the AAPi website since the onset of the Covid-19 lockdown.

This funding is supporting AAPi to improve the functionality of the ‘Find a psychologist’ tool on its website. This will enable the public to access Telehealth support more easily during and beyond the Covid-19 crisis.

CISVIC (VIC) $30,750

Financial support for 100 international students across Victoria

Barpirdhila is a First Nations organisation set up by experienced and commercially successful artists, including Adam Briggs, Reko Rennie and Kimberley Moulton, to develop, nurture and support First Nations excellence within the creative arts sector. Its aim is to create both physical spaces and employment pathways for prospective and emerging young artists.

This funding is providing financial support for First Nations artists and performers affected by COVID-19, many of whom are not eligible for JobKeeper, and to assist emerging artists in the production of live-streamed events and music videos to support their careers and employment opportunities.

GREATER SHEPPARTON FOUNDATION (VIC) $11,000

Food Link – more than a meals program during Covid-19

The Greater Shepparton Foundation (GSF) supports courageous and creative solutions to tackle disadvantage in the Greater Shepparton community. Food Link is a new program from GSF to support local community during the Covid-19 crisis. The concept is to raise funds to pay local hospitality businesses currently out of work to make meals for people who are doing it tough as a result of the pandemic. Feedback on the program’s first run during the first Covid-19 lockdown indicated the program’s capacity to make people feel connected to, and supported by, their community at a time of social isolation.

This funding enabled GSF to continue running the program throughout Victoria’s second Covid-19 lockdown.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE PORT MACQUARIE (NSW) $9,984

Meals for the homeless mobile food van

Make A Difference Port Macquarie (MAD) supports disadvantaged people living on the Mid North Coast in the provision of free access to resources and services. Homelessness is a significant problem on the Mid North Coast of NSW and with the recent bushfire events in the region and the impacts of Covid-19, the problem is worsening. MAD is responding to the issue by providing a free mobile food service to help reengage the most vulnerable people in the community.

This funding will support MAD to improve the food van so that it can provide hot meals and coffee.

MARIONLIFE COMMUNITY SERVICES (SA) $5,000

Adapting services due to Covid-19

MarionLIFE is a community organisation that provides emergency relief coupled with capacity-building services like financial counselling to help people who are dealing with unemployment, homelessness, mental health issues, family breakdowns and other struggles. Although in-person services have been able to resume in South Australia, MarionLIFE has adapted its programming to include a window-based service, a staying connected digital platform and phone-based service, as well as delivery services.

This funding is being used to fill gaps including the purchase of personal protective equipment and technology to upgrade remote working systems.

MELBOURNE FRINGE (VIC) $10,000

Cash for Creatives

Melbourne Fringe supports the development and presentation of artworks by, with and for the people of Melbourne, and run the annual Melbourne Fringe Festival. In response to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, Melbourne Fringe is launching Cash for Creatives – a microgrants program that supports marginalised artists who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic to present their work at the Melbourne Fringe Festival in November 2020.

This funding is reducing financial barriers for artists facing structural disadvantage by providing them with employment for the festival, in order to support their artistic expression which is more important now than ever before. With matched funding secured, this grant will help support 12 artists with employment for the festival.

MERRI OUTREACH SUPPORT SERVICE (VIC) $10,000

Connecting through the pandemic: accessing technology to keep homeless children connected

Merri Outreach Support Service (MOSS) is a community-based organisation that has been actively assisting people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness since 1989. MOSS’s Hume and Bright Futures programs work with over 140 infants, children and young people who have experienced homelessness and/or family violence. These children and their families experience poverty, social disadvantage and often carry histories of trauma. The spread of Covid-19 has disproportionately affected these children and young people’s access to education, social connectedness, family connections and connection to support opportunities.

This funding is being used to purchase and distribute 20 x $500 devices for clients.

OUTER SPACE (QLD) $10,000

Direct support of artists

Outer Space is a not-for-profit contemporary arts organisation in Brisbane working with emerging artists and arts workers to develop, make, and present critically engaged creative practice in a supportive professional environment. With many artists working as freelancers and therefore missing out on government financial support strategies, Outer Space has been working diligently to find ways to create employment for emerging career artists including Instagram take-overs, online exhibitions, online screenings and professional development.

This funding is supporting Outer Space to provide artists and arts workers with opportunities to produce exhibitions, present talks and workshops, and engage in professional development activities during the current crisis.

PREPARE PRODUCE PROVIDE (WA) $9,600

5000meals program – Food for the soul

Prepare Produce Provide is a not-for-profit organisation using food and cooking as a vehicle to help meet the needs of young people in Western Australia, while providing training and support for them to develop future career pathways. The 5000meals program run by Prepare Produce Provide provides volunteer positions for chefs, apprentices, hospitality students and school students to work together to produce a meal bank of nutritious meals for local seniors and vulnerable communities. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, PPP has seen an increase of 20% in demand for the program.

This funding is being used to cover the cost of additional ingredients, packaging supplies, personal protective equipment, and cleaning supplies.

SCHOOLS PLUS (WA) $18,200

Lakeland Senior High School

Lakeland Senior High School has an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) level below 1000 – a level of disadvantage below the state average. Since the school’s closure due to Covid-19, a significant number of students have failed to re-engage in learning.

This funding is being used for a range of re-engagement programs delivered by Headspace, as well as visits to universities and a focus on project-based skill development.

STAND LIKE STONE (SA) $15,000

Covid-19 program

Stand Like Stone (SLS) is a dynamic community foundation serving the Limestone Coast in the South East of South Australia. SLS is using its SE Disaster Relief Sub Fund to purchase food vouchers and distribute them to people in need via the schools network and local care relief agencies. Based on the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal’s Back to School Program, vouchers will be distributed via public schools and care relief agencies across the region. The program is particularly beneficial for local migrants and refugees who do not qualify for financial support from government.

This funding is supporting Stand Like Stone to provide these groups with vouchers for essential goods and food.

THE MIGRANT CENTRE ORGANISATION (QLD) $5,000

Mental health and homework club support

The Migrant Centre Organisation (TMC) advocates for, assists and supports disadvantaged jobseekers, migrants, refugees, at-risk youth and seniors. The organisation promotes the benefits of multiculturalism, pluralism of opinion, and the contribution of all migrant communities.

This funding is helping TMC respond to increased demand for mental health support during Covid-19, and provide support to school-aged children who are calling for homework and education support due to lack of English support at home.