Rotary MASH is fundraising $80,000 to install solar panels on three residential buildings housing disability adults. The premises are located at 68-70 Churchill Street, Mont Albert.These are the type of projects that fall outside the ability of disability organisations like Alkira to fund. As a supporter of Alkira since 2004, MASH has previously upgraded a ...
Rotary Club of Mont Albert & Surrey Hills
Alkira Solar Panels Project
GOAL
$20,000
Australia > VIC > Metro and Regional
Field of Interest
- Environment conservation and climate change
- Housing and homelessness
Target Population
- People with a disability, illness or disease
- People experiencing socio-economic disadvantage or vulnerability
Rotary Club of Mont Albert & Surrey Hills
Rotary Club of Mont Albert & Surrey Hills was chartered in 2004. It is the only service club in the area and has a vision to be a diverse and fun Rotary club that partners with the local community to support worthy local, national and international activities and projects. We are a small club which is attracting new members at a time when most volunteering organisations are struggling. Locally, we work closely with the Whitehorse Council, supporting Alkira Centre Box Hill (disability), Kara House (family violence), Box Hill Institute (student scholarships), Koonung Secondary College and our numerous local primary schools. At Koonung, we helped establish a Rotary Interact Club, encouraging students to embrace the idea of volunteering, giving and caring from a young age. Each year, we assist RSE, a federally funded programme, to conduct the RYDA (Rotary Youth Driver Awareness) project for Year 11 and 12 students to attend.
For 10 years, we supported a youth development school in poverty-stricken Tanzania (Umoja – https://www.umojatanzania.org), helping them to move from dilapidated rented premises into a new school facility last year.
Our major fundraiser is to get solar panels and batteries installed on a residential property in Mont Albert for the disability group, the Alkira Centre. The cost for the 3 buildings is about $80,000, which includes batteries,
Project Summary
Rotary MASH is fundraising $80,000 to install solar panels on three residential buildings housing disability adults. The premises are located at 68-70 Churchill Street, Mont Albert.
These are the type of projects that fall outside the ability of disability organisations like Alkira to fund. As a supporter of Alkira since 2004, MASH has previously upgraded a number of their residential facilities.
As Alkira CEO, Julia Canty-Waldron, explains:
Alkira has been the provider of residential services at 70 Churchill Street Mont Albert since 1975. At that time, the property was owned by the Commonwealth Government of Australia who partnered with Alkira to build the existing properties currently in place, starting with a hostel called “Perkins House”. Jumping forward, Alkira has 3 standalone structures on this site, and provides support to 13 adults with intellectual disabilities whose range in age from 45 to over 80 years old.
At Alkira, we are committed to providing high-quality residential environments where people with intellectual disability can live with dignity, choice, and stability. Rising utility costs, however, are placing increasing pressure on our ability to sustain these homes, especially as support funding does not reflect the true cost of operating safe, comfortable, and climate-resilient residences.
The organisation is auspiced through Alkira Disability Services LTD.
Project Outcomes
By installing solar panels, the power costs will be reduced significantly for Alkira. The savings will be immediate.
The demand for fossil fuel power will be reduced to a minimum level.
Changes like this will be welcomed by the local community. Mont Albert is a tight knit community and embraces positive change.
Again, In Alkira CEO's words:
While the NDIS is a remarkable and life-changing investment, it does not fully cover the true cost of delivering safe, sustainable, and person-centred residential services. Pricing for support is based on standardised staffing ratios and assumes stable participant profiles, yet in practice, we face unpredictable funding variations, growing safeguarding requirements, and complex behavioural and medical support needs of ageing residents. Similarly, the funding for the properties do not account for the full cost of maintaining, adapting, or operating housing that meets the diverse and evolving needs of residents with high support
Investing in solar panels and battery systems across our residential properties will significantly reduce long-term energy costs, improve financial sustainability, and ensure that more of the funding can go directly to participant support.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $80,000
FUNDING
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Rotary MASH | $10,000 |
| Rotary MASH High Tea Fundraiser | $5,500 |
| Bendigo Community Bank (Surrey Hills) | $5,000 |
| High Tea Fundraiser Bronze Sponsor Australian Unity | $2,000 |
| High Tea Fundraiser Bronze Sponsor Royal Freemasons | $2,000 |
| High Tea Fundraiser Sponsor Box Hill RSL | $500 |
| Whitehorse Rotaract | $5,000 |
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Project to be funded through MASH as per quotes attached. Quotes were obtained through a club member who has many years experience with solar energy.with | $0 |
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