2014 Grants
During the year, $415,000 was distributed from the Gift Fund, $244,750 from the Open Fund, and $1,400 from the Scholarship Fund. The value of Target vouchers distributed in the Back to School program was $83,000. In the June 2014 grant round, 44 organisations had grants approved:
FAMILY SUPPORT
Cystic Fibrosis Victoria
Living with chronic illness such as Cystic Fibrosis affects the whole family. A grant of $8,500 will fund the Geelong Happy Families 2014 program to assist 20 low income families to have a fun and inclusive family weekend away.
Headspace Barwon
A grant of $15,000 will co-operatively fund a family inclusive practitioner to provide service and advice to family and friends of young people accessing Headspace Barwon’s holistic youth health service.
Hope Bereavement Care
A Memorial Service for families and friends to honour the lives of deceased children will be funded with a $1,000 grant. This remembrance and valuing of a life improves the psychological and
mental health of those bereaved.
Minerva Community Services (formerly Zena Womens Services Inc.)
A grant of $25,000 will purchase a vehicle to allow Family Violence Case Managers to provide outreach support to women and their dependents in the community who are experiencing family violence.
Second Bite
A $17,000 grant will support the operation of two refrigerated vans in this region where Secondbite distributes fresh food to 68 agencies, soup vans, schools and refugee/supported
accommodation. An additional 50 tonnes of food needs to be sourced in 2014/15 to respond to agency requests.
Time for Youth
Time for Change is a partnership between Time for Youth and Zena Women’s services to develop and implement effective intervention to reduce family violence and increase safety for impacted family members. A grant of $30,000 will fund this important program.
HEALTH SUPPORT
Foundation 61
A grant of $15,000 will fund the installation of solar electricity in the rehabilitation centre to reduce running costs and help support the training programs for people affected by drugs and alcohol.
Gateways Support Services
Gateways require a suitable vehicle to sustain and grow their service to allow high need children and young adults to access the community safely. Due to individual behaviours and health complexities this is not possible by public transport or in large groups to attend community based activities. A grant of $30,000 will provide this vehicle.
Kids Plus Foundation
Ten intensive therapy places in the Kids Plus Therapy Program will be funded by a $10,000 grant to support children with neuro developmental disabilities (including children with cerebral palsy, brain injury and stroke).
Lifeline Barwon
A $25,000 grant purchase a small van to improve pick up service for small loads of donated items and delivery of purchased items, to improve Lifeline’s warehouse service and overall revenue.
Riding for Disabled
A grant of $5,000 funds a group of children and their parent/carer to have a fun filled weekend away at the Daylesford state camp.
The Humour Foundation/Clown Doctors
This fantastic program provides special medicine to sick children in Geelong hospitals with doses of fun, smiles and laughter. A grant of $10,000 will support this program to continue in Geelong.
The Sanctuary Counselling Centre
A grant of $15,000 assists funding of a counselling program to help people to find hope, direction and meaning, at times of life changing health crises.
TRAINING & RESEARCH
96threeFM Geelong Christian Media
The development and training of web radio presenters, producers and content for youth promoting healthy lifestyles and wellbeing will be funded by a $6,500 grant.
Australian Breastfeeding Association
A grant of $3,000 assists with purchase of fund promotional material and continuing education of volunteers to maintain the Breast Feeding Education program in the Barwon Region.
Encompass
Hub 3219 creates training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities and a grant of $27,000 will purchase a pottery kiln, tools and supplies for the Hub.
Karingal Inc
A $25,000 grant will purchase fit out items for the ABI (Acquired Brain Injury) Club House to be built at the Eastern Geelong Community Centre.
YOUTH SUPPORT
Barwon Youth
The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Geelong program connects young people who face adversity with a volunteer positive role model. A grant of $35,000 will assist with funding of this program.
Life Education Geelong Inc
An $18,000 grant will co-operatively fund a new mobile learning centre that provides drug education and healthy lifestyle programs to approx 11,000 students, teachers and their parents annually in the region.
Lorne Community Arts & Culture Foundation
A grant of $8,000 will support the “Reaching Extraordinary Heights 2014” project which provides Year 8 and 9 students in the region with an uplifting arts experience through workshops with the Flying Fruit Fly Circus troupe.
Operation Newstart, Geelong
A $9,250 grant will help to support this valuable
program for youth at risk of dropping out of school.
Red Frogs Geelong
A grant of $7,000 will help fund the Red Frogs Geelong call centre, a central communication point for young people seeking assistance for welfare concerns, advice, transport and support on the streets especially at ‘schoolies’ time.
Salvation Army
The Faith at Bellarine Estate training program is a partnership between the Salvation Army, Bellarine Estate and Bellarine Secondary College. A grant of $6,500 will provide hospitality training for Years 9 and 10 students.
EDUCATION SUPPORT
Ardoch Youth Foundation
A grant of $10,000 funds the Play, Learn & Read program for pre-schoolers in the northern suburbs of Geelong to improve their literacy and verbal skills.
The Gordon TAFE
The Gordon TAFE annually offers scholarships to students to cover course related expenses. A $10,000 grant will support five mature aged students to return to study.
Bethany Community Support
The Early Connections Program supports parents, their babies and children up to five in marginalised and socially isolated families to connect in a community setting and give a vital introduction to children’s early learning needs. A grant of $25,000 funds seven of the supported playgroups.
Bluebird Foundation at Northern Bay College
A grant of $7,000 funds the Rhyme, Rhythm and Song program uses singing to improve literacy outcomes in young children, along with positive development of cohesive social behaviours.
Catholic Care
A $25,000 grant will help support the program connecting young refugees to education, employment and their community.
Hand on Learning Australia
This very successful program allowing students “at risk” to thrive at school is being expanded to five secondary schools in the Geelong Region with a $20,000 grant.
Salvation Army Northside Geelong
Just Brass works with schools, families and local communities to ensure all children and young people are able to learn a music instrument and participate in music groups. A grant of $14,000 will
fund the expansion of the program to Bell Park North Primary School.
St Vincent de Paul
A grant of $3,000 will fund the breakfast program at St Francis Xavier Primary School in Corio, St Thomas Aquinas PS in Norlane and Christ the King PS in Newcomb.
Western Edge Youth Arts
A $4,250 will assist in funding the “Write, Act, Engage” arts program and will build on the success of the 2013 arts project. This arts program focuses on improving literary outcomes for grade 5/6 students at Tate St Primary School.
ARTS & HERITAGE SUPPORT
Geelong Regional Library Corporation
‘Interpreting History’, funded by a $12,000 grant, is a special event as part of the inaugural “Word for Word Nonfiction Festival” in Geelong, in association with Deakin, GPAC and Karingal.
National Trust Barwon Park
A $10,000 grant will co-operatively fund a fire protection security monitoring service at the historical Barwon Park residence in Winchelsea.
AGED SUPPORT
Anam Cara House
A grant of $10,000 will provide 45 nights of paid staff nursing for this palliative care and respite care service.
MACS (Multicultural Aged Care Services)
A $20,000 grant will assist with completion of the Dementia Specific Care Unit.
St Laurence Community Services
The Healthy Ageing/Wellbeing Centre was established in Belmont in 2009 for people living with disability and/or chronic disease. A grant of $10,000 will help purchase vital replacement equipment.
Vision Australia
‘Community Access Support Service’ involves pairing over 65 clients, who have age related eye conditions, with a volunteer to help them access everyday activities that are not part of their normal routine. A grant of $14,000 supports this program.
COMMUNITY WELLBEING
Anglesea Community Garden
A $10,000 grant will purchase materials to assist community members of the Community Garden to build a rustic “all weather” shelter in the gardens.
Bellarine Living & Learning Centre
A grant of $24,000 will build the capacity of this centre by engaging a person to manage an increasing number of participants who have been disengaged and not contributing to individual, family and/or community wellbeing in the Whittington area.
Two and Five Inc.
Two & Five has a shop in Labuan Square and a market garden which offers pathways to employment through internships. A grant of $16,000 will fund a tractor, mower and garden bed former.
Urban Seed
Urban Seed provides a “People, Food & Community Program” to address the causes of disadvantage. It is based at the Norlane Baptist Church and a grant of $10,000 will purchase the food for meals at the ‘Wednesday Community Development Day’.
Wesley Centre for Life
A grant of $3,000 will fund a four week intensive bereavement education program for newly bereaved women to link with a ‘Life after Loss’ support group.
Wombats Wish Inc.
A grant of $14,000 will fund a weekend residential camp entailing grief based activities for children who are parentally bereaved.