COVID Recovery Media releases: 28 April 2022
Thirty-four local groups and not-for-profits that delivered food and care hampers to regional communities during the height of the 2021 COVID-19 restrictions will share in $300,000 from the NSW Government’s COVID Regional Community Support (CRCS) program.
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said more than 72,000 hampers were delivered to residents in regional and rural parts of NSW, including Ballina, Tweed Heads, Leeton and Albury.
“These groups and organisations dropped everything and dipped into their own funds to support isolated residents during last year’s COVID-19 restrictions by partnering with Resilience NSW to prepare and deliver food, essential items and relief packs to those in need,” Ms Cooke said.
“The $300,000 will cover expenses like fuel, couriers, and logistics costs, helping these groups and organisations to continue their wonderful work into the future, including at the Ballina Hot Meal Centre which is using its $5,024 grant to purchase new freezers.”
Each grant being provided through the CRCS program ranges from $1,000 to $30,000 and is administered by the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal.
Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal CEO Natalie Egleton said the funding recognises the critical role that local community groups played during the pandemic.
“We’re delighted that 23 per cent of applications are from Indigenous community groups, all of which played such a vital role in ensuring that their community members were cared for, and we are pleased to be able to support them with this funding,” Ms Egleton said.
Applications are currently being accepted for grants of up to $50,000 for capacity building initiatives, such as attracting and retaining volunteers and staff, enhancing governance skills, building digital capacity and creating partnerships that foster stronger, more resilient communities.
See the full list of recipients below:
| Organisation | Locations | Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Agape Outreach Incorporated | Tweed Heads - Byron Bay | $1,681 |
| Albury Wodonga Regional Foodshare | Albury | $13,500 |
| Allambi Care Limited | Lake Maquarie - Warners Bay - Central Coast - Cessnock - Newcastle | $7,000 |
| Armidale / Uralla Meals On Wheels Incorporated | Armidale | $3,183 |
| Ballina Hot Meal Centre Incorporated | Ballina | $5,024 |
| Belong Blue Mountains Incorporated | Blue Mountains | $1,000 |
| Camden Haven Community at 3 | Lakewood | $1,125 |
| CatholicCare Social Services Hunter-Manning | Newcastle - Tareer - Forster - Maitland | $1,977 |
| Christian Outreach Centre | Kempsey - South West Rocks - Macksville - Nambucca Heads | $1,350 |
| Community Resources Limited | Wollongong | $3,540 |
| Coonamble Neighbourhood Centre | Coomamble - Gulargambone - Quambone | $10,810 |
| Food For Life Community Care Incorporated | Shoalhaven - Primbee - Wollongong - Kiama | $13,500 |
| Galambila Aboriginal Corporation | Nambucca Heads - Coffs Harbour - Woolgoolga - Bowraville | $30,000 |
| Gloucester Worimi First Peoples Aboriginal Corporation | Gloucester | $1,000 |
| Gunnedah Meals on Wheels Association | Gunnedah | $5,514 |
| Indigenous Futures Foundation Limited | Tweed Heads South - Lismore - Ballina - Grafton | $30,000 |
| Ivanhoe Central School | Ivanhoe - Balranald - Carrathool | $6,100 |
| Katungul Aboriginal Corporation Regional Health And Community Services | Batemans Bay - Narooma - Bega - Catalina - Dalmeny | $30,000 |
| Kempsey Neighbourhood Centre Inc | Kempsey | $4,500 |
| Leeton Community Care Development Incorporated | Leeton | $13,500 |
| Lions Club Of Raymond Terrace Incorporated | Raymond Terrace | $1,420 |
| Livefree Project Incorporated | Newcastle | $13,500 |
| Miyay Birray Youth Service Incorporated | Moree - Mungindi - Garah - Boomi | $18,345 |
| Moree Sports Health Arts And Education Academy Aboriginal Corporation | Moree | $5,723 |
| Orana Support Service Incorporated | Dubbo - Wellington - Narromine | $21,000 |
| Oxley Community Transport Service Incorporated | West Tamworth | $4,500 |
| Queer Family Incorporated | Mullumbimby - Byron Bay - Lismore - Kyogle | $2,250 |
| Salt Care | Ulladulla - Bomaderry - Nowra - Kangaroo Valley - Jervis Bay | $20,460 |
| Sapphire Community Projects Incorporated | Bega - Tura Beach - Bermagui - Candelo - Quaama | $4,703 |
| Seventh-Day Adventist Church - South New South Wales Conference | Bathurst - Blayney - Mandurama - Cowra | $5,600 |
| The Heartland Foundation Limited | Port Macquarie | $5,000 |
| The Mend AND Make Do Crew Incorporated | South Grafton | $6,750 |
| Uralla Neighbourhood Day Care Centre 1 | Walcha | $4,860 |
| Weilwan Local Aboriginal Land Council | Gulargambone | $1,585 |
