Unmet need also increases

FRRR distributed a record $22.5 million last financial year, shared across more than 550 remote, rural and regional communities across Australia, according to the Foundation’s just-released 2022/23 Annual Review.

Remote and rural communities experience inequity, disadvantage and vulnerability across many basic aspects of day-to-day life. Yet they continue to rise to the challenge, innovate and deliver solutions that not only address issues but prove that better outcomes are possible with just a bit of support.

Last financial year, FRRR’s 1,158 grants enabled 972 grassroots organisations and groups to pursue local projects that responded to the now all-too familiar effects of natural disasters; accelerated the net-zero transition; and addressed long-standing structural issues such as housing, energy and food security, service provision and digital inclusion.

Natalie Egleton, CEO of FRRR, said the Foundation saw the largest number of applications in its 23-year history.

“In the face of these challenges, communities continue to pull together, harnessing the strengths of local people and their connection and commitment to their places to forge ahead. I’m proud of the role that FRRR has played in supporting these remote, rural and regional communities to strengthen, adapt and innovate to navigate and find solutions to these challenges.

“Last financial year, FRRR received 2,639 eligible grant applications requesting a total of $64 million, up more than 25% on the prior year. What this signals is that life is getting back to ‘normal’ following COVID, but it also highlights the ongoing challenges remote, rural and regional communities are facing when it comes to securing funding for local projects.

“Unsurprisingly, more than a third of our grants went to communities vulnerable to, or impacted by, climate-related disasters. Nearly 430 grants totalling $11.1 million were awarded for initiatives supporting the medium to long-term recovery of places affected by disasters, and projects helping to prepare communities for future climate-related impacts.

“In 2023 we received more than 1,310 donations, ranging from $1 to $7.9 million, totalling just over $25.4 million (excluding fees and deferred income). We are grateful for the continued commitment of our supporters and the trust they place in us to get funding to where it’s needed most and to strengthen capacity to adjust and rise to the challenges in these communities.

“Despite an increase in donations, FRRR could still only fund just over half of the eligible applications received. So, we continue to seek new partnerships with government, philanthropy, business and individuals to allow us to fund more of these projects.

“No matter how big or small, we know our grants make a difference to these communities. This year, for every dollar granted, a further $1.76 was leveraged, opening the door to further funding opportunities, and building confidence.

“We also continued to advocate for more well-informed investment in rural people and organisations. Looking ahead, we’ll keep having these conversations, sharing our insights to ensure these people and places get improved access to sustainable social and physical infrastructure and opportunities that build community connections.

“The tenacity of remote, rural and regional people to keep their communities vibrant and sustainable motivates us to continue to strive for our shared vision for a more vibrant, resilient and sustainable remote, rural and regional Australia,” Ms Egleton concluded.

FRRR’s FY23 Annual Review is available at www.frrr.org.au/AR23.

Funds support communities to prepare, recover, rebuild and thrive

FRRR has awarded a record $2,728,993 in grants to support and strengthen more than 200 remote, rural and regional communities across Australia through this quarter round of its flagship Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program. This is the most funding awarded in any one round in the 25 years of FRRR’s small grants programs, and demand for support continues to rise.

Thanks to donations from many generous supporters, 213 grassroots not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) across rural Australia will receive grants ranging from $465 to $50,000.

The projects will address diverse needs, including ongoing COVID and disaster recovery, strengthening community resilience and preparedness, and address small, yet vital, needs of remote, rural and regional communities.

Jill Karena, FRRR’s Place Portfolio Lead, said that wonderful volunteers in local groups continue to find meaningful ways to support their communities.

“One of the best parts of my job is seeing the way people in remote, rural and regional areas come together to support one another. We see it time and again in the projects that are put forward, usually led by volunteers, all of whom want to make things better for their community. So I want to acknowledge all those people and thank them for all they do.

“I know it’s tough, as the diverse impacts of successive shocks – COVID and various disaster events – continue to ripple through remote, rural and regional communities. The mental health implications of this sustained stress are clear but so too is the commitment to improving things, especially by combatting social isolation.

“Finding ways to connect with others and with their community is an important part of the healing and growing process and there are some creative solutions. In the southern Arnhem Land community of Ngukurr, in the Northern Territory, Wanta Aboriginal Corporation’s Ngukurr Bagai Barista Social Enterprise Cafe project is an inspiring example of the community working to reduce social isolation and foster resilience. The Corporation will use a $47,075 grant to create a community gathering space by fitting-out a café to be used as a vocational teaching site.

“We are also noticing an increase in creative recovery projects, as communities shift from responding to the immediate impacts of the pandemic or other disasters and begin to look at the longer-term recovery and resilience needs of their region.

“Mapleton State School in Queensland will use a $6,588 grant will support a therapeutic drumming program. The program is a creative way for the learning community to improve social connectedness, reduce levels of anxiety and enhance the process of recovery for young people from the pandemic. Similarly, the people of Gingin, Western Australia, will use their $10,000 grant to include wellbeing activities in the Flavours of Gingin Festival to help the community connect and build resilience.

“Our research has confirmed these kinds of arts projects have a unique ability to build long-lasting community resilience and wellbeing, and local capacity for disaster preparedness, response and recovery.^[1]

“Not all the projects we’re supporting relate to disasters. There are also a range of initiatives that capitalise on opportunities or help to bridge service gaps, while other projects like a mural in Smithton will honour local Aboriginal heritage, culture and identity and help attract more visitors to the town.

“Since 2000, FRRR has delivered more than $155 million to nearly 13,000 projects, most of which are funded by small grants through programs like Strengthening Rural Communities. And we see the amazing impact that these small grants can have on a rural community.

“So it’s great to be awarding record funding this round and we look forward to seeing the difference it will make in the future,” Ms Karena said.

Record demand for grants

The reality is, FRRR would have liked to support far more projects, as there were many great initiatives seeking funding, with the impacts of inflation adding pressure to already small budgets and the capacity of locals to contribute to projects. However, FRRR simply didn’t have the funds to do so.

Ms Karena explains that projects like those that this program supports are often catalytic, so FRRR is actively seeking additional partnerships to enable more of these initiatives to get the support they need.

“Remote, rural and regional areas make up nearly a third of Australia’s population and generate approximately two-thirds of its net exports,^[2][3][4] so ensuring the vitality of these communities is not only critical to the wellbeing of those who live in these places, but it’s also vital for a sustainable Australian economy.

“Grant programs, like SRC, are one way that we can work with government, business and philanthropy to ensure those communities remain attractive places to live and work. Flexible programs like SRC mean that communities can access funding to develop and lead projects that meet locally identified needs and priorities – which are often about bridging gaps in services that many in the cities take for granted, like public transport or being able to access health services, without travelling hundreds of kilometres. So we’d love to hear from anyone who might like to join with us to fund more of these initiatives.”

The SRC program is collaboratively supported by donors, ranging from private individuals to larger foundations, who are acknowledged on the FRRR website.

FRRR always accepts applications to this program, which awards funds roughly four times a year. Local NFPs and community groups are encouraged to review the program guidelines and apply. More information about the SRC program is available at www.frrr.org.au/src.

To support grants like this through FRRR, make a tax-deductible donation at frrr.org.au/giving/.

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_{[1] https://frrr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Impact-of-Creative-Recovery-Research-compressed-2.pdf}

_{[2] https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/rural-remote-australians/rural-and-remote-health}

_{[3] https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/territories-regions-cities/regional-australia}

_{[4] https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Former_Committees/Regional_Development_and_Decentralisation/RDD/Final_Report/section?id=committees%2Freportrep%2F024136%2F25543}

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The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.

It’s no secret that risks presented by our changing climate loom large. The communities FRRR serves are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters and climate extremes. These impacts threaten to exacerbate existing social and economic inequalities, and negatively affect the liveability – and therefore the sustainability – of these communities.

As the Australian Government’s 2022 climate change statement noted:

“Our weather is becoming increasingly variable. More frequent extreme and cascading weather events are impacting our communities and economy, disrupting lives, and threatening our environment. At the same time, summers are becoming steadily hotter and drier, leading to adverse health impacts, increased bushfire risks and ecological damage, and threatening agricultural production. We must anticipate, prepare for and adapt to the impacts from our warming climate. Second, we must mitigate further catastrophic climate change by reducing our own emissions and playing a leadership role in supporting other nations to reduce theirs. Both will require an economic transformation on a scale beyond anything we have experienced in our lifetimes.“

While FRRR has seen an increase in applications we receive that are focused on disaster preparedness efforts, there has been markedly less focus on embracing practices and solutions that reduce the impact of the changing climate or capitalise on opportunities. Often this isn’t for want of great ideas, but rather limited access to funding and capacity to investigate options, particularly for not-for-profit (NFP) groups who want to be proactive and undertake community-led projects.

That’s why, with the support of generous seed funders, we are launching a Community-led Climate Solutions program. We’ve seen time and again that when we can offer dedicated funding around a particular issue – such as In a Good Place (targeting mental health) and Telstra Connected Communities (targeting the digital divide), amazing things happen. All too often it only takes relatively modest funding, backed by volunteers, to bring these projects to life.

So, we intend to offer funding to NFP groups twice a year to help them leverage the incredible knowledge, innovation and commitment in rural areas to implement locally-led climate solutions. The grants will aim to support three key areas:

1. Drive engagement, education, and leadership in remote, rural, and regional climate solutions;
2. Activate locally-led opportunities to advance energy transition, climate adaptation, decarbonisation and circular economies; and
3. Support just transitions to new clean economies for thriving communities.

These different objectives will allow community groups to take action that reflects the most pressing issues in their community, but also recognises that the conversation is unfolding in different ways, and at a different pace in different regions. Some will be ready to take bold action to capitalise on the opportunities from the transformation of our industrial sector, while others will need support to build understanding and drive engagement towards the prospect of a different future. We need initiatives that are designed by each community, that will work for their context.

The grants could potentially fund projects like these, which FRRR has previously supported:

More than money

In addition to the funding, grantees will have access to FRRR’s capacity building expertise and guidance, to help them shape their projects and, in time, we will also seek to connect these groups to leverage learnings across communities. We’re also keen to connect these organisations with businesses who may be able to provide one-off or ongoing pro-bono support. This program will also focus attention and promote conversations to catalyse additional community-led solutions.

Further, by analysing application data and by tracking impacts, FRRR will be able to generate insights into how communities are activating climate solutions and identify what additional support may be required, or what barriers NFP groups are facing.

Join us?

Thanks to generous seed funders, FRRR is set to launch the program’s first round at the end of October 2023, but we know this program will be in high demand, so we’re looking for additional partners to walk alongside us and enable rural communities to access climate solutions focused funding well into the future.

If this is something you are interested in learning more about, please contact either Sarah Matthee or Jillian Kirwan-Lee via partnerships@frrr.org.au.

56 projects funded thanks to the Future Drought Fund

FRRR has awarded $3.65 million in grants to 11 agriculture-dependent regions across Australia, for projects that will better prepare their communities for the impacts of drought and a changing climate.

The $3,654,124 in grants is funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, and delivered as part of the Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative’s Community Impact Program. To date, $9,115,583 in grants has been awarded to 27 agriculture-dependent regions, through the Program.

Delivered in partnership with ARLF, the Program aims to strengthen the ability of agriculture-dependent communities to work together to prepare for future drought or other disaster.

Nina O’Brien, Disaster Resilience and Recovery Lead for FRRR, said that the collaborative nature of the Community Impact Program means locals in each region have come together to identify and act on their communities’ drought preparedness priorities, at a grassroots level.

“The beauty of this program is that it’s so flexible. It can support events, initiatives, training and even small-scale infrastructure. But at their core, each project is about fostering the growth of stronger networks to encourage shared learning and more collaboration. We’re already seeing that happen among the program facilitators, who are leading by example, having established a community of practice, and mentoring one another across the regions.

“We recognise that co-design in each region has taken significant effort and we particularly thank the Community Partner Lead Organisations for stepping up and taking the lead in bringing everyone together. It’s been wonderful to be able to harness local knowledge and expertise and to have a cross-section of the community collaborate and create solutions. We know that these projects will strengthen the networks, support, engagement and wellbeing of people across their region.

“We look forward to seeing the continued growth of these networks and to seeing the impacts of these projects as they roll out over the next two years,” Ms O’Brien said.

Funded projects include a youth community hub and film festival on Mitakoodi Country, Cloncurry in Queensland. The Mitakoodi Community and Housing Aboriginal Corporation will use a $76,809 grant to develop the hub and festival, which will build a depth of social connection, a shared sense of purpose, and longer-term community belonging that locals can draw upon in future drought.

In Boyup Brook, Western Australia, Blackwood Basin Group Incorporated has been awarded a $40,730 grant to run a series of land management workshops, as well as produce written resources and provide accidental counselling. These capacity building activities will provide local people and communities with opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought.

As part of the program, each region will also access tailored leadership development activities, delivered by ARLF.

ARLF Chief Executive, Matt Linnegar, says the leadership development supports the delivery of local projects and yields long-term benefits for the regions.

“We know that a multimodal approach of leadership development increases the impact the investments have in each region. In addition to the project funding, these leadership development activities build social capital required to support the project and people in each region. We get to connect local networks, create a deeper sense of shared purpose and develop capability that helps people to take action and address challenges and make the most of opportunities.”

Participants also gain access to the wider alumni network of the ARLF. “It’s these connections that prove invaluable to people. When they’re stuck, there’s someone to ask for advice,” Mr Linnegar said.

Other elements of the Future Drought Fund’s Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative are also underway, including a Mentoring program and an online network connecting community members involved in projects in each of the regions, both led by ARLF.

FRRR has also launched a portal providing access to experts to support delivery of their projects, if local expertise isn’t available. A small grants funding round will also open before the end of the year to support projects in areas not covered by the Community Impact Program.

Learn more about the Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative at www.frrr.org.au/drought-preparedness.

The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.

Applications are now open for the ANZ Seeds of Renewal program, with grants of up to $15,000 available for not-for-profit organisations in remote, rural and regional areas to support the ongoing prosperity of regional Australia.

The program, which is now in its 21^st year, is administered by FRRR, and has provided more than $5.5 million to more than 800 community groups for approximately 900 projects to help build vibrant and sustainable communities.

This year, the ANZ Seeds of Renewal program is again offering a share of $250,000 to community organisations in remote, rural or regional locations for projects aligned to four focus areas:

• Environmental sustainability: initiatives that restore and conserve the natural environment or which contribute to lower carbon emissions, water stewardship and waste minimisation;
• Financial wellbeing: particularly for under-represented and disadvantaged people in the community, including initiatives that improve economic participation. For example, building financial literacy and vocational skills and providing access to meaningful work;
• Housing access: initiatives and programs that support those experiencing or at risk of homelessness or that provide supports for people living with disability; or
• Projects that assist local communities to thrive: by either enabling vibrant communities where everyone can participate and build a better life, or creating sustainable communities that help deliver demonstrable medium to long term economic sustainability.

ANZ General Manager Business Banking Jenefer Stewart said: “ANZ is committed to enhancing the wellbeing and prosperity of the communities where our people live and work, and where our business operates. One way we do this is by reinvesting in communities through programs like Seeds of Renewal. This year we are proud to once again contribute to the long-term growth and sustainability of small rural communities,” Ms Stewart said.

FRRR CEO Natalie Egleton said: “In the current financial environment, we know there is a heightened need to support and strengthen the sustainability of rural Australia. We believe local leaders and community groups are best placed to identify and address the environmental, financial and housing concerns in their region, and to know first-hand what their communities need to thrive. Programs like ANZ Seeds of Renewal mean we can support these types of meaningful and community-led projects that promote the sustainability and liveability of remote, rural and regional Australia. We look forward to seeing what projects local groups put forward this year,” Ms Egleton said.

Last year, ANZ and FRRR provided grants to 20 community groups for projects including preserving Anbinik Rainforests through Indigenous Fire Management in Arnhem Land, NT; building capability and confidence by providing practical financial literacy skills and awareness training to women in East Gippsland, Victoria; providing fit out of accommodation to support women at risk of domestic violence and homelessness in remote WA; and delivering key skills training to increase the employability of young people in agriculture in Crookwell, NSW.

Applications open on 12 July and close 5pm AEST, 10 August 2023.

A grantseeker workshop will be held online from 1 – 2pm AEST, on Wednesday 19 July, 2023.

For more information about ANZ Seeds of Renewal, or to apply for a grant visit: https://frrr.org.au/funding/place/anz-seeds-of-renewal/.

In rural communities where enduring drought and devastating bushfires have left an emotional toll, a cancer diagnosis can lead to a particularly isolating and challenging experience. With support from our Strengthening Rural Communities program, Macksville Community Health was able to make a real difference in the wellbeing of women living along the Nambucca river and living with or in remission of cancer.

As a subsidiary of the Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD), Mackville Community Health provides healthcare for communities in the Nambucca Valley, NSW. Many of their successful support systems and programs are designed to address the impacts of the recent drought and bushfires.

Thanks to the support of the Fire Fight Australia Fund, they received a grant of $10,000. This allowed them to host a three-day retreat at the Yarrahapinni Ecology Centre for women living with or surviving cancer, who had been affected by the 2019/20 bushfires in the region.

The Sisters Retreat s Guided by Local Gumbaynggirr Women in a ‘Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony’, the retreat used engaging activities to educate the participants on a range of different coping mechanisms that allowed them to feel empowered and regain some control over their own lives.

The strategic nature of this program helps the organisation tackle important issues in rural communities such as declining mental health in the aftermath of the bushfires. Of the women reporting poor mental health, many were single or living remotely, with little access to their support network. By attending the Sisters Retreat, these women were able to connect with others in similar situations.

McGrath Breast Cancer Nurse, Carolyn Cross said that without grant, the project would not have gone ahead.

The Board and staff of FRRR mourn the sudden passing of the Honourable Simon Crean.

Alongside his more high-profile commitments and achievements, Simon was also a Director of FRRR. He was appointed to the Board on 1 July 2019 and was a vocal advocate for remote, rural and regional communities, always striving to ensure that people in the bush were supported.

He understood the policy and the politics but, more importantly, had genuine empathy for the challenges experienced by those communities. He sought out collaboration and always focused on the right outcome.

Around the Board table, he was an energetic colleague with a great capacity for debate and learning. His questions to management reflected his depth of knowledge and thirst for understanding more to ensure that we were achieving as much as possible with every grant or proposed investment. Ultimately though, it was us who learnt from him.

His intellect, curiosity, passion and friendship will be sorely missed by all at FRRR. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife Carole, his daughters, and his extended family and friends.

Mission Australia has worked in partnership with Mid Coast 4 Kids to deliver ‘The Common Approach’ training to build capability for a whole of community response to child youth wellbeing in the Mid Coast region.

The Mid Coast was dramatically impacted by the South Eastern Australia floods in 2022. The townships of Taree, Wingham and Gloucester were inundated or compromised with flood waters and structural damage cutting communities off for long periods. There was flood damage to farm lands, residential housing areas and outlying communities. This disaster compounded significant stress that has been experienced in the communities for an extended period due to the impact of prolonged drought, COVID-19 and bushfires.

As a result, early childhood centres and schools reported increased anxiety and trauma-related behaviours in children and young people, and the service system was not coping, with allied health and other support services reporting wait times of more than 12 months.

‘The Common Approach’ has equipped a range of members of the Mid Coast community with the skills to have quality conversations and build resilience to respond to the wellbeing needs of children, young people and their families, now and into the future. In total, 228 people including community service, health and education professionals, community volunteers and parents were trained to have evidence based, holistic conversations with children and young people about all aspects of their wellbeing.

Participants report increased confidence in being able to support children and young people to identify strategies to improve individual wellbeing. “Through this intervention we have equipped our community to share responsibility for promoting and supporting the health and wellbeing of children and young people in our community, via evidence informed practice,” says Program Manager Bree Katsamangos.

“Additionally, practitioners will benefit from the opportunity to engage in a bi-monthly Community of Practice to support ongoing development and practice.”

Ourschool connects students and alumni

Ourschool is a not-for-profit organisation that believes past students have a lot to offer current students when it comes to driving equity in education and positive, systemic social impact. In fact, Ourschool’s vision is that every Australian public secondary school has a thriving alumni community whose members are easily able to give back to their old schools. Since 2019, Ourschool has worked with school staff and alumni to inspire and support current students through meaningful engagements in school-based alumni programs.

While principals generally see the value of alumni programs, limited funding in public school budgets makes it hard for school principals to invest resources into an alumni program’s establishment and growth. Chronic teacher and education support staff shortages at regional schools (thanks in large part to continued disruptions from COVID and teacher shortages) make it hard to plan alumni sessions and alumni engagement at schools.

But Ourschool is persisting and working hard to make it possible. They partner with FRRR, using a Not-for-Profit Fundraising Account to assist them to fundraise by offering tax deductibility for donations to help them deliver the program in more public secondary schools in rural and regional Victoria.

The funds are used to build program capacity and increase the number of regional schools receiving assistance from Ourschool. And it’s working, with the program operating in 14 regional schools, up from 10 in 2021. This involved employing more staff to deliver the services to the partner schools.

The reach is impressive — during FY22, 7,174 students were involved in 71 alumni career pathways or subject specific sessions, and 110 past students were involved in the sessions across the 14 schools in the Geelong and Ballarat regions alone.

As these alumni programs are “revolutionary” for public high schools, they require small steps, persistence, and a methodical approach to proving the worth of starting such a program. But even valued programs are faced with challenges.

One of Ourschool’s proposed solutions to this problem is the creation of a walkathon prototype school event to mobilise the fundraising capacity of a school’s community and its alumni to help fund and sustain each school’s alumni program. Ourschool is using some of the funds they’ve raised to develop an event resources and operations manual that will be packaged up for the partner schools to use and amend to run a high-quality, annual walkathon or other type of community-school event that raises funds to continue a school’s alumni program.

Check out this post to learn more about what Ourschool’s alumni activities look like.

Our thanks to United Care Glenelg for sharing this impactful story with us, made possible in part by a $5,000 Strengthening Rural Communities grant awarded in 2022, funded by the Ian Rollo Currie Estate Foundation.

With the cold weather well and truly settling in, the cost of living and energy costs skyrocket; many older residents are left to choose between eating or heating. For some, it can also be the loneliest and most isolating time of the year.

As a response, United Way Glenelg delivered much-needed Winter Care Packages to make residents feel valued as community members.

An essential part of ageing successfully is having enough energy for cooking, heating, cooling, cleaning, and leisure activities.

Nicole Carr, Executive Officer United Way Glenelg said agencies, when conducting home visits, often find residents rarely putting the heating on, choosing instead to sit in a cold room due to increasing costs, said Ms Carr.

Recent research said many older people will avoid using heating – risking their health and well-being to reduce costs.

“We are working very closely with local agencies to ensure we are identifying and reaching those most vulnerable and in need.”

“Being able to meet living costs helps prevent ill health or premature death, manage illness and chronic disease, sustain social relationships, and support positive mental health,” Ms Carr explained.

Delivery of the Care Packages helps in some small way to improve morale and alleviate some of the stresses associated with winter.

Assembled by the Standing Tall group at Heywood & District Secondary College, the students and their mentors, packed 200 boxes with an assortment of non-perishable food and personal care items, a food voucher for purchasing perishable items such as meat, fruit and vegetables, an activity, reading material, a special treat and a personal note from Merino Consolidated Primary School.

“We’re thrilled to include for the first time, a meal voucher. Valued at $20, the voucher enables the resident to go to one of five Hotels in the Glenelg Shire and share a meal with a family member or friend.”

“We approached All Saints Outreach with the proposal to sponsor the meal vouchers and they jumped at the opportunity to help!”

Another special item was the inclusion of homemade knitted blankets, hats and scarves with Julia Street Creative Space and generous local knitters jumping at the opportunity to contribute.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity. So much so we’ve started collecting for next year’s packages.”

The campaign for funding the Winter Care packages began early in March when people were encouraged to “turn off the heat,” creating a lived experience albeit for a short period and generating an understanding of the struggles facing many living in the Glenelg Shire.

Ms Carr said it takes a collaborative approach to support a community.

United Way Glenelg tipped in $10,000 from its Lewis Court Fund to match donations made by individuals.

“We also sought out grants from philanthropic organisations and were pleased to receive generous contributions from FRRR, The Ian Rollo Currie Estate Foundation, All Saints Outreach and Wannon Water.”

From anecdotal evidence, by the way of the messages of gratitude from the many letters, phone calls and cards received, we know the packages are greatly appreciated in supporting older people with basic needs, preventing them from disconnecting from the community and making them feel valued.

Sandra, an 84-year-old widow said the package was a lovely surprise:

“It was very much appreciated. All useful and thoughtful goodies. And the blanket is a huge plus. I am having an operation on my hand tomorrow so the Readers Digest books will be easy to hold. The vouchers will be used. Thanks to each member.”

And Joan from Casterton said, “it’s lovely to know we are still thought of as we get older.”

“This is our small part, but we are relying on the entire community to look out for one another.  Look out for your neighbours, your relatives and friends, anyone that needs a helping hand,” Ms Carr explained.

“These packages will make Winter a little more bearable.”

Recipients were identified through United Way Glenelg Agency partners including Glenelg Shire Council Aged and Disability unit, Portland District Health Palliative Care and District Nursing units, Portland District Health Telecare, Dhauwurd Wurrung Elderly & Community Health Service Inc, Winda Mara, Dartmoor Bush Nursing Centre, Merino Bush Nursing Centre, Casterton Memorial Hospital and St Vincent de Pauls.