Greater Shepparton Foundation builds partnerships and collaborations to connect the needs of the local community with essential resources and skills to tackle and disrupt the cycle of disadvantage. The Foundation Features series will help shine a light on those driving change through innovative initiatives, as well as highlight community organisations that align with the foundation’s purpose.
As Greater Shepparton Foundation’s annual End Of Financial Year Appeal kicks off, June is your date to make a difference!
Each year via our EOFY Appeal we raise funds to support areas of need in our community. This year all tax-deductible donations made to the appeal will contribute to projects delivered by frontline support services to give a hand up to our community’s most vulnerable members: residents who are facing rental stress, eating less meals and who can no longer afford to meet the daily costs of living.
We are in a cost-of-living crisis that is disproportionately affecting so many in our community and pushing more and more families into poverty.
Securing any type of affordable housing is incredibly difficult, especially for those on a low income or who have been displaced due to the floods, are fleeing domestic violence, or are suffering mental health conditions.
Families are at the forefront of the cost-of-living crisis, with Beyond Housing reporting a 17 per cent surge in families requesting support in 2020/21 and 61.3 per cent of homeless people identifying as female. Further, 823 people identified as homeless in Greater Shepparton on our most recent census night.
Through our work with flood-impacted families we were able to speak with Kylie (real name not disclosed), who shared her story to raise awareness of the alarming situation many people in Greater Shepparton were finding themselves in. Here is a snippet of Kylie’s story and the challenges she has faced:
“The cost of living has seen us seeking out food relief for the first time in our lives. As a middle-aged woman, who has worked all her life, it is incredibly difficult to ask for help, but we are in a situation where I am skipping meals to make ends meet.”
Our community is incredibly resilient and generous, as has been demonstrated time and again, so if you can, please make a tax-deductible donation that will directly support local programs that deliver food relief, clothing, household items and simple comforts to vulnerable people in our community.
All funds that you donate via the EOFY Appeal will be distributed promptly via our grants program, which opens in July. Eligible frontline support services that are delivering projects that provide a hand up to our communities’ most vulnerable members are encouraged to apply.
A tax-deductible donation can be made to Greater Shepparton Foundation’s End of Financial Year Appeal via the ‘Donate’ page on our website, www.greatershepparton.foundation
Alternately, individuals or business wishing to discuss their contribution can contact me on 0447 400 443.
Until next time
Amanda McCulloch
Greater Shepparton Foundation executive officer