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.
Greater Shepparton Foundation continues to distribute the generous donations you made to our Community Flood Recovery Campaign to where they are most needed. Recently your support was directed to address a vital gap in food relief in the Mooroopna community.
Like so many others locally, we were concerned with the announcement that the Life Op Shop would not reopen after it was inundated by flood waters. While it operated as an op shop, it had an important dual purpose in that it provided a much-needed outlet for food relief for those doing it tough in Mooroopna.
Listening to our community, we heard how important this was, and of the significant gap in vital service it left, particularly in light of the cost-of-living crisis. Therefore, collaboratively with Mooroopna Education and Activity Centre and Shepparton FoodShare we came up with a solution to distribute food to people in need through the winter months ahead.
We knew the solution needed to happen quickly; the partnership sees MEAC, a registered agency of Shepparton FoodShare, collect additional food from FoodShare to extend its food relief service. This has been made possible by GSF supporting the initiative via a grant to build MEAC’s capacity to offer this extended service.
Items such as food staples, fruit and vegetables can now be collected from MEAC in Alexandra St, Mooroopna each week between 10am and 1pm, Tuesday to Thursday.
We have always been of the belief that our community’s flood recovery efforts would be a marathon, not sprint. As we move forward, we learn more about the impact and uncover previously unknown obstacles. The $250,000 you donated via our Community Flood Recovery Campaign enables us to respond as and when needed. To date directly and indirectly we have supported 5000 people impacted by the floods in Greater Shepparton across mental health, bill relief, financial counselling and cost of living, while also supporting 10 not-for-profit organisations and counting, to offer programs or to get back on their feet.
To read more about our flood recovery efforts and the work we do in Greater Shepparton, please visit the ‘Major Projects’ page on our website, www.greatershepparton.foundation
Until next time.
Amanda McCulloch
Greater Shepparton Foundation Executive Officer