$100,000 awarded to help COVID-affected residents in Lake Mac
Published on 12 October 2021
Assistance grants worth almost $100,000 are set to provide a much-needed boost to more than 20 community organisations on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lake Macquarie.
Lake Macquarie City Council will provide a total 23 grants of up to $5000 each to help people in need in across the city via local organisations such as Wyee Hub, Sugarvalley Neighbourhood Advancement Group, Meals on Wheels and Hunter Homeless Connect.
Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser said the grants aimed to provide immediate, direct relief where it was needed most.
“These grants have been fast-tracked to ensure they help people most affected by the recent COVID lockdowns and restrictions,” Cr Fraser said.
“They will help put food on the table of families doing it tough, they’ll fund counselling services for people struggling to see light at the end of the tunnel, and they’ll provide vouchers for people who may no longer be able to make ends meet.”
Windale PCYC was one of 14 groups to receive the maximum $5000 under the grant program.
It will use the funds partnering with Oz Harvest to deliver personal hygiene and protective equipment packs to families in need across Lake Macquarie.
OzHarvest Emergency Food Coordinator Peter Schwarz said the organisation worked with about 60 local agencies to distribute care packages daily.
“We’ve been doing 620 hampers in our local region a week,” he said.
“Generally, it’s churches, schools, domestic violence refuges and charities like that.”
“The need has only increased as we have dealt with COVID, and we’re finding more people and more agencies are coming to us for assistance. The vans are all full every day, but without grants like this, programs like ours don’t exist.”
Grants were awarded to projects or activities that clearly related to the increased demands or needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, and which addressed the needs of people who were most vulnerable in the community.
Go to lakemac.com.au for more information about how Council is helping the community during COVID-19.
COVID Assistance Grant recipients
|
Organisation
|
Description
|
Location
|
Funding
|
|
Wyee Hub
|
Food pantry/shelving and fridge to enable greater supply of food
|
Wyee
|
$5000
|
|
Swansea Community Cottage Inc
|
Wi-fi for identified families
E-vouchers to complement food hampers
|
Swansea
|
$4328
|
|
Sugarvalley Neighbourhood Advancement Group Inc
|
Provision of hampers and vouchers
|
West Wallsend and surrounds
|
$5000
|
|
Southlakes Incorporated
|
Funding to support cost of meal delivery
|
South and Westlakes
|
$4000
|
|
Southlake Community Services Inc.
|
Social connection activities targeted towards young people and/or families
|
Bonnells Bay and surrounds
|
$5000
|
|
Police Citizens Youth Clubs NSW LTD
|
Provison of personal hygiene/personal protective equipment packs
|
Windale
|
$5000
|
|
Our Community Place Inc
|
Lunch hub - takeaway
|
Windale
|
$2750
|
|
Nova for Women
|
Emergency accommodation and support
|
Lake Macquarie
|
$5000
|
|
Newcastle Meals on Wheels
|
Funding to support cost of meal delivery
|
Boolaroo, Morisset and Toronto
|
$5000
|
|
Mums Cottage
|
Providing wellbeing packs for children and families.
|
Holmesville
|
$5000
|
|
Macquarie Preschools Cooperative Limited
|
Carey Bay Preschool Mindfulness program for young children
|
Carey Bay
|
$1680
|
|
Lifeline Direct Limited
|
Telehealth and face to face counselling
|
Lake Macquarie
|
$1800
|
|
JobQuest-Penrith Skills for Jobs
(HIPPY Program)
|
Mental health wellbeing resources for families
|
Windale
|
$5000
|
|
Hunter Multicultural Communities Inc
|
Provision of care packages and multicultural meals
|
Cardiff, Charlestown, Toronto, Morisset, Belmont, Swansea.
|
$5000
|
|
Hunter Homeless Connect Incorporated
|
Food relief & community directory support
|
Lake Macquarie
|
$5000
|
|
Hunter Care Ltd
|
Food and personal hygiene hampers to our local community
|
Edgeworth
|
$5000
|
|
Healing Path to Wellness
|
Purchase of telehealth equipment to enable clients to access medical care
|
Pelican
|
$5000
|
|
Gateway Care
|
Weather screens to protect food hampers awaiting distribution/pick-up
Food hamper packaging/boxes
Hand trolleys for transportation
|
Pelican
|
$4280
|
|
Edgeworth Memorial Neighbourhood Centre Inc
|
Provision of food and other essential household items
|
Edgeworth and surrounds
|
$4500
|
|
Community Activities Lake Macquarie Inc.
|
Emergency relief vouchers - food and prepaid data
|
Lake Macquarie- primarily westlakes
|
$5000
|
|
Belmont Neighbourhood Centre
|
Purchase of vouchers to help those in our community suffering financially due to the COVID lockdown
|
Belmont
|
$5000
|
|
Survivors R Us Inc.
|
Provision of food hampers
|
Lake Macquarie
|
$4000
|
|
Charlestown Caring Group
|
Provision of hampers and vouchers for local club high-tea meals
|
Lake Macquarie
|
$2500
|