By Tyler Wright
More local mouths in need are set to be fed with a state government funding injection into Foothills Community Care.
On Wednesday 7 June, Monbulk MP Daniela De Martino confirmed the $50,000 promised in the lead up to the 2022 state election was allocated for the not-for-profit in the 2023/2024 budget.
Foothills Community Care – Community Meals CEO Stephen Barrington said the funding will support infrastructure for the growing organisation.
“We’ve gone from distributing 10,000 meals a year to about 45,000 meals a year, so that’s been a massive upcurb for us,” Mr Barrington said.
“We’ve been able to support so many people, hundreds of families each week, through our community meals and our delivered meals and our domestic violence outreach project.
“We’re doing an outreach project in Ferntree Gully as well, working with vulnerable people there…this is really good to be able to create a new space for us to have someone to oversee all those operations.”
Foothills Community Care has been running since 2002, and has provided a place for Ferntree Gully locals to gather and have a meal since 2007.
The organisation found a home for its weekly community meals at the Upwey Baptist Community Church in 2015.
Mr Barrington said the funding will also support volunteers, the team and the “nuts and bolts” needed to make sure operations run smoothly.
“It has a direct impact on us, to ensure that the stuff we’re doing continues, continues at good quality, that no one gets missed,” he said.
“When you’re flying by the seat of your pants, it goes well 95 per cent of the time, but we miss things as well just because we’re a small organisation with next to no admin.”
In a recent Facebook post on 14 June, Ms De Martino said Foothills Community Care has been providing meals and a place to belong in Ferntree Gully for 16 years and at Upwey for eight years.
“That is why Jackson Taylor MP and I were so thrilled to announce last Wednesday that the election commitment of $50,000 for this remarkable organisation was included in this State Budget,” Ms De Martino’s post read.
“Thank you Stephen and each and every volunteer for the incredible work you do in supporting our community across the foothills.”
The state budget was delivered on Tuesday 23 May 2023.
