By Renee Wood
Half a million dollars will be going towards supporting projects across the Yarra Ranges as part of the council’s annual Grants for Community program.
Councillors unanimously supported the funding at the Tuesday 26 October meeting for 68 projects across the municipality ranging from events, health and wellbeing projects and Covid-19 recovery ideas.
Councillor Sophie Todorov said they support the council’s strategic plans and will create a sense of belonging and identity for local communities.
“I must say our calendars will be jam packed over the next 12 months or so, so many fantastic initiatives and events coming up,” she said.
The grants were broken into community development, arts and heritage and festivals and events.
“They will involve many community volunteers, in fact we can never underestimate the monetary value of our volunteers in running these fantastic events and programs as well.”
Councillor Tim Heenan said many of the funding recipients will be looking forward to getting back together after cancellations due to the pandemic.
“We know that in 2022 there is a lot more certainty for our community to have these great events and to do these great things in the community than what there was in 2020 and even 2021,” he said.
Local grants include:
Community development
– Re-invigorating the Mt Evelyn toy library $3000
– Eastern Area Multiple Birth Association to support their offerings $2,197
– Mooroolbark community connector project $10,000
– Japara Neighbourhood House for a mobility scooter workshop $1,750
– Mums of the Hills to deliver a ‘resilient mums’ support project $8,000
– Mt Evelyn Community House empowering carers project $5,250
– Australian Chin Community’s free afterschool homework club $10,000
– Parents Hub mums drop in program $8,000
– Eastern Domestic Violence Sevice’s Level Playgroup $5,000
– Outer Eastern LLEN youth career expo $5,000
– The Big Sister Experience for a series of mental health and wellbeing workshops $4,000
Arts and Heritage
– Auspicious Arts Projects to build on from a 2021 documentary about creative women $7,000
– Yarra Valley Arts for a series of textile art classes $5,000
– Katu Katu for a mentoring project for local artists $8,000
– Community Houses Assoc. for ‘Healing Harmonies’ to heal through creative and song writing $4,000
– Yarra Ranges Heritage Network for a research project with 15 historical societies $10,000
– Forgotten Heroes Vietnam and Veterans Music reminiscence project $10,000
Festivals and Events
– Kilsyth Community Action Group for the Kilsyth Festival $10,000
– Eastern Volunteers for a volunteer expo showcasing community groups $9,000
