The Quercus Beechworth Neighbourhood House is calling on the community for ideas about filling a serious gap when a financial assistance program delivered to people in need stops at the end of next month.
The Department of Social Services (DSS) will cease funding the decade long annual grant with around $25,000 for each of the last four years given to the community organisation.
Quercus Beechworth general manager Paivi Watson said the program 'Emergency Relief – Financial Crisis and Material Aid' is a core part of community support operations.
Ms Watson said the program helps people with items, among them food and petrol vouchers, paying utility bills such as electricity, water and gas, medical bills and with essential items needed to live a normal life.
“We would have continued the same service delivery with the program had we received funding,” she said.
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An application made for the next five year-round in December last year has been unsuccessful with DSS recently notifying Quercus Beechworth about its decision to no longer fund the program.
With the high cost of living, the Neighbourhood House statistics show a significant increase in, as well as a growing one, for the local need of emergency financial assistance with a spike in demand in 2021 due to the COVID-19 impact.
Over the last decade the Neighbourhood House has provided over 4000 client support sessions to more than 500 individuals.
Close to 90 per cent of clients are from Beechworth while the remaining 10 per cent are from surrounding towns.
Ms Watson said a move forward will include liaising with other support organisations to explore if clients’ needs for financial support can be covered.
“Every organisation is stretched in supporting those in need and we’ve had funding stopped without any reason given,” she said.
The general manager said it is important for the community to note the change affects only the Emergency Financial Assistance program with all other Quercus Beechworth programs not impacted.
She also said the self-funded free community meals program runs in partnership with Corrections Victoria is thriving.
A DSS spokesperson said from 1 October this year, the Australian government is providing approximately $55 million per year in base funding for Emergency Relief nationally, shared among 188 providers.
The number of organisations delivering services in the Hume region in Victoria will increase by 20 per cent with no cuts to services in the region.
Services in the region to receive emergency relief funding included Gateway Health, Mount Beauty Neighbourhood House, Mansfield and District Welfare Group, Open Door Neighbourhood House (Wangaratta), St Vincent De Paul Society and The Salvation Army.
“We are committed to working with all ceasing, new, and continuing providers to ensure a smooth transition to the new grant arrangements,” the spokesperson said.
Quercus Beechworth as a Neighbourhood House is funded by the Victorian Government’s Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH).
The community organisation’s core purpose is community development - building local capacity and resilience, facilitating connection, fostering inclusion, and delivering programs and learning pathways that sustainably strengthen the community.
Ms Watson said as the program is stopping, thinking outside the box with innovative ideas is needed on how the gap can be filled.
As a community organisation, she said people are invited to an Open Community Consultation on Wednesday, 3 September at 6:30pm in the Quercus Beechworth Oregon Hall, 30 Ford Street.
RSVP to manager@quercusbeechworth.org.au but drop-ins are welcome.
