Second round of Small Grants Program takes off

Second round of Small Grants Program takes off

CCI Giving has announced second round recipients for the Small Grants Program.

Ten community organisations from around the country will take their social initiatives forward, including one taking theirs on road trips in a converted horse float that doubles as a mobile coffee and information cart.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service (NSW) will visit rural and remote towns to connect communities and promote socialising while offering free coffee. Casual meetings aim to break down barriers and raise awareness for RFDS mental health services, while providing access to mental healthcare, and alcohol and drug support services to those who would normally face long-distance travelling to get help.

“CCI Giving supports the Catholic community in its efforts to help people facing disadvantage and hardship through social or economic difficulties. If you’re working to help young people overcome educational disadvantage; refugees and people seeking asylum; rural, regional or remote communities; perhaps families affected by mental illness or domestic violence then you should definitely apply,” says CEO at CCI, Roberto Scenna.

Applications for the next round of the CCI Giving Small Grants Program will open December 2018. Find out if you are eligible here, or subscribe to CCI Giving to stay up-to-date.


The full list of recipients in this round are as follows:

Mercy Works Ltd (VIC)

Mercy Connect Melbourne provides in-school mentoring and tutoring to students from asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds through the use of trained volunteers from an educational background. The program also extends to families of the students via adult literacy classes. With an increase in the number of asylum seekers and refugees in Melbourne, the program is expanding to meet the needs of more students.

CCI Giving is supporting the expansion of Mercy Connect Melbourne’s programs.

Heaps Decent (NSW)

Heaps Decent will run a series of 20 free creative workshops in electronic music and visual production between January and June 2019 in Sydney, accessing up to 50 children and young people aged 12 to 17 who are highly isolated and experiencing many challenges as the result of mental health issues and economic disadvantage.

CCI’s funding will contribute to engaging 3 artist tutors plus a consumable workshop materials required for visual activities.

Community Care Incorporated (NSW)

Community Care Incorporated’s Refugee Outreach Program provides regular practical assistance for up to 75 refugee and asylum seeker families with children in Western Sydney. They include families from Sri Lanka, India, Iraq, Syria and Egypt. The program provides emergency relief assistance for utility bills and distributes food including rice, fruit and vegetables. The program brings hope into people's lives and helps build a community which celebrates cultural diversity.

CCI Giving will provide critical funding for Community Care to continue to offer the Refugee Outreach Program over the next 12 months.

ACRATH (National)

Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH) plans to run a national conference in February 2019 to provide peer support sessions for volunteers, training for membership organisations and a National Committee planning meeting to develop a national plan of action for 2019 to counter human trafficking.

CCI Giving will provide funding in support of airfares and accommodation for members to attend training and planning activities at the National Conference.

St Patrick’s Community Support Centre Limited (WA)

St Patrick's Community Support Centre recently secured agreement for a lease over the property which was formerly St Jerome’s Catholic Church in south west metropolitan Perth. St Patrick’s intends to create a space where struggling families and young people can seek assistance, and gather for support and engagement activities.

CCI Giving will provide funds for refurbishment of the electrical systems at St Jerome’s prior to this former church’s re-birth as a much-needed community hub.

West Welcome Wagon (VIC)

West Welcome Wagon (WWW) supports asylum seekers in Melbourne’s inner western suburbs, mainly by providing essential appliances. These include kettles, rice cookers, toasters and microwaves. WWW’s volunteers identify families in need, source cost effective appliances and pick up purchases as required, delivering them to WWW’s warehouse. They then test and tag items and deliver them to families.

CCI Giving’s grant will be used to purchase both new and secondhand small appliances.

Brown Nurses (National)

Brown Nurses Ministry provide in-home holistic nursing care to the most marginalised in the community. Brown Nurse’s clients live on fixed incomes (i.e. Disability or Aged Pension) and often find it difficult - or impossible - to accommodate unexpected needs.

CCI Giving’s grant to Brown Nurses Ministry will assist with meeting the needs of clients who require support to purchase one-off items such as whitegoods or medication.

Sisters of the Good Samaritan Foundation (NT)

The Santa Teresa Spirituality Centre is an outreach of the Santa Teresa Catholic Parish in Central Australia. It is part of an Aboriginal Community of the Eastern Arrente people who preserve their own culture and language. The Centre is a safe space for the women of Santa Teresa where they can gather, share their lives and produce their art as part of a unique social enterprise, which is marketed globally.

CCI Giving is providing funding to repaint the women’s work space which will enhance an otherwise drab environment for both the women and their customers.

Wellsprings for Women (VIC)

Wellsprings for Women offers an important suite of programs designed in consultation with, and in response to, the needs of women in Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia. These programs include education, wellbeing and social support programs, mostly catering to the culturally and linguistically diverse population and refugees/people seeking asylum. The Wellsprings for Women's Atelier project involves the building of a women's workshop space as an extension of Wellsprings current premises in Dandenong. The workshops will train women in a variety of skills that will boost their chances and opportunities to secure pathways to further training or employment.

CCI Giving is providing funds to help build a large workshop space as an extension to the existing premises. The workshop will be used to house Wellsprings for Women’s Atelier project.

Royal Flying Doctor Service (NSW)

Access to mental health and alcohol and other drug services, particularly early intervention and prevention services, can be difficult in rural and remote areas where people are isolated and have to travel long distances. The Royal Flying Doctor Service will operate a converted horse float / mobile coffee and information cart which will travel to rural and remote towns, connecting communities and increasing social participation through free coffee and casual meetings to break down barriers and promote RFDS mental health services, including drug and alcohol support.

CCI Giving’s grant will be used by RFDS to ensure the coffee float is fully equipped and stocked for 12 months.

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