Eight charities operating in Gippsland have shared $108,544 in funding allocated by Catholic Diocese of Sale charitable fund Trinity Families. The allocation brings the total amount distributed by Trinity Families to $1.5 million over the past 14 years. Cheques were presented to representatives of the various charities at a small function at Warragul on November 20 by Bishop of Sale, Pat O’Regan.

Major recipient was again CatholicCar, which provides family counselling services in Sale, Pakenham and Warragul. The $50,000 cheque was accepted by CatholicCare director of community services Tony Newton and Gippsland regional manager Denise Lacey.

 
WARRINA COUNSELLING John And Jenny Henshaw
 

The Uniting Church’s Frontier Services received $20,000 for its family support and drought relief work in East Gippsland and the High Country. The money was accepted by the Rev Rowena Harris and Jackie Evans.

Warrina Counselling representatives Jenny and John Henshaw accepted $2544 for an early intervention program for young people in the Latrobe Valley.

Bass Coast Health, in conjunction with the Wonthaggi Inter-church Council received $6000 for its volunteer pastoral program which operates in the hospital and nursing homes. Accepting the money was Kim Bolding from Bass Coast Health and Geraldine Heffernan from the inter-church council.

Sale-based charity, A Better Life for Foster Kids, received $6000 towards its program of providing basic needs for children placed in foster care. In accepting the cheque, founder Heather Baird said that the money came at a good time because funds were short and there were many children in out of home situations who were not receiving any support. It was planned to use the money to distribute crisis bags and to provide ongoing support for foster children with items such as shoes, toiletries and school uniforms.

 
INTERCHANGE GIPPSLAND Corey Townley And Shilo Wilson
 

FareShare Australia received $6000 towards its program of cooking and providing nutritious meals for the needy. In receiving the money Marcus Godinho said that last year FareShare had provided 80,000 nutritious frozen meals to 20 different charities from Sale to Narre Warren for distribution to those in need. Meals were made from surplus produce supplied by farms and supermarkets and were delivered monthly.

Luis Brito from Remar Australia accepted $7000 towards its residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation program at Nyora. He praised the support received from Trinity Families over several years and said that the money enabled the centre to keep providing a valuable service to those in need.

Interchange Gippsland received $10,000 for its work with young people with disabilities in the Latrobe Valley and South Gippsland. The cheque was accepted by Shilo Wilson and Interchange participant Corey Townley.

 
A Better Life For Foster Kids - Heather Baird and Bishop
BASS COAST HEALTH Kim Bolding Geraldine Heffernan
CATHOLICCARE Tony Newton And Denise Lacey
 
FRONTIER SERVICES Jackie Evans
FARESHARE Marcus Godhino and Bishop
This story first appeared in Catholic Life.