FLOOD RECOVERY

Greater Shepparton Foundation is out in the community listening and learning year-round, we not only respond with our strategically planned major projects, our structure is such that we are nimble and can respond in times of crisis and community need. GSF’s flood recovery response was made possible via funds raised from our Greater Shepparton Community Flood Response Campaign and by applying to funding partners and philanthropic trusts to support specific programs to support those impacted by the floods.  Whilst the recovery response continues, to date the following projects have been supported -

 

Food Relief In The Mooroopna Community

Mooroopna Education and Activity Centre (MEAC) received a grant to provide food relief during the winter months.  
 

This project was in response to Life Op Shop not re-opening after it was inundated by flood waters.  Whilst it operated as an Op Shop, it had an important dual purpose in that it provided a much-needed outlet for food relief for those doing it tough in Mooroopna.  Listening to our community, we heard how important this was, and of the significant gap in vital service left, therefore, collaboratively with Mooroopna MEAC and Shepparton Foodshare we supported a solution to distribute food to people in need.

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Refurbishment of Mooroopna Community Space

Mooroopna Halls received significant damage during the floods resulting in the usually busy halls being closed. These halls are an essential community gathering space, hired for functions, events, dance classes, exhibitions, pop-up-shops and meetings.
 

To assist the Mooroopna Halls Committee of Management, a voluntary committee who have been working tirelessly to repair the flood damage and bring the halls back to a usable condition GSF partnered with Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project to provide a $22,000 grant to seal and refinish floors damaged during the floods.

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Supporting Connection Through Sport and Recreation
Flood recovery funds subsidized 130 memberships for individuals and families to participate in sport and recreation activities.  Sport and recreation is not only good for physical health and wellbeing, being a member of a sporting or recreation club also improves social connectivity and inclusion.  It builds communities, enables diversity through larger social networks and creates opportunities for friendships.
 

After the floods, many local people simply could no longer afford to be a member of a club albeit at a time when they needed the connection the most.  These membership subsidies enabled and fostered continued physical activity, social connection, and peer support.

 

Food Relief and Response Efforts
During the first week of the floods as soon as funds started coming in, financial support was granted to local organisation Giz A Break to deliver food and material aid through flood waters.
 

Point of Difference Studio also received funds to support the immediate response efforts to assist our multicultural community.
 

Support for young people
Funds supported free camps for children who were residing in emergency relief centres or who had been displaced by the floods. Children without stable home environments are particularly vulnerable, the Giz A Break camps offer an escape (both physically and mentally) for young people to build perspective and resilience during incredibly challenging times.
 

Support for families
GSF partnered with McColl’s Transport and Athletes Foot Shepparton, to contribute new shoes and Christmas hamper items to 38 flood impacted families participating in OzChild’s family preservation program.  The program provides support for children and young people in foster and kinship care and keeping families together where possible.
 

Support for services
Campaign funds enabled GSF to support Shepparton Family and Financial Services (SFFS), a non-for-profit operation offering financial counselling, to provide NIL Loans and emergency food aid.  Following the floods, presentations to the service more than doubled.  This volume of need has not slowed down, flood recovery funding allowed SFFS to scale up their operations and put on an additional Financial Counsellor to support our local families to get back on their feet. 
 

Flood Recovery Grants
Funds raised from our Greater Shepparton Community Flood Response Campaign enabled us to open a one-off ‘Flood Recovery’ grant round.  The grant round is a transparent and equitable method to distribute funds for the purposes in which they were donated, to support the community through the recovery process.  Up to $25,000 was available to eligible projects to support the immediate needs of those impacted by the floods, the wellbeing needs of the wider community or other locally determined, minor incidental costs that are unable to be met by other funders.
 

A sub-committee of local service providers operating in the flood recovery space and community leaders, will assess and determine the projects to receive funding.
 

Bringing Joy At Christmas
Our GIVIT Together National Christmas campaign, encouraged generous donors to support the purchase of gift vouchers, to allow flood affected families to select items suitable for their children, and situation. Recognising many families in Greater Shepparton were in temporary accommodation or staying with friends and family the GIVIT Together National Christmas Campaign provided over 300 fuel, grocery and toy vouchers to 146 children, across 53 families and five schools. In excess of $8,000 in vouchers were generously donated through the GIVIT platform.
 

Mosquito Borne Disease Intervention and Prevention
The extensive flooding and subsequent water laying close to homes provided conditions for mosquitoes to thrive, increasing the risk of spreading mosquito borne diseases including Ross River virus, Barmah Forest Virus, Murray Valley Encephalitis (MVE) and Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus.

Our ‘Mosquito Borne Disease Intervention Prevention’ program, supported by FRRR, Wise Well Women, Pratt Foundation and Greater Shepparton City Council sees every child attending kindergarten in 2023 having access to a free roll on insect repellent, and in-language information about prevention to mitigate the risks of children contracting mosquito borne disease.  Read more here.

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Thank You

Thank You to the following businesses and supporters who made significant contributions, or coordinated events to support our Greater Shepparton Flood Recovery Campaign -
 

• Ryan O’Connor and the team at Shepparton Real Estate

• Sam Prentice and the team at SPC Factory Sales

• Councillor Sam Spinks and the generous customers of GV Wardrobe

• CVGT Employment

• Verney Road Special School

• Guthrie Street Primary School students

• Tegan from Tegan’s Custom Cakes

• Jeramy, Jane and the team at Spiire

• Kara, Michelle, Anna and the team at MB&M

• Village Cinemas Shepparton

• Gerard and Trace from GV Plumbing

• Leigh at Solar City Marines

• David and Kristen at Trevaskis Engineering

• Prasit Sidi Pansean at House of Siam Thai

• Greg and the team at Fawkner Soccer Club

• Kristy and the team at Vision Radiology

• Alan and the team at Scotia

• Etienne at Science of Spirituality

• Allie Prior at Athlete’s Foot Shepparton

• The team at McColl’s Transport

• Trish and the team at Primary Care Connect

• Brenda and the residents of Warragul Lifestyle

• Caring Hearts Geelong

• Eldo, Dayana and the team at Loanweb

• Rahul and the team at Art of Living

• Rolando and the team at the Australian Football Skool
   

Plus our valued Philanthropic partners and supporters:

• Sir Andrew and Lady Fairley Foundation

• Lord Mayors Charitable Trust

• Anthony Costa Foundation

• Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR)

• Australian Communities Foundation
   

In addition, thank you to the countless individual donations we have received. We wouldn’t be able to support the recovery process without your generous support.