CBCity opening extra funds to community groups

Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour has announced an extra $200,000 will be made available to community groups to help struggling residents during the Coronavirus.

Mayor Khal Asfour said he was “saddened” to hear some of the hardship stories during a recent video conference with several community organisations.

“Some have lost jobs and are finding it difficult to put food on the table”, Mayor Asfour said.

“One organisation told me of two residents who were unable to afford housing and were forced to sleep in their cars.”

Canterbury-Bankstown has over 120 community groups, which all play a vital role in supporting those in need and they rely on Government assistance.

“To help these groups, I have decided to fast-track $200,000 from the 2020/21 Community Grants Program to make it available for community groups this financial year.

“It’s crucial to provide our Community Organisations with support, so they can continue their outstanding work.”

Under the “supercharged” grants scheme, community organisations can apply for grants from $500 to a maximum of $20,000. The focus will be on two key areas _ emergency relief and alternate practices and innovation.

“Emergency relief will provide funding for the organisations offering support to those in genuine hardship, including basics like food, clothing, shelter and other critical needs,” Mayor Asfour said.

“The alternate practices and innovation category will assist in improving their technology and service delivery. For example, if a community organisation had to stop providing face-to-face mental healthcare, they can use the grant to develop innovative ways to continue that service.”

In addition to this, Council is offering a 12-month extension for the grants that were issued to Community Organisations last year.

“Those who received the grant last year may no longer be able to deliver their events or activities. By offering an extension we are providing them the opportunity to deliver these when things improve,” Mayor Asfour said.

Eligible Community Organisations can apply for funding up to Wednesday 27 May 2020.