Christmas grants for local organisations

Christmas for many district families will be a lot more cheerful after some major donations to three organisations by the Andrews Foundation.

A total of $47,000 was given to Warragul based organisations Olivia’s Place, West Gippsland Healthcare Group and Baw Baw Combined Churches Food Relief.

Olivia’s Place that supports new parents experiencing difficulties during pregnancies and the first year of babies’ lives was thrilled to receive $20,000.

General manager of operations Kirsten Finger said the money from Andrews Foundation would help meet the cost of the warehouse it leases in Normanby St for its material aid program.

It will also enable more support to be available to families throughout next year, she said.

West Gippsland Health Group’s allied and community health service was able to establish a Christmas shop at its Gladstone St premises where families facing hard times at Christmas could avail themselves of free gifts for clients up to 17 years of age with the $15,000 it was granted.

And the $12,000 Baw Baw Food Relief received helped it through its busiest period of the year providing food and other household necessities.

Andrews Foundation trustees Alice Andrews and Duncan Smith did the rounds of the three extremely grateful organisations to deliver the cheques.

WGHG acting director of allied and community health Leanne Coupland said the approach was made to the Andrews Foundation came after it identified a need to support vulnerable families at Christmas.

It was the first Christmas shop the group had been able to establish, she said.

General manager of operations at Olivia’s Place in Warragul Kirsten Finger with her son Nate gratefully accept a $20,000 donation from Andrews Foundation trustees Duncan Smith and Alice Andrews to help make Christmas a bit more comfortable for some young families in the district.