The Victorian Government is helping Victorians from multicultural backgrounds continue putting healthy and culturally appropriate food on the table as Victorians do their bit by staying home. Under the program, funding for many Indian organizations working to help those in the community has also been provided.
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ros Spence today announced more than $1.4 million for 99 organisations to continue delivering immediate food relief services to Victoria’s multicultural communities.
“We’re helping put food on the table for Victorians in need – no Victorian should go hungry because of this pandemic” Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ros Spence said.
This will allow organisations to continue their important work, including by providing food hampers, freshly cooked meals, groceries and essential items to community members in need.
“Victoria’s multicultural communities have remained strong while facing the challenges of the pandemic, and we are ensuring they receive the help they need to keep going” Minister Spence added.
Funded through the Priority Response to Multicultural Communities During Coronavirus program, organisations including Fijian Community Association Victoria and the Ballarat African Association will be supported to continue providing communities with culturally appropriate food relief.
Also read: Mental Health Foundation Australia cries out for funding
The Khalsa Foundation is also being funded to continue its food delivery service providing groceries and essential items to Shepparton residents.
Almost $23 million has already been invested through the program, enabling support to more than 500,000 Victorians since it began in August 2020.
“Community organisations do such an important job feeding people and keeping them connected, and this will allow them to continue serving the communities they know so well” Minister Spence further said appreciating the work done by community organisations.
Since the start of the pandemic, the Government has funded more than 320 community organisations through the program to provide emergency relief, food support and community outreach, as well as targeted communication through translated materials and community-led content.
This builds on the $5 million committed in June to the program to ensure Victoria’s multicultural communities are well-supported to deal with the impacts of the pandemic.
Through this program the state government has provided funding for various Indian organizations to provide food relief other services through all phases – Phase 1, Phase 2 & Phase 3. Some of those recipient organizations include the following:
| PHASE 1: | |
| Organization Name | Funding Purpose |
| 1. 5B’s Humanitarian Incorporated | Food relief |
| 2. Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria | Emergency food relief |
| 3. Australian Sikh Support Inc. | Food Relief |
| 4. Fijian Community Association Victoria | Food Relief – Packages,
Food Relief – Vouchers, Translated Health Communications, Testing Support |
| 5. Hare Krishna Food for Life | Emergency food relief |
| 6. Hindu Council of Australia (Vic) | Emergency food relief |
| 7. Hindu Council of Australia (Vic) | Food relief |
| 8. Indian Cultural Association of Victoria | Food relief – packages |
| 9. IndianCare | Food relief |
| 10. Kali Mata Mandir Craigieburn Inc (Legal Name) | Food relief – packages |
| 11. Khalsa Darbar Mickleham | Food Relief – Meals; Food Relief – Packages |
| 12. Khalsa Foundation Australia Incorporated (Legal Name) | Food Relief – Meals |
| 13. Khalsa Shaouni | Food relief |
| 14. Melbourne Kannada Sangha Inc | Food Relief – Packages |
| 15. Sant Nirankari Mandal | Food relief |
| 16. Sewa International (Aust) Inc. | Food Relief – Vouchers |
| 17. Shree Swaminarayan Temple – Melbourne Inc | Food Relief – Meals |
| 18. Sikh Community Connections | Food Relief |
| 19. Sikh Community of Greater Geelong | Food relief |
| 20. Sikh Community of Western Victoria | Food relief |
| 21. Sikh Interfaith Council | Emergency food relief |
| 22. Sikh Volunteers Australia | Emergency food relief |
| 23. Siri Guru Nanak Darbar (Sikh Gurdwara, Officer) | Food relief – Packages, Outreach, Health Communications |
| 24. Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha | Food relief |
| 25. Sri Guru Singh Sabha | Food relief |
| 26. Sri Krishna Brundavana Ltd | Food relief |
| 27. The Trustee for Mata Chintapurni Arts/Culture and Education Trust | Emergency Food Relief |
| 28. Turbans 4 Australia | Food Relief – Packages |
| 29. United Sikhs Incorporated | Food Relief – Packages (2,000 – 3,000 individuals) |
| 30. Victorian Tamil Association Inc | Food Relief |
| 31. Whittlesea Malaylee Association | Food Relief |
| PHASE 2: | |
| 1. Australian Integrated Fijian Association of Victoria Inc (AIFAV) | Information sessions, Referrals to services, Food relief |
| 2. Fijian Community Association of Victoria Inc | Translation of health messages, Informational materials, Information sessions, Community engagement, Food relief, Personnel Communications technology and software |
| 3. IndianCare Incorporated | Food relief, Informational materials,
Referral to services, Social media |
| 4. Kali Mata Mandir | Food relief, Information sessions, Health and wellbeing classes |
| 5. Khalsa Darbar Mickleham | Outreach Food relief |
| 6. Khalsa Shaouni Inc. | Food relief |
| 7. Mata Chintapurni Arts/Education and Cultural Centre | Food relief |
| 8. Melbourne Kannada Sangha | Food relief |
| 9. Melbourne Vinayagar Hindu Sangam Inc | Personal health safety items |
| 10. Sikh Community Connections Inc | Informational materials, Food relief |
| 11. Siri Guru Nanak Darbar | Food relief, Translation of informational materials, Information sessions, Capacity building |
| 12. United Sikhs Incorporated | Food relief |
| 13. Victorian Tamil Association Inc | Food relief, Personal health safety items, Informational materials |
| PHASE 3: | |
| 1. 5B’s Humanitarian Incorporated | Food relief |
| 2. Australian Sikh Support Inc | Food relief |
| 3. Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria | Food relief |
| 4. Fijian Community Association Victoria | Food relief |
| 5. Hare Krishna Food For Life | Food relief |
| 6. Hindu Council of Australia | Food relief |
| 7. IndianCare Inc | Food relief |
| 8. Kali Mata Mandir Craigieburn Inc | Food relief |
| 9. Khalsa Darbar Mickleham | Food relief |
| 10. Khalsa Foundation Australia | Food relief |
| 11. Khalsa Shaouni Inc | Food relief |
| 12. Mata Chintapurni Arts/Education and Cultural Centre | Food relief |
| 13. Melbourne Kannada Sangha Inc | Food relief |
| 14. Sant Nirankari Mandal Australia Inc | Food relief |
| 15. Sewa International (Aust) Inc. | Food relief |
| 16. Sikh Community Connections Inc | Food relief |
| 17. Sikh Community of Greater Geelong | Food relief |
| 18. Sikh Community of Western Victoria | Food relief |
| 19. Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sikh Cultural Society of Victoria | Food relief |
| 20. United Sikhs Incorporated | Food relief |
| 21. Whittlesea Malaylee Association | Food relief |
In addition to funding provided to the Indian organizations, Mental Health Foundation Australia led by Vasan Srinivasan, Jim Goodin and generously supported by Param Jaswal, was successful recipient in Phase 1 & Phase 3.
A complete list of funded recipients can be found at vic.gov.au/priority-response-multicultural-communities-during-coronavirus-covid-19.
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