As a result of your sustained advocacy, $2.5M in food relief funding for Neighbourhood Houses was announced in today’s Victorian state budget.

Since releasing our state budget submissions in October of last year, Neighbourhood Houses and community centres across the state have been meeting local MPs, engaging local media, and organising in their communities to stress the urgent need to fund the growing cost burden of food.

Neighbourhood Houses Victoria has actively supported this local advocacy and highlighted this issue on ABC Radio (metro and regional), the Weekly Times, Channel Nine news and various other local media.

We understand the $2.5M will form a pool dedicated to Neighbourhood Houses through an open grants process. We will confirm when we have further detail on timing and access provisions.

We sincerely thank Minister Ros Spence for supporting our submission through the budget process and to the Allan Government for this funding uplift.

While we would all rather our communities didn’t need food relief, the reality is that the rising cost of unfunded food relief is threatening the sustainability of many Neighbourhood Houses.

By contributing to previously unfunded food relief efforts, these additional grants will improve the long-term viability of the sector.