By BRIDGET COOK
A CAMPAIGN has been launched in Casey to ensure local residents facing financial crisis continue to be supported.
Holt MP Anthony Byrne and Cranbourne Information and Support Service (CISS) manager Leanne Petrides launched a campaign yesterday (Wednesday) to try and protect funding for emergency relief amid speculation that cuts were on the cards.
The campaign will call on the Federal Government to not cut emergency relief funding to local community services in the forthcoming Federal Budget.
Emergency relief helps people deal with their immediate financial crisis situation in a way that maintains the dignity of the individual and encourages self-reliance.
There are more than 700 community and charitable organisations around Australia that provide the help, including the Cranbourne CISS and the Casey North CISS.
Ms Petrides said the emergency relief was well utilised in Casey and hoped the funding support for it would continue.
“In the financial year 2012-2013, CISS saw nearly 8000 individuals, who represented many families in Casey’s South,” she said.
“We assisted with almost 14,000 different requests for assistance, with over 6000 of those requests being for emergency relief.
“During the last financial year, we provided over $150,000 of food and petrol vouchers to those in need in our local community, as well as $12,315 in other financial assistance.
“This does not include the many food parcels distributed on a daily basis.
“Seventeen per cent of the clients assisted with emergency relief were first time visitors to our agency.
“We are already noticing an increase in demand for our services this year to the end of April 2014 and thus we require current funding levels to be maintained.”
Mr Byrne urged the Federal Government to continue its funding support.
“Organisations like CISS go above and beyond to help those in the community in need and thus they should actually be given further support by governments and not be threatened with cuts to their own budgets for carrying out vital community services,” he said.
If you wish to join this campaign to retain current funding levels for emergency relief funding, then call Mr Byrne office on 9796 7533.
