By Brendan Rees
A Casey charity providing immediate help to families in crisis is in desperate need of council funding as the end of its lease looms.
At their 17 September meeting, Casey councillors voted to explore ways of providing funding to the Andrews Centre in Endeavour Hills before its lease ended in April 2020.
For the past 20 years the Andrews Foundation, a philanthropic trust, has generously paid the rent for the Andrews Centre building – however this funding will cease as soon as the lease was up.
The Andrews Centre’s chief executive Judy Martin said Endeavour Ministries, which runs the not-for-profit on Hanna Drive, had looked at a number of options but found the only way forward was to buy the building as the landowner wanted to sell.
“Each year the centre spends around $254,000 just providing the services we offer, so we are seeking help from council to help us repair costs and/or supporting us to pay back moneys borrowed to purchase the building,” Ms Martin said.
“We remain reliant on the support of other individuals and organisations to keep doing all we can to help those in need.
“We are truly grateful to the many who have provided this much valued support,” she said.
For the past 25 years, the Andrews Centre has been providing food relief as well as counselling and legal advice to more than 300 people from Endeavour Hills to Dandenong every week.
“The psychologists agree to work at the centre for no fee beyond what is provided by Medicare,” Ms Martin explained.
“Clients are bulk billed and, where families are in crisis and cannot afford further sessions needed after Medicare runs out, the centre covers the cost.”
They also provide free legal advice for the financially disadvantaged, and free educational courses.
During the council meeting councillor Rosalie Crestani said council was committed to helping the Andrews Centre.
“We have assisted in small grants but now we recognise there’s a milestone that is approaching and we don’t want to miss this opportunity,” Cr Crestani said.
“I know we’ll have community support to lend further financial commitment to them,” she said.
Casey mayor Amanda Stapledon praised the centre for “delivering outstanding services to the community,” adding it was “our intention is to be able to assist in some way.”
“I know our council officers are doing all they can to find out how we might be able to do that,” she said.
A report will come back to council in October.
