Cranbourne Rotary Club, Casey North Community Information & Support Service, and Transit Soup Kitchen and Food Support have received funding from the 2024 Community Grants program.
They are among the 22 community groups in Melbourne’s south-east that share the $140,000 this year.
The Community Grants program by South East Water provides up to $10,000 for a broad range of projects that help make communities better places to live, including essential food relief, accessible programs for people living with a disability, and health and wellbeing support for refugee communities.
The Rotary Club of Cranbourne will use the funding to support volunteers to deliver its ‘Water Wise Wallies’ project, in partnership with Cranbourne West Primary School.
Rotary Club of Cranbourne Secretary Lloma Shaw said the club had supported Cranbourne West Primary School for many years to develop their vegetable garden into an integral component of the school’s curriculum.
“Students have learned to grow, tend, harvest and cook a range of fresh vegetables in meals for the school’s brunch club, or for distribution to families,” she said.
“The South East Water grant will help us purchase two rainwater tanks for the school’s vegetable garden, to help students learn the importance of catching and retaining water in times of need to keep the garden green all year round,” said Ms Shaw.
Minister for Water Harriet Shing and Cranbourne MP Pauline Richards joined South East Water to announce the grant outcomes on Thursday 13 June.
“Congratulations to The Rotary Club of Cranbourne for their continued support and collaborative partnerships with our school communities to deliver great learning outcomes for local students and their families,” Ms Richards said.
Now in its fifth year, South East Water’s annual Community Grants program has awarded more than $475,000 to 88 community groups to deliver projects that enhance water security and knowledge, protect the environment, support vulnerable community members and help people be more active and connected.
