Community Grants Support 119 Projects

For the homeless sector these are difficult times and they may well get more difficult. Homelessness services are currently struggling from a lack of long term funding commitments from State and Federal Governments while demand on services increase. Funding is tight and often smaller specialist agencies are having to compete with larger agencies for funding. So, against this backdrop of funding uncertainty, we are chuffed to be able to announce a record breaking grants distribution to support smaller grassroots projects across the country. During November – December, DineSmart 2013 broke all records raising $445,991. With a number of online donations also coming in during the past 6 months we have been able to boost the available funds for distribution to a staggering $481,680. Our previous biggest single grants distribution was $420,914.

This tally means that StreetSmart has now raised and distributed just over $3million in support of grassroots homeless services.

This year the distribution supported 119 community projects across QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS and SA, as always reflecting where the donations were made, putting back the funds into local communities who support the event. Here is what a few of the projects said on hearing the news…

“That is such wonderful news. We are now able to engage more women than ever in our social enterprise and guide them in learning the practical skills of sewing, pattern making and pattern design. We have a couple of young mums who are eager to learn to sew so they can make clothes for their children and possibly start their own small business one day. A big thanks to the team at StreetSmart Australia for supporting us in this project.”
Melissa Lovell, Program Manager, St Kilda Gatehouse

“That is awesome news. For Sydney Homeless Connect, this StreetSmart grant means we have the ability to provide birth certificates and some additional photography on the day. These services are always keenly sort out and make a big difference to those that access them. We are thrilled to be the recipient of this grant and thank StreetSmart for their ongoing generosity.” Andrew Everingham, Founder & CEO, Sydney Homeless Connect

“We are very excited to receive a StreetSmart Grant because it allows us to offer our personalised unique service of professional interview attire from our Boutique, help with career development tools such as resume writing, training in interview techniques and presentation skills all delivered by our volunteers, as well as fund the many programs we have on offer. Receiving this Grant from StreetSmart helps us to continue our work with our clients and we thank them very much.” Jenny Richardson, Suited to Success Inc

“Thank you StreetSmart for supporting our work here at Southern Cross Kids’ Camps! Your funding will enable us to run early-intervention camp mentor programs for children who have suffered emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Without help, they risk a downward spiral of social disengagement, mental health problems and homelessness. Your support will help these kids to overcome the abuse they have endured and to participate more fully in society: at home, at school and in the community. Help is hard to come by, yet you have delivered for us. Thank you so much!” Craig Schneider, Southern Cross Kids’ Camps

You can check out all the grants that have been made in each State here.

A huge thanks go out to our restaurant partners who make DineSmart happen and also all our supporters who dined out and made their micro donation contribution. It’s always amazing to see how such a simple idea as adding $2 onto your restaurant bill can have such a widespread community impact.