By Callum Ludwig
Love in the Name of Christ (LinC) Yarra Valley held a community meeting on Wednesday 11 May to announce their new way or working.
LinC wants to go back to its roots, and act as a resource for churches throughout the Upper Yarra.
General Manager Julie Szabo said in its foundations, LinC was about helping churches help people.
“This new way of working is about going back to what LinC was doing many years ago, having “We have been assisting vulnerable people in the Yarra Valley in practical ways, and we adjust what we do, depending on what the needs are. During Covid-19, it was a good opportunity to as we’re all working from home to think about how we need to change things moving forward.”
LinC has gone completely mobile now, removing their landline and directing those in need to a mobile phone number. This way, LinC volunteers can be situated at home, in their office in the Upper Yarra Learning Centre or at a member church, and still be able to help at a moment’s notice.
Ms Szabo said LinC realised they become an agency, rather than a resource.
“Over the years we were starting to hear people saying, ‘they’re a parachurch organisation’, which is standing alongside the church,” she said.
“We felt deep down like we were the churches, and we were a network of the churches. So we realised we needed to adjust something and reinvent ourselves.”
LinC has based its rejuvenation on five points: acting as a resource for churches, ensuring each church has a vision for their community, communicating better with the churches, simplifying their programs and mobilising its volunteers.
As part of their desire to communicate better with churches, they are aiming to have a representative from each church on their board of members to act as the ambassador for their church.
In the past 6 months of the financial year, LinC has provided over $400,000 in value of services to those in need in the Upper Yarra, with over $238,000 worth and over 109,000kg of food provided to those in need alone.
The food is provided through a number of contributors, mainly Second Bite, as well as local supermarkets like Warburton IGA and Seville Aldi, and is shared amongst LinC, Redwood Community Centre, churches, schools and Eastern Food Share.
There are a number of vacant positions LinC are seeking volunteers to fill a number of roles in the organisation: a transport coordinator and transport drivers, an assistant to Ms Szabo as the general manager, a fundraising officer (ideally with experience in Grant Writing), fresh start and emergency relief intake volunteers, a bookkeeper and church representatives to join as board members.
LinC is hosting an afternoon tea on Tuesday 17 May for all volunteers: past, present and future, to mark the beginning of National Volunteer Week at the Woori Yallock Presbyterian Church at 1363 Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Rd from 2pm to 4pm.
