By Callum Ludwig
LinC Yarra Valley are a cornerstone of charity and community in the Upper Yarra, helping residents from East Warburton to Mooroolbark.
In LinC’s Annual and Community Value report for the 2022-23 financial year, they provided over $2 million worth of value to the community.
LinC Fresh Food Coordinator and Treasurer Mark Knoll said the numbers absolutely astound him.
“It’s all down to the volume and quality of food we are given, from the apples to the stuff every fortnight from the monks to the food from Second Bite, (Yarra) Junction Bakery, Woolies, Aldi, Silva Coffee and all the other generous donors we have,” he said.
“It’s mind blowing just to see the quality and the amount of stuff we get given, there’s just so many people that help that program and help all those people and that value of food helps so many different families.”
Through LinC’s Fresh Food Program alone, over $1.3 million worth of food was provided, which as well as the volunteer labour costs to collect and distribute the food amounted to over $1.75 million dollars worth through the program.
Mr Knoll said on any given week, they help about 270 families.
“The number of people who come to our programs, it works out to about 1100 people that we help each week with food and that’s huge in itself,” he said.
“There’s a great gratitude you get from, seeing and helping people from young mums with babies through to elderly senior citizens struggling to get by on the pension, and with the financial pressures of today, it’s hit them and all the demographics in between.”
96 per cent of the grants and donations received by LinC go back into their community efforts, with the limited paid staff members even graciously reducing their working hours in the face of reduced funding and donations.
Mr Knoll said he hopes LinC going forward are able to support more people with products or services such as bill help.
“I’d also like to see more be put into housing and support for not only the elderly but the lonely in the community, because some people come to the food program and collect very little food but they come for the social aspect,” he said.
“At the moment there’s not as much money around, there’s not as many grants and there’s not as many donors at the moment in that area and we’d just like to see more there and more general funds coming in.”
