Annual Report 2015 | Page 26

Reaching our Community Through Services, Projects and Partnerships Reaching our Community Spreading the Word Tax Help is a free and confidential service provided to low income earners to complete their Tax returns from 1 July to 31 October. Perishable Food Programme National reductions to emergency relief funding means that service providers must be creative in forging new relationships and community food partners. Established over 25 years ago, Tax Help has been assisting a diverse range of people who meet certain criteria lodge their Tax Return. Typically, clients accessing the program are unable to afford to pay an accountant, found it difficult to complete their own tax returns and were more comfortable asking for assistance from someone in the community than approaching a tax agent. Every dollar saved on CSF’s food bill (food provided directly to people in need) is potentially another dollar towards keeping on someone’s gas or electricity connection. We would like to acknowledge the tremendous effort of our volunteers who assist with food pick-up and packaging. Talking to Kananook pre-school students about what it might be like not to have a home, bed, enough food or toys - at their ‘onesie’ day. Community Support Frankston visited a number of groups and organisations in the area to explain the valuable work our volunteers do to support those in our community who have fallen on hard times. As well as regular updates to some of Frankston’s Rotary, Lions and other service clubs CSF gets out to schools and speaks with students of all ages about the importance of supporting the community and how they can help to make a difference. Volunteers Jane Song and Peter Lewis starting to bag bread and bakery items on an early Wednesday morning. Tax Help 2014 — 2015 The Tax Help volunteers Peter, Rita, Albert and Lucy assisted 149 people with their Tax returns. All Community Volunteers are fully trained, accredited and supported by the Australian Taxation Office. Years of Tax Help Service: Peter Lewis 19 years Albert Chivilò 15 years Rita Cairney 11 years Lucy Wang 2 years Community Support Frankston has taken steps to expand its food program, from mainly tinned and dried goods into perishable items – to provide greater choice for clients and work with more community partners. Pick-ups commenced from a local bakery in April 2015 and by the end of June, 370 bags of bread, rolls and bakery goods were made available to anyone who walked into CSF reception on Wednesdays and requested food assistance. Planning and grant applications continue in the background for an expanded food program at CSF. This will include greater choice for clients seeking fresh and perishable food items that are often requested, particularly by families. Volunteer Josh Hamilton delivers food including bread, fruit and vegetables from Brumby’s and SecondBite to our friends at Voices of Frankston (VoF) for their lunch each week. Monterey Secondary College VCAL students did a fantastic job raising funds and food donations for the Frankston Community Appeal. 24 The measure of a civilization is how it treats its weakest members Community Support Frankston | Annual Report 2015 25