Our speaker last week was Mark Weber who is a member of the committee of the Edge Community Fund Inc.
The EDGE Community Fund Inc is a local, not for profit, DGR ( deductible gift recipient) tax deductible charity trust within an incorporated association and it was founded in 2007.
Mark mentioned a number of defining factors about the Fund:
- All donations are tax deductible and funds are distributed to those in need.
- All members are volunteers and there are no paid staff. There are 8 volunteers and they meet monthly.
- Annual administration costs are minimal and generally are less than $10
- In 2007 – a local Rotary club had a project to give bicycles to local kids. They needed bike helmets. The EDGE was formed to assist in raising funds/donations for the helmets.
- The EDGE offers financial support to families of young people, under the age of 18 years who are experiencing financial hardship in the Ashburton, Ashwood and Chadstone and surrounding areas including Glen Iris, Waverley and Oakleigh.
- Young people are assisted to participate in educational, sporting and other activities crucial to their personal development, sense of community belonging and self-esteem.
Activities funded include:
- play groups, kindergarten, school excursions and camps,
- sport clubs fees for soccer, football
- and sports skills lessons, after school club activity,
- music and theatre groups
- as well as clothes and computers.
- recently during the Pandemic a couple of computers and internet data time for young people were provided.
How does the EDGE find recipients
The Fund reaches out to the local schools at the beginning of the year. Usually word of mouth, and through a stall at the Ashburton Festival in February each year. School principals and welfare officers also approach the EDGE fund for assistance for young people as a last resort.
Last year over 50 grants were made, totaling $13000 while the previous year approximately 26 applications for assistance received $7700 in funding. The funding goes to pre-school, primary and secondary students.
The Edge also supports a child from a refugee family for an amount of $600 for Child Care Fees at the Craig.
The Fund is anticipating continuing strong numbers of applications for assistance this year as for example there are over 50 families in need with students attending Ashwood High School, a reasonably significant number of families locally are in public housing (e.g. 7 percent in Ashburton), and there is a slowing economy and wage rises for low income and part-time workers are falling behind inflation.
The Edge has raised and received donations on average each year of around $8-10000. They hold an Easter Raffle which is supported by the local traders in High Street in Ashburton. While this had generally proved adequate to meet the needs of local families, the doubling of applications and grants last year eliminated any reserve funds. The Edge is responding by increasing fundraising and widening our requests for donations.
Mark responded to many question and it was noticeable that several members were aware of the Fund and the great work it does in the community.
If any one wishes to contribute to the Fund the bank account details are:
Account Name:- The EDGE Community Fund Inc.
BSB 633 000
Account Number 137654208
Many thanks Mark for providing a very interesting presentation about the work of the Edge Fund.
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