Give Where You Live issues a Mayday call

WHILE most areas and people within our region prosper, there are many who are being left behind.

Whether it’s finding it hard to pay the electricity bill, obtaining fresh and nutritious food, having a safe place to sleep or facing barriers into employment, there are thousands in our community who are calling out for help.

The Give Where You Live Foundation is again running the Mayday Appeal this month, asking people to donate at least $1 a day in May.

In some pockets of our community, the unemployment rate is as high as 25 per cent, and GROW, the foundation’s regional collective impact initiative (in partnership with G21), is a unique approach to alleviating disadvantage through job creation by encouraging local businesses to use their buying power strategically to deliver local and social outcomes in target areas across our region.

Recent Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) data shows the four GROW target communities are still in the lowest 10 per cent of disadvantaged regions in the state, with Norlane and Colac East ranked second and third respectively as the most disadvantaged regions within Victoria.

Give Where You Live’s own initiatives and community grants to support the delivery of services and programs aim to ensure everyone has the opportunity to an employment pathway and has the support to secure ongoing and sustainable employment.

The recently released GROW Report Card to the region showed that in 2017, GROW signatories created an extra 75 jobs and seven employment pathways in Norlane, Corio, Whittington and Colac.

As part of the Mayday fundraising, Give Where You Live and bay 93.9 are running a trivia evening tomorrow (Friday, May 25) at the Sphinx Hotel in North Geelong.

Organise your team of eight, put on your thinking caps, and with some great prizes up for grabs; a raffle and live auction you’ll be sure to have loads of fun.

Tickets are $10 each, are on sale in tables of eight and includes drinks and canapes.

To book, head to givewhereyoulive.com.au, email [email protected] or phone 5229 4364.