“Demand for services such as budgeting support, senior citizens groups, meals on wheels, crisis and long term counselling are seeing increased demand due to the effects of COVID-19. The social service organisations providing these services are but a few of the groups that have been bolstered by trust funding this grants round,” says Trust Chief Executive, Susan Finlay.

The trust approved over $1million worth of largely operational grants and say that funds for social services are not new to the trust.

“We are one of the few funders to provide additional dollars to social services so they may operate at the required level to support our community, and we have a long history of doing so, dating back almost the full 20 years since the trust began in 2000,” she says.

“Now more than ever it is essential for our community that these services are funded to meet demand through the times ahead,” she says.

Central Lakes Family Services, would be one of the first to agree.

Centre Manager, Tina Mongston concurs, “We are experiencing an increased need for mild to moderate mental health support for families and individuals and alongside this, we are also seeing more mental health and alcohol related issues presenting with our family violence referrals. Covid-19 has placed a great deal of pressure on families and we have prepared the service for the recovery process acknowledging that it will be long and we are yet to see the full impact on the region. CLT has been supporting us since 2002 and we are extremely grateful for the consistent ongoing support they have provided over the years. The continued need for our services has become more evident over the years, but under the current environment there is a high demand for support in our community.”

The service operates out of Queenstown, Alexandra, Wanaka and Cromwell, amongst the worst hit and most challenged regions in the country.

Happiness House, who provide practical support and advocacy, agency referrals, access to affordable clothing and bedding and more recently counselling for families and individuals in the Wakatipu area, have also seen an increase in demand.

Happiness House Manager, Robyn Francis says, “We could not be more grateful for the support of CLT, it is very reassuring to know that we have a solid foundation of funding towards our costs over the coming year. While we anticipate a reduction in community donations as the harsh realities of the economic downturn set in, we have experienced some generous donations from individuals and organisations motivated to be able to do something for their community in the wake of COVID-19, this has enabled us to extend a free counselling service to those in need for which we are also grateful.”

“Our grants from the trust date back to 2001, we are hugely grateful for their support over the years, and very lucky to have them in this region,” she says.

Alexandra Community Advice Network Inc. whom also received their first grant from the trust back in 2001, last week received a grant of $10,000 per annum for the next three years to support operations.

“For groups we have supported for some time, we are providing multi-year grants so they have some certainty for the future, in what is an uncertain time,” Finlay says.

The Community Advice Network employ only one person for 10 hours a week coordinating approximately 2500 hours of volunteer work a year, which helped 2,658 people last year.

Alexandra Community Advice Network Treasurer, Graeme Parr says, “We provide free advice to all residents, to ensure people are aware of services available to them, and they are not adversely affected by lack of knowledge or an ability to communicate. We coordinate access to a free JP, legal services and meals on wheels.”

“While the full impact of Covid-19 is yet to be felt, we expect an increased demand for our services especially from those who have lost steady employment or whose business income has been adversely affected. The service is well placed to direct client enquiries to legal assistance and social services and will endeavour to source help related to business, employment or commercial queries as well,” he says.

Central Otago Budgeting Services also receive funding to provide community education and financial and housing mentoring to people in vulnerable situations.

“Resolving financial stress can have significant impacts in other areas of people’s lives such as mental health and family wellbeing. It’s expected all of our free services will likely be in high demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Office Manager, Pam Hughes.

This first funding round of the 2020/21 financial year sees over $1million approved with an additional $3million in commitments from other years also allocated. A total of $4.09m of the $9.40 million grants budget has been allocated to date.

Since the trust commenced 20 years ago, it has returned over $100 million back into the community.

The trust offices remain closed to the public, however all the team are working in the office or remotely under level 2. In the first instance please call us on 0800 0011 39.

GRANTS APPROVED – MAY 2020

Project grants

NZ Mountain Film Festival Charitable Trust 2020 Film Festival $3,000

The Boys Brigade in New Zealand Incorporated ICONZ edge Trailer $2,000

Wanaka Community Networks COVID-19 Emergency Grant $37,000

Operational / Programme grants

Alexandra Community Advice Network Inc. Operational Grant 2020-23 (Multi-Year 1 of 3) $10,000

Alexandra Senior Citizens Centre Inc Operational Grant 2020/21 $12,000

Birthright Central Otago Welfare fund 20/21 $5,796

Blind Low Vision NZ Operational Grant 2020/21 $40,000

Central Lakes Family Services Operational Grant 2020-23 (Multi-Year 1 of 3) $85,000

Central Otago Budgeting Services Operational Grant 2020/21 $65,000

Central Otago Victim Support Operational Grant 2020/21 $10,000

CO Compassionate Friends Operational Grant 2020-23 (Multi-Year 1 of 3) $16,000

Cystic Fibrosis NZ Operational Grant 2020/21 $6,000

Happiness House Trust Operational Grant 2020-23 (Multi-Year 1 of 3) $55,052

Parenting Place Life Skills Programme 2020/21 $4,000

Parkinson's New Zealand Operational Grant 2020/21 $10,000

Presbyterian Support Southland Operational Grant 2020/21 $50,000

Prime Timers Operational Grant 2020/21 $10,000

Royal New Zealand Plunket Trust Operational Grant 2020/21 $60,000

Wanaka Search and Rescue Programme Grant 2020/21 $20,000

Central Lakes Trust Initiatives

Alexandra Community Arts Council Central Lakes Arts Support Scheme (CLASS) $28,319
Cromwell & Districts Community Arts Council Central Lakes Arts Support Scheme (CLASS) $18,972

Upper Clutha Community Arts Council Central Lakes Arts Support Scheme (CLASS) $30,969

Creative Queenstown Central Lakes Arts Support Scheme (CLASS) $61,239

Central Lakes Schools COVID-19 Resilience in Schools Initiative $235,000

CLT Scholarships 2020 for 2021 CLT Tertiary Scholarships $125,000

TOTAL: $1,000,347

Hard Commitments

Alzheimers Society Otago Operational Grant 2020/21 (Multi-Year 2 of 3) $20,371

Anglican Family Care Centre (Inc) Operational Grant 2020/21 (Multi-Year 2 of 3) $20,371

Cancer Society of NZ, Otago and Southland Division Operational Grant 2020-22 (Multi-Year 2 of 3) $67,223

Central Otago Heritage Trust Oral History Pilot Project (Multi-Year 2 of 2) $8,345

Central Otago Principals Association Referral Programme- Roxburgh (Multi-Year 2 of 3) $2,737

Central Otago Principals Association Referral Programme- Dunstan (Multi-Year 2 of 3) $16,614

Central Otago Principals Association Referral Programme- Wakatipu (Multi-Year 2 of 3) $28,319

Central Otago Principals Association Referral Programme- Mt Aspiring (Multi-Year 2 of 3) $31,811

Central Otago Principals Association Referral Programme- Cromwell (Multi-Year 2 of 3) $14,915

Central Otago Queenstown Trails Network Trust Cycleways Construction Fund Multi-Year 3 of 5) $1,755,227

Cromwell Community Welfare Trust Operational Grant 2021 (Multi-Year 3 of 3) $4,670

Otago Community Hospice Trust Operational Grant 2020/21 (Multi-Year 2 of 3) $70,912

Presbyterian Support Otago Operational Grant 2020/21 (Multi-Year 2 of 3) $66,205

Queenstown Trails Trust Queenstown Trail Re-alignment (Multi-Year 2 of 2) $566,112

Smart Energy Solutions Ltd Insulation Programme 2020/21 (Multi-Year 3 of 4) $200,000

Southland Multiple Sclerosis Society Operational Grant 2020/21 (Multi-Year 3 of 3) $2,076

Sport Otago Swim School (Multi-Year 2 of 3) $139,040

Teviot Valley Rest Home Incorporated CLT Resthome Goldfish- 10 Aquaria (Multi-Year 3 of 3)$18,990

The Brain Injury Association (Otago) Inc. Operational Grant 2020/21 (Multi-Year 3 of 3) $11,726

The Stroke Foundation of New Zealand Limited Operational Grant 2020/21 (Multi-Year 2 of 3) $8,250

TOTAL: $3,093,637

TOTAL 2020/21 YEAR: $4,093,984

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