Each Sunday night, volunteers can be found serving soup from a van to people in need at Laverton.
For some, it’s the only hot meal they’ll get all week.
The Lions Club of Altona soup van, which also provides sandwiches and food hampers, is one 23 community groups that will share more than $50,000 funding from the Altona, Laverton and Point Cook Community Bank branches.
Bank chairman Henry Da Silva said the branches returned profits to the area each year through community programs.
“This year we will celebrate 15 years in the community,” he said.
“In that time, we have reinvested over $3.1million of our banking profits into the local area.
“We are a community enterprise and take a different approach to other banks.
“We understand we can only run a successful business if our customers succeed … our community is a better place because of what we do.”
The 23 grant recipients under the bank’s community partner program will be announced on May 29 at a function in Point Cook.
The Lions Club of Altona is seeking soup van volunteers who can spare three hours from 5-8pm on a Sunday every six weeks.
Six community groups will share in $6500 funding as part of the Seddon Community Bank branch’s Community Pitch.
Australian Multicultural Community Services, Girl Guides Yarraville, Speakers Bank, Hyde Street Youth Band, West Welcome Wagon and With One Voice Footscray will share in the “pledge fund” prize pool.
Branch manager Graham Evans said last Tuesday’s Community Pitch event brought together a number of local groups and businesses, opening opportunities for future partnerships.
Find out more
Visit www.facebook.com/SeddonCommunityBankBranch to learn more or vote for your favourite project.
– with Benjamin Millar
