Singleton Neighbourhood Centre (SNC) has received a $8,925 grant to replace an outdated air conditioning system thanks to the Hunter Stronger Communities Grants Program.
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Federal Member for Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon said he was delighted to have secured the injection of funds which will allow the organisation to continue its valuable community work in comfort this summer.
The replacement of the old and inefficient air conditioning, coupled with the recent installation of solar panels, will allow the centre to effectively reduce power bills and focus valuable resources on the more urgent task of assisting those in need.
They provide a ‘one stop shop’ for assistance in a variety of areas including legal aid, financial counselling, personal counselling, women’s health and Alcoholics Anonymous.
In 2016-2017, the Centre recorded more than 130,000 occasions of service. All services are provided free of charge by experienced and qualified personnel.
“Providing a comfortable and welcoming environment is important,” SNC secretary Sue George said.
“It encourages clients to relax and make more effective use of the services available as well as providing service providers with acceptable working conditions.
“We are also eager to reduce our energy costs. The current air conditioning unit is inefficient and outdated. Thanks to the successful grant application, we will be able to achieve this goal.”
SNC aims to increase resilience and active participation in the community and to empower individuals to take control of their lives and become more effective and active members of the community.
“Being able to focus funds on courses and services that facilitate this is a more productive use of resources than paying an electricity bill. The outcomes and impacts on the community will be greater and more widely felt,” Mrs George said.
“The replacement will allow us to increase our assistance and support to the community. It will improve the ability of the centre to meet the need of clients and service providers, thereby increasing the capacity of the service and the community.”
Federal Member for Hunter, Joel Fitzgibbon added, “The Singleton community is enriched by the services provided.
“I’m thrilled the organisation has received funding to upgrade its current system to ensure both its staff and clients have access to a cool and comfortable environment. The fact the centre’s power bills will also be reduced makes it a wonderful win-win.”
“I thank the organisation’s staff and volunteers for their hard work in providing such an incredible service to the community throughout the year.”
