Building Stronger Communities

The Mirboo North and District Community Foundation is seeking two new Directors to complement its current Board. We are seeking local people who want to help us build stronger communities across our district, including Boolarra, Mirboo North, Dumbalk, Thorpdale, Yinnar. Applications & Enquiries To express interest in the role, please submit a written application by Friday 17th March that includes: Background The Community Foundation is a charitable grant-making organisation which was established in 2010 to invest the $5M proceeds of the sale of the Mirboo North community aged care facility.   Our model is a perpetual one, where only the earnings are used for charitable purposes benefiting the community, with the capital or endowment being maintained forever.  We like to explain this model as something which is akin to a community superannuation fund, where every year funds go back to our community. We are best known for our grant-making: over the past 13 years, more than $1,600,000 has gone into the community through grants and sponsorship. This included a significant grant of more than half a million towards the redevelopment of the Mirboo North swimming pool. We also support giving in other ways, receiving donations and gifts from wills, and ensuring that these have an impact in our area through community organisations or charities doing amazing things. For example, when the Senior Citizens group in Mirboo North decided to wind up, their remaining funds were donated to a ‘Seniors Fund’ whose earnings are now being distributed annually to the benefit of the older adults living in our community. The Community Foundation’s mission is to build stronger communities through giving, facilitating and investing. In 2021, our investing in the community included our first impact investment. The Community Foundation built a state of the art medical facility which is leased to a local...

Timber Reclamation Project: Free Firewood for eligible local households Following through on its commitment post the 2024 storm, the Mirboo North Timber Reclamation Project is now making a cubic metre of free firewood available to eligible households who are resident in the 3871 postcode. In order to access this offer, local residents with a concession card must complete a simple online form (also available in hard copy at Co-Space). Keeping it local The Mirboo North Timber Reclamation Project was a practical off-shoot of the Mirboo North Storm Cell Volunteers’ community-led response to the February 2024 storm. While the Storm Cell Volunteers were coordinating volunteers to clean up properties, provide food and resources and make care checks, the Mirboo North Timber Reclamation Project focused on securing the wind-blown timber for the benefit of the community. This benefit was in the form of milled wood for community projects and processed firewood for community members in need. Thanks to a partnership with the Wednesday Warriors, the dry reclaimed wood best suited for firewood is now being cut up and split by the Wednesday Warriors, who will then deliver it by trailer to those who have signed up. Who can Apply To be eligible you must have a Pensioner Concession, Department of Veteran’s Affairs or Health Care Card and use firewood as a primary heating source. Supply is on a first come, first served basis, so fill in the online form as soon as possible using this link code or drop in to Co-space at 96 Ridgway for a hard copy version. As the cooler weather approaches, this initiative offers both practical assistance and a reminder of what can be achieved when a community works together.