Media Centre

Community care spotlight

Publish Date: 21/09/2009
Author: Marketing & Communications Dept.

Baptcare’s Seeding Grants program is designed to empower churches to develop initiatives to meet a need in their local community. In 2008/09, 15 congregations were awarded grants totalling $154,000 and as a result, many vital new programs were established.

Portland Baptist Church was one of the grant recipients. They used their funds to establish a volunteer handyman service that facilitates the completion of urgent maintenance tasks for disadvantaged individuals in the Portland community. The funds provided by Baptcare enabled the purchase of a trailer equipped with tools.

Known as Portland Community Care, the volunteer ‘handymen’ complete tasks that individuals could not undertake on their own for a variety of reasons. The local community is very grateful for Portland Community Care’s ministry.

The volunteers benefit too. They feel grateful for the opportunity to serve others and gain a sense of fulfilment using their skills in a larger community context.

Baptcare commends the spirit of caring shown by congregations across Victoria and looks forward to working with more congregations in the 2009/10 financial year.