2025/26 Local Impact Grant Recipients

Wardell CORE

Fresh Connections - Extending the Community Supported Produce Program into Ballina

Wardell Neighbourhood Centre will extend its Community Supported Produce Program into Ballina with fortnightly fresh food distributions over 9 months. This initiative improves food security, reduces transport barriers, and creates a welcoming space for connection and partner organisations to engage with vulnerable residents. It will also serve as a pilot for a more extensive Neighbourhood Centre model in Ballina, providing a foundation for future wrap-around community services.

The Brunswick Heads Breakfast Club Inc

The Bruns Brekkie

The Bruns Brekkie, run by the Brunswick Heads Breakfast Club Inc, is a free twice-weekly breakfast service in Brunswick that supports homeless and financially struggling individuals. With approximately 8 volunteers donating 5 hours weekly, the program provides free food, coffee, and frozen meals while creating a service hub with community agencies. Beyond nutritional support, the initiative aims to foster social connection and help some guests transition from homelessness to housing.

Byron Community Centre

Women’s Health Access Program: Fletcher Street Cottage

A trauma-informed, women-only health access program for women experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Byron Shire. Based at Fletcher Street Cottage, the weekly clinic will provide free onsite nursing care, GP Telehealth support, preventative health screenings, and health system navigation support, co-located with wraparound services in a trusted, safe environment.

Support for New Mums Inc

Hands and Hearts

The Hands and Hearts project provides trained volunteers to support new mothers in the Northern Rivers region, addressing the lack of family support and high risks of postnatal depression and anxiety. By offering weekly visits, quarterly volunteer training, and outreach events, the program aims to reduce isolation, boost maternal confidence, and provide emotional and practical assistance. This grant is supported by the Women's Giving Circle.

Together She Thrives

Women’s & Teen Girls’ Wellbeing and Connection Program

Together She Thrives will deliver free weekly women’s wellbeing events and ten 5-week teen girls’ programs across the Northern Rivers, creating safe, supportive spaces for connection, confidence, resilience, and improved mental health. With transport, activities, and trained facilitators provided, the project removes barriers so local women and girls can thrive together, strengthen community bonds, build friendships, and develop lifelong wellbeing, confidence, and life skills.

Byron Youth Theatre

All of Me!

Byron Youth Theatre will consult with local and national youth mental health and wellbeing organisations, conduct interviews and surveys of local youth and share personal experiences to create an original production focusing on the complex issues of identity, sense of purpose and future in an increasingly changing and challenging world. The production will be delivered to local schools in the region with post-performance workshops and community performances provided.

RiverTracks

1-1 Casework Support for Disengaged Youth

RiverTracks aims to address youth disengagement in the Murwillumbah and Northern Rivers region by providing intensive support for 30 at-risk youth aged 12-18. The program focuses on early intervention through one-on-one mentorship, manual work, community service, and skill development, with a primary emphasis on supporting First Nations youth and vulnerable populations. By offering transport, housing assistance, and connections to the community, RiverTracks seeks to reduce youth crisis, reengage participants in school, decrease antisocial behaviour, and create employment pathways, ultimately preventing entry into the criminal justice system.

Mudyala Aboriginal Corporation

Trauma-Informed Futures: Building Capacity at Mudyala

A 6-month program to build Mudyala staff capacity in trauma-informed practice and self-care. Staff will learn to interpret trauma-related behaviours and responses, responding with empathy and consistency, while gaining strategies to reduce compassion fatigue. This dual benefit strengthens relationships with and our ability to serve community, sustain the workforce, and creates a ripple effect of safer, more supportive environments for children and families across the community.

Clarence River U3A Mens/Womens Shed

Maclean High School Mentoring Program

The Shed offers a 'Mentoring High School Students' program to create more vocational opportunities and encouragement and training for at risk students with learning difficulties and mental health issues. Once we identify their interests in their newfound skillset, then we can introduce them to the appropriate local businesses for future employment. Students often arrive hungry and were having trouble concentrating, so feeding them helps them focus allowing them to acquire new skills.

Mental Health Support Group

Supporting the mentally ill with household furnishings and goods and providing food security

The Mental Health Support Group wish to provide household necessities and food to promote inclusiveness, and improved health. Poor diet exacerbates poor health adding to the mental illness. The inability to afford household items causes anxiety which adds to mental stress and distances sufferers from their community. This project will encourage inclusiveness, connectedness and well-being.

Kyogle Family Support Service Inc

Healing Through Play

Healing Through Play: Strengthening Children and Families in Kyogle will provide therapeutic play and filial parent play support for children under 12 experiencing trauma, family violence, mental health, or behavioural challenges. The program offers accessible, culturally responsive support, helping children process trauma, build emotional resilience, improve self-regulation, and equips parents with practical tools to strengthen family relationships and nurture wellbeing.

Clarence Valley Conservatorium of Music Inc

Forget Me Not Choir

The Forget Me Not Choir is an inclusive singing group aimed at those suffering from dementia, memory loss and loneliness. It is free, open to all, especially carers who can find it isolating caring for someone with reduce cognitive ability.

Casino Senior Citizens Centre Inc

2026 Activities Calendar

This grant will be used to support activities for members of the Casino Senior Citizens Centre to promote social inclusion with their peers, activities will include bus trips to places of interest, monthly morning tea get-togethers, functions for Seniors Week, Christmas in July Luncheon and Christmas Luncheon.

2023 - 2026 Thriving Together Grant Recipient

Wardell Community Organised Resilience Effort (CORE)

Thriving Together – Year 3

The third and final year of funding for a multi-year Recovery & Resilience supported by Paul Ramsay Foundation. Following the 2022 flooding disasters, a combination of poor living conditions, housing and income insecurity, and recovery burnout have created severe and ongoing social, economic, and psychological challenges.  A community-driven recovery centre in the flood impacted town of Wardell. The Thriving Together Grant is assisting WardellCore to continue its five days a week operation as a drop-in centre for the local community.