Legally, AFMVICCARE is a registered incorporated organisation in Victoria, and has been operational for just over 4 years. AFMVICCARE is currently under the Management of 5 Board Members, and has worked with a total of 20 volunteers who help with Food Distribution Programs every Thursdays, and any other day as the need arises. AFMVICCARE, though independently registered, operates as a charity wing of the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) in Victoria church.
AFMVICCARE is currently carrying out Food Distribution Programs in the Municipal City of Casey (Mainly the Cranbourne area). A total of 54 families are getting food handouts, and this number is growing by the day. All the food supplies are coming from the Food Bank, through OzHarvest and SecondBite Food Distributors. Recently, frozen food is being received from Ballarat Health through the Casey City Council. Other goods and services are also donated by members of the AFM church and well-wishers.
AFMVICCARE‘s food relief program was designed for the sole purpose of addressing the urgent and often unmet food needs of disadvantaged and vulnerable members of our communities in Melbourne, who include, but not limited to new migrants to Australia. There is no doubt that there are families and individuals at high risk of food shortage in Australia. AFMVICCARE’s food relief program therefore helps to improve food security to these vulnerable households.
Today, these food hampers are acting as social safety nets; for vulnerable households who have been greatly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. International students enrolled at Victorian universities, TAFEs, private vocational education and training providers who have lost wages and work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are benefiting from the AFMVICCARE food relief program.
Care and due diligence is however being taken to ensure that AFMVICCARE food relief activities are carried out within the set operational guidelines under Victoria’s COVID-19 restrictions. Therefore, AFMVICCARE will continue to meet the needs of people in need of support, while ensuring the community and our staff and volunteers are safe. The Health and Safety of our people is of paramount importance as some are in the vulnerable age category for COVID-19.
Faced with an increasing number of families impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, AFMVICCARE is planning to expand its operations to more locations in Melbourne. As an organisation, we are therefore putting in place means of encouraging various organisations and individuals with philanthropic values to partner with us, so that together we can make a difference in the lives of those in need.
AFMVICCARE proposes to continue to offer food relief to vulnerable members of our community, as well as:
* Also looking for resources to add recreational activities like music and different sporting disciplines to support youths to come and discover who they really are as individuals and understand the potential they have to be of great value to their families and community at large.
All these activities will be carried out and/or coordinated at the City of Casey Community Centre where we have been operating from in the last 4 years. AFMVICCARE at this stage is aiming to support about 80 families, and the number will be increased if and when more funding is accessed. AFMVICCARE is also able to deliver these proposed activities under Covid-19 restrictions, as the organization’s volunteers include qualified health professionals like Registered Nurses, Social Workers and Personal Carers. The organization and its volunteers have all the required permits to operate under the Victoria Covid-19 restrictions and will continue to work and follow government COVID-19 guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety.
