News MBC encourages local groups to apply for Summer Community Support Fund
Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) is encouraging local community groups to apply now for the new Summer Community Support Fund.
Applications are open online from today - Monday19 June for the MBC Summer Community Support Fund (part of the Government Household Support Grant) until Monday 10 July. It is available for community organisations to apply for to help vulnerable households and families who may be struggling with food poverty during the summer holidays.
Local voluntary and community organisations are invited to apply now for one off funding of between £500 and £5,000 to help provide support for Maidstone residents.
Cllr Claudine Russell, MBC Cabinet Member for Communities, Leisure and Arts said:
“The Council is using part of its allocation of the Government’s Household Support Fund to help community schemes which will support local families who are struggling with food poverty over the summer holidays.“We all know how much the rising cost of living has affected the way we shop for food, eat and live. If these grants can help a local voluntary and community group to support the residents of Maidstone who may be struggling I would ask them to apply now.”
Applications will be evaluated by an MBC panel and successful applications will be determined by how much residents and the community will benefit from the project proposed.
Suggested projects could include:
- Food Larders/Community food stores
- Free hot/cold meals
- Food delivery boxes
- Projects for young people providing them with meals
- Food Voucher Schemes
Sue Maidens is Chief Officer at Fusion Healthy Living Centre based in Park Wood, which offers support to local people with various health and wellbeing services including free hot meals for families in the school holidays added:
“Many families in Park Wood are experiencing food/fuel poverty, this coupled with the cost-of-living crisis is heightening anxiety as the school summer holidays approach.“Loss of structure during the day, which is particularly relevant when young people are not in school, coupled with the additional cost of feeding a family, can raise stress levels and lead to family breakdown. It is vital that our community comes together to support these families during this time.”
One family which uses the free hot-meals service at Fusion during the school holidays added:
“It helps us get out and chat and meet people that we may not otherwise meet. It allows us as a family to make new friends plus we have a tasty family meal”
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Applications for the MBC Summer Community Support Fund should be able to demonstrate:
- What support will be offered using the funding and how the project will be delivered
- How they will specifically encourage Maidstone residents to engage with the proposed service/project/scheme
- Which areas or communities will be supported in the community
- A breakdown of cost of how the grant will be spent
Please note that all successful organisations will be required to provide feedback and details to Maidstone Borough Council on the amount of households supported.
Application can be made online now: MBC Summer Community Support Fund
If you have any questions about the fund or need the application form in another format, please email vcsliaison@maidstone.gov.uk
If you are an organisation and would like to be kept up to date on news and funding, join the MBC Voluntary and Community Sector mailing list to be notified by contacting: vcsliasion@maidstone.gov.uk