Bees, bats, organic foods benefit from NSW Ports grants

LOCAL schools, sporting clubs and a program designed to help local residents build practical skills in growing food, reducing waste, and making healthy, affordable food choices are among the 14 recipients of this year's NSW Ports Community Grants Program.

The program offers one-off grants of up to $25,000 for local initiatives, projects and services operating within eligible postcodes in the vicinity of NSW Ports’ sites at Port Botany, Port Kembla and the Enfield and Cooks River Intermodal Terminals.

Chief executive Marika Calfas said NSW Ports continued to support a diverse mix of initiatives that contribute to building resilient and thriving communities.

“We are proud to support the incredible work of community organisations that make a real difference in the areas where we operate. Each year, we are inspired by the passion and dedication of local groups," Ms Calfas said.

“These projects demonstrate valuable ways to address community needs and bring people together.”

Local organisations to receive a grant this year include Green Connect Farm, in Warrawong near Port Kembla, which grows organic food while supporting the community. 

Chief executive Robert Servine said they aimed to offer a “hands-on initiative” designed for locals to build practical skills in growing food, reducing waste, and making healthy, affordable food choices.

"The Food Resilience for Port Communities Program will help people develop practical skills in growing, preparing and preserving food. At a time when cost of living pressuresare affecting so many households, these are valuable skills that can help families save money, eat healthier food and become more resilient," Mr Servine said.

Sydney Coastal Cricket Club, based at Heffron Park, is one of the recipients this year. Club secretary Natasha Poole says it plans to use the grant to make cricket accessible to everyone.

“Sydney Coastal Cricket Club developed the Play Without Barriers subsidy program to ensure every child has the opportunity to participate in community cricket, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.

“The funding will support participation across our Blast Skills, Blast Competition and Junior Competition programs, creating opportunities for more local children to get involved.”

This year’s recipients in the Port Botany and Enfield areas are:

• Strathfield Junior Soccer Club — To install three defibrillators in Strathfield Park and offer First Aid training to members of the club.
• Gardeners Road Public School — To install a shade sail structure in the outdoor area.
• Maia Outrigger Canoe Club — For the purchase of a new lighter canoe for teenagers and athletes with a disability.
• Randwick City Saints Australian Football Club — To install two storage cages in shared facilities at Pioneers Park.
• The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation — To provide the ALNF Literacy & Numeracy Packs to the Jarrah House residents children.
• Sydney Coastal Cricket Club — To partly subsidise the registration fees across all junior programs of the club.

This year’s recipients in the Port Kembla area are:

• Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation — To help install three bee hives, provide beekeeping training and purchase equipment
• Frame Running Wollongong — To fund the purchase of two adaptive running devices for junior athletes.
• Green Connect Farm — To help deliver the Food Resilience for Port Communities program, a hands-on initiative designed to help local residents build practical skills in growing food, reducing waste, and making healthy, affordable food choices.
• Helping Hearts Foundation — To offer First Aid training and certification for First Nations high school students.
• Interchange Illawarra — To purchase gardening equipment to develop a vegetable garden.
• Port Kembla Public School — To refurbish two Stage 1 classrooms.
• Wollongong Meals on Wheels — For the procurement of upgraded insulated delivery containers to transport hot and cold meals to vulnerable individuals.
• Women Illawarra — To increase the counselling service availability for domestic violence victims.

Through its international trade gateways, NSW Ports’ operations contribute $13.6bn annually to the State’s economy and support around 65,000 jobs through the supply chain many of them in the local community.