Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald MLC announced in Raymond Terrace on Monday morning that Port Stephens Council and Alesco Senior College will receive $75,000 and $49,200 respectively, coming as part of the latest round of grants from the Social Housing Community Improvement Fund. 

“Funding from the SHCIF not only improves community facilities, but brings tenants, neighbours and the wider community together,” Mr MacDonald said.

“I am pleased that these community projects in Port Stephens will be assisted through this great government initiative.”

SHCIF provides one-off grants of up to $50,000 to councils, not-for-profit and private sector organisations to make physical improvements in social housing communities or other areas visited by social housing tenants.

Round three of the grants program will see the NSW Government spend $6.3 million on 174 community infrastructure projects.

Of that money, $197,625 will be spent in Port Stephens to upgrade parks, build a community hub in Karuah and to support disadvantaged students. 

Alesco has been granted funds to renovate its Raymond Terrace campus building, located in Glenelg Street, for students from disadvantaged backgrounds attending courses through WEA Hunter.

Theresa Pantalone, principal of Alesco Senior College Hunter, said she was delighted to receive the grant, which would support the growth of a new campus in 2018.

“Alesco Senior College has been supporting vulnerable young people complete year 9 and 10 in the area for the past three years” she said.

“Now with the development of a larger premises [we] will be able to offer students opportunities to complete their HSC and also provide vocational opportunities for the wider community”.

Port Stephens Council will receive $50,000 to make improvements at Longworth Park in Karuah and $25,000 to revitalise Riverside Park in Raymond Terrace, including creating a family friendly open space.

Port Stephens Family and Neighbourhood Services has been successful in its grant bid and will receive $23,425 for its Let’s Cook program.

Karuah Local Aboriginal Land Council will receive $50,000 to create a community hub.

Pru Goward, the minister for social housing, congratulated the successful applicants and thanked them for their commitment to providing improved spaces for vulnerable families to enjoy.

“We are proud to fund projects that will improve local community infrastructure in regions right across NSW,” she said.

See the full list of successful round three SHCIF applicants here.