By Mikayla Van Loon
After months of fighting to save the Yarra Ranges arm of Community Information and Support Victoria (CISVic), the board and executive has made the tough decision to close the service.
The financial viability of both CIS Yarra Ranges and the op shop has fallen short, leaving the region at a loss for emergency support.
CISVic executive officer Kate Wheller said with the op shop not drawing in enough money to substantiate the other services CIS Yarra Ranges provides it was not possible to keep both entities running.
“During Covid, the retail sector took a real hit and we know we’re not the first op shop to have to close because of that economic impact,” she said.
“We’re really disappointed we just weren’t able to generate the income that we needed to break even, let alone generate profit.”
Anglicare’s Lilydale op shop was the most recent to also shut its doors at the end of June due to the economic downturn in profits and a reduced number of volunteers.
Ms Wheller said this could be put down to the lack of disposable income the community has to spend on non-essential items during this cost of living crisis.
“People aren’t spending as much as they used to because of the impact of daily living costs so that’s had a direct impact on our capacity to cover our own costs,” she said.
As a result, the op shop will close on 31 July, with stock needing to be cleared out by way of sales and anything left over will be donated to other charities in the area.
When Star Mail spoke with Ms Wheller in April, she said “we’re in a dire situation” with CIS Yarra Ranges already cutting back service hours and reducing staff to stay afloat.
Being partly funded by Yarra Ranges Council and through the Federal Government’s emergency relief fund, Ms Wheller said it just wasn’t enough to sustain the service.
“It came to crunch time for us, we needed to make a decision about the future of the organisation based on the level of income that we have.
“It was a very difficult, gut wrenching decision for our board because we know how vital the service is.
“Over the last 12 months, we’ve had a 35 per cent increase in people accessing our service and the need is growing in line with the issues that people are experiencing with the cost of daily living.”
Ms Wheller said for the staff and volunteers it is a devastating thought to know the Yarra Ranges will be losing yet another support service at a most difficult time.
“The need is significant. We’re assisting about 16 people a day, over the three days that we’re open, which has meant the staff and the volunteers have been incredibly busy.
“For them to know that we have to close, they’re really struggling with that news because they know how needed the service is and how much the community needs the support.”
While LinC Yarra Valley, HICCI and Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service provide financial support, it’s not each of these organisations’ sole purpose.
Having asked for an increase in financial support from the council in the last round of partnership grants, CIS Yarra Ranges was unsuccessful in this request, receiving the $30,000 base rate it had received in previous years.
Other CISVic branches, Ms Wheller said, receive significantly more money or subsidised rent from the local council.
“The level of financial and in kind support provided by local governments to assist the agency averages out at about $130,000, which reflects the operating costs of an organisation like ours.
“We’ve just been receiving $30,000, and the bulk of the money that we’ve received has gone into commercial rent. So it hasn’t been a great investment of money by the council because we’re essentially paying private rent.”
Ms Wheller said while she hopes the closure of CIS Yarra Ranges helps leverage a conversation with all levels of government about increased funding, “once something’s gone, it’s gone and forgotten”.
“This service couldn’t continue because it wasn’t adequately supported by various levels of government and the direct impact of that is there’s a community that’s not serviced and supported in some of the most difficult times we’ve seen in our lifetime,” she said.
CIS Yarra Ranges is due to close on 30 November unless a final lifeline is provided to the organisation.
“If there’s a lifeline made available to us, we would jump at the opportunity to stay in the Yarra Ranges and to continue providing the really important support that we do to the community, particularly when there’s so much need.
“We really appreciate the support that we have had from the council officers, and the broader community but unfortunately, it’s just not been enough.”
