The Eastern Star Foundation has announced the outcome of its latest grant round with just over $302,000 in grant funding to empower organisations that help our aged to live well. The successful grant recipients for 2023 include World Wellness Group, Palliative Care QLD, Dementia Australia, and Australian War Widows Queensland.
Eastern Star Foundation Chair, Elizabeth Watt, said the grants will help older Queenslanders to remain independent, practice choice, participate in their community, have a support network, and experience healthy ageing.
“We have chosen to support four evidence-based programs and initiatives that align with our values of dignity, independence, and hope,” said Elizabeth.
The largest grant of $100,000 was awarded to World Wellness Group which will help them to establish a Multicultural Healthy Ageing Social Link Program to connect Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) seniors on Brisbane’s Northside to each other, to information, resources, and social activities in their local area that is culturally appropriate and safe.
Palliative Care Queensland will receive a $98,828 grant to fund a Yarning Circles and Getting out on Country Program for the next 14 months. This co-designed program with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities will allow members of their community who are nearing end of life to Get out on Country and participate in their community through Yarning Circles.
People Living with Dementia (PLWD) and their families in Brisbane and Gold Coast will benefit from an additional $53,346 grant to Dementia Australia to fund the evaluation of their Wellness and Enablement Program Queensland Pilot. The Wellness and Enablement Program was developed with four pilots launched across Brisbane thanks to a $70,000 grant from the Foundation last year. This latest grant will support the external evaluation of the Program so it can be formally included in their national suite of dementia support programs.
Elderly War Widows will continue to stay connected thanks to a renewed commitment of support from the Eastern Star Foundation to Australian War Widows Queensland and a further $50,000 grant to help pay for the fuel and running costs of a minivan which was funded through a $100,000 grant from the foundation in 2021. The grant will also help cover the costs of running the annual Sub-branch Taxi Subsidy Program. This is the third year that the Eastern Star Foundation has provided this support.
“We were delighted to have been able to recognise our latest grant recipients at the recent Order of the Eastern Star Grand Chapter of Queensland Installation. We look forward to working with these charities and keeping our stakeholders informed on how these grants are improving outcomes for the aged,” said Elizabeth.
