LinC Community Impact & Volunteer Service Awards 2025

Thank you to everyone who attended our Annual General Meeting last month. We are grateful for your encouragement, your prayers, and your steady belief that love can be organised into something practical. Thank you also to our hosts, and to Yarra Valley SDA Church for providing refreshments and hospitality on the night.

What your support made possible in 2025

Our Annual Report captures the scale of what was delivered across the Yarra Valley and Mooroolbark area through LinC Yarra Valley’s programs.

In 2025, LinC Yarra Valley delivered $2.6M in direct community value through Crisis Support, Social Supermarkets and LinC Play.

A few highlights from the report:

• 96.5%+ of donations and funding went directly to community-facing programs, with administrative costs contained to a small portion of total expenditure.
• Crisis Support delivered $75K in practical relief and support, including client assistance, hampers, transport reimbursement, and Christmas gifts.
• Social Supermarkets delivered $2.2M in community benefit, including food and the volunteer labour that makes every Friday possible.
• LinC Play created welcoming space for parents and children through trained volunteers and community connection.

Behind every number is a human moment: a trolley filled with choice, a phone call answered with care, a parent welcomed into community, a burden shared.

Service Awards: honouring long service

A special moment in this year’s AGM was the presentation of Service Awards, recognising volunteers who have given long service to LinC Yarra Valley. Our President Daniel Matteo and Cindy McLeish MP presented Service Awards to:

• Jenny Syme
• Mark Knoll
• Julie Szabo
• Deborah Franzen
• Ray McDonald

Thank you for your commitment to LinC Yarra Valley. Your service is not just time given. It is hope made visible.

Recognition from State Member for Eildon Cindy McLeish MP

I have known the team at LinC well over the last few years and know how important their work is and how heavily the community relies on them. It is always good to know we have a strong pillar in the community in LinC, helping those out who need it most and providing much needed community connection.

I had the pleasure of attending, and speaking at, LinC’s recent AGM, where it was clear that their wonderful work is going strong and continuing to help people in the community thrive. Demand has certainly increased since the pandemic, but LinC continues to rise to the occasion. Additional grants and personal donations from the community certainly help with ongoing and new costs LinC face as a volunteer organisation. I would like to encourage those who can to make a donation to LinC, every bit helps, big or small.

The generous work LinC Yarra Valley does along with its army of dedicated volunteers makes a huge difference in the Upper Yarra Valley community. They provide much needed support to vulnerable people through the many different avenues including the Social Supermarkets, community training programs and social connection.

Thank you LinC volunteers for all your hard work. You are greatly appreciated in the community.

With gratitude, and looking ahead

We know the need in our community continues to grow. We also know something else is growing: the strength of partnership across churches, volunteers, supporters, and local organisations.

Thank you for being part of this work. The impact is real, and it is shared.