We are a network of Christian churches with members and volunteers from local churches and the local community. LinC Yarra Valley is a registered charity and was founded in 1992 to connect and facilitate local churches to assist people in need in the Yarra Valley, and our reach now extends to the Mooroolbark region of Victoria.
Here in the Upper Yarra Valley and Mooroolbark regions of Victoria, food insecurity is a real issue. LinC Yarra Valley is part of the statewide network tackling this issue – rescuing and redistributing food that would otherwise go to landfill, and ensuring it reaches households in need through our Social Supermarkets.
Our Purpose
- To relieve and alleviate poverty and distress for people experiencing suffering and distress due to isolation, age/disability, homelessness, financial and family crises, in the Upper Yarra, through provision of practical services.
- To recruit, train and support volunteers from member churches to meet direct and urgent needs of disadvantaged or marginalised people in the community.
- To develop referral centres as a mechanism to connect LinC church volunteer resources with disadvantaged people in the community.
Our Core Values
- LinC is a Christian network of churches seeking to follow Jesus in his identification with vulnerable people and his example of showing unconditional love to all people.
- LinC is committed to serving people with needs, working in partnership with them and being a channel for a response of compassion from local churches.
- LinC gives priority to people over systems and respects the dignity and worth of all.
- LinC works in partnership with churches and community agencies.
- LinC is committed to good stewardship of people and material resources.
- LinC is responsive in acting wherever help is needed and appropriate. We are responsive to new opportunities.
Our Connection to World Vision
In Australia the ministry of LinC Church Services Network Inc is encouraged by World Vision Australia because it shares LinC Church Services Network National Inc’s objectives to challenge and empower Christians everywhere to express practical compassion and love to the poor and needy in the name of Jesus Christ.
LinC Yarra Valley is a Christian expression of concern for needy people in the area of operation consisting of concerned people from local churches and Christian agencies who associate together to pursue LinC’s principles and purposes.
LinC Yarra Valley Inc. is an association constituted as a legal entity and affiliated with LinC Church Services Network National Inc. as an association incorporated in Victoria, and modelled as similar programs conducted by Christians in the U.S.A., Canada and New Zealand. The programs are associated with World Vision in the U.S.A and Canada.
Linc Church Services Network Yarra Valley Inc is a registered charity.
We are an Empowered Faith Community
The Empowered Faith Communities (EFC) concept centres on community gatherings in and amongst people living in poverty. Empowerment is central to the model, underpinned by proven principles for sustainable, long-term human flourishing. As an EFC, we are moving away from a benevolence and charitable model of service to those living in poverty and toward an empowered and ownership model.
The EFC Model
Many of our team are trained as part of the Empowered Faith Community Model. We believe being part of a caring, like-minded community is essential for human flourishing. Empowered Faith Community participants are based on fundamental community development principles. We support those with significant life challenges to understand that they have strengths. Empowerment, Participation and Community Ownership is central to this model underpinned by proven practices for sustainable long-term flourishing.
Our Services
We provide access to free fresh food, food parcels, meals, petrol vouchers and bill help. We connect our clients and customers to referral services in the area. Our volunteer opportunities and programs are a wonderful way to connect individuals to the Yarra Valley and Mooroolbark community. Our network of churches and community members assist hundreds of families and individuals in the Yarra Valley and Mooroolbark region with practical needs on a weekly basis.
Our Impact Locally
Our social supermarkets operate across multiple sites each Friday, delivering over $1.62M of fresh food to our local community in FY2024.
- Each week over 300 people visit the program or have a hamper delivered.
- An additional 3.7 people benefit for each person that receives food. That’s over 1350 people who benefit each week.
How can we help you?
If you require assistance please contact our team from 10am-1pm Tuesday – Friday during the school term to discuss your eligibility for assistance with fresh food and referrals to local crisis support services. We can support residents living in the areas with the postcodes 3799, 3797, 3139, 3140, 3138 or 3777 with bill help and petrol vouchers..
We are contactable on 0472 644 476. Leave a message and we will be in contact within 7 days.
- Find out more about our Social Supermarkets
- Find out more about our Crisis Support
- Find out more about our Volunteer Program
- Find out more about our Member Churches
- Find out more about LinC Play
