$45,000 Hume Bank partnership helps build new beginnings for victim-survivors

A $45,000 commitment from Hume Bank will help Centre Against Violence (CAV) in Wangaratta establish its new Donation Hub, providing practical support to people and families rebuilding their lives after family and sexual violence. Through the Hume Bank Impact Fund, the bank has committed $15,000 each year for three years to support the Donation Hub, making Hume Bank a foundational partner of the program alongside the Kyamba Foundation. The Donation Hub will provide victim-survivors with access to donated furniture, household items, whitegoods and everyday essentials through a safe, confidential and appointment-based service. Jaime Chubb, chief executive officer of CAV, said the aim is simple: to help people create a safe, stable and dignified home as they move from crisis towards longer-term recovery. “When we talk about someone leaving violence and moving into safe housing, it can sound like that is the end of the story," she said. "In many ways, it is just the beginning. Imagine finally getting the keys to a safe home. "You close the door behind you and, for perhaps the first time in a long time, you can breathe. "But then you look around. "There is no bed to sleep in. No fridge. No washing machine. No table for the kids to sit at for dinner or do their homework. "You might have a house, but you are still trying to build a home. "That is the gap we want the Donation Hub to help fill. “A mattress might seem like an ordinary thing, so might a kettle, a set of towels or a dining table. "But when you are starting again, those ordinary things can mean comfort, dignity and a little bit of normality after an incredibly difficult time. "And there is something else that matters. "When those items have been made possible by a local bank, a foundation, a business or somebody in our community who simply decided to help, there is a message behind them too. "You are not rebuilding alone. "Your community is behind you.” Kent Griffin, Hume Bank managing director, said rebuilding after violence takes courage, time and the right support. "Hume Bank is proud to partner with CAV to help ensure people and families can access the practical essentials they need to create a safe, stable and dignified home," he said. "This three-year commitment reflects our belief that meaningful community impact requires trusted partnerships and sustained local support.” The Hume Bank funding can support the operational needs of the Donation Hub, including rent, training, purchasing essential goods and promoting the service. This flexibility will help CAV respond to the practical needs of the program as it develops. Ms Chubb said having strong local organisations behind the Donation Hub from the beginning gave the program a much stronger foundation. “We are incredibly grateful to have Hume Bank join the Kyamba Foundation as foundational partners of the Donation Hub," she said. "This is what community partnership looks like in practice." The Donation Hub has been designed to complement existing financial and material assistance by reducing some of the financial pressure people can experience as they establish or rebuild a home. Its broader purpose is to support dignity, choice, stability, recovery and wellbeing. The Hume Bank team is also excited to join Centre Against Violence at the New Beginnings Gala Ball, the Donation Hub’s big fundraising night. Want to join them? You will need to be quick, with only a handful of tickets left. Learn more at https://events.humanitix.com/new-beginnings-gala-ball.

$45,000 Hume Bank partnership helps build new beginnings for victim-survivors

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