Doing the Greatest Good in regional Victoria
Our founder, Jenni, was fortunate enough to spend Winter’s Solstice and the following days in regional Victoria, seeking out and supporting for-purpose organisations and other businesses doing their greatest good.
After a quick stop in Seymour, she discovered Gnarly Neighbours, a social enterprise café, skate shop, youth group and print shop, where 100% of the profits go to the charity youth groups.
The next stop was Yackandandah, home to the Yack Petrol Station acquired by locals more than 20 years ago, which also doubles as the hardware store. The same social enterprise (YDC Co) prints the local newspaper and runs a rural supplies store, ensuring local farming, hardware, building and needs are met, sharing 50% of profits with the community that supports them. Behind the servo is a Recycle Hub run by Plasticwise, allowing locals to drop off a range of plastic items usually destined for landfill into clearly labels boxes for recycling. Something for other communities/councils to aspire to.
Beechworth is home to various charities and social enterprises. The Old Beechworth Gaol hosts ACRE - Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship, Social Enterprise Academy International and Breakout Coworking. There’s also a social enterprise bike hire company run by Indigo Power, a community owned social enterprise providing clean energy. A converted church is home to Quercus Beechworth, a social enterprise that is a community centre, op shop, book store, community garden and more.
Moama has an inspiring café in a very impressive Op Shop. Apart from selling great toasties and a range of homewares, clothes and more, the Murray River Tea Rooms employ staff with disabilities providing meaningful employment to under-employed staff.
Jenni found a similar organisation in Shepparton. The Eco Café, is the social enterprise arm of NDIS provider Shepparton Access, also employing staff with disabilities. With great food (the soup special of pumpkin, carrot and sweet potato soup was delicious) and staff making work fun (it was crazy hair day when he visited), the Eco Café is just the right stop.
In many of the towns visited, there were lots of NDIS organisations providing support services to the local communities. There were also many op shops imaginatively named everything from vintage stores, treasure shops, antique stores, collectibles and more. Irrespective of what they are called, they are contributing to a circular economy where items are reused rather than ending up as landfill, with the added bonus of offering pre-loved products at an affordable price.
Is it time for you to get out and about and discover the organisations doing their greatest good in your local or regional area?
