What is Emergency Relief?

Emergency Relief provides material support for people experiencing financial crisis. This may be in the form of food vouchers, limited household bill assistance, medical prescriptions, metropolitan travel vouchers, Telstra phone cards, Telstra bill assistance and small food parcels. We do not provide cash.

When we are unable to provide Emergency Relief due to applicant ineligibility or lack of funds, we will provide service users with referrals to other agencies.

Who do we help?

Our priority is for people who:
  • Live within our Emergency Relief catchment area:
  • Postcode areas of 3195 (South of the Mordialloc Creek); 3196 and 3197.
  • Are experiencing a financial crisis
  • Present the following ID: A current Health Care Card; a referral letter from Centrelink or confirmation phone call/fax to Centrelink
  • Are on a Centrelink non-payment period or waiting for Centrelink payments to commence
  • Are on a low income, can demonstrate this, and have identification with current address (Health Care Card, Licence etc)

Please note: People who do not meet the above requirements can make an application to our Emergency Relief Coordinator for assistance and will be asked to provide evidence of hardship. Your interviewer can assist with your application

How Do I Apply For Assistance?

  • No appointment is necessary but Emergency Relief finishes daily at 3.00pm sharp
  • A trained volunteer Emergency Relief interviewer will conduct an interview with you to assess your needs.
  • The interviewer will request information about your rent, bills and income
  • There is no guarantee that we will be able to assist you with what you have requested.
  • If we are unable to assist we will look for other options and referrals

Distribution Policy

As our Emergency Relief funding is limited, please note the following:
  • The limit for ChelCSS Emergency Relief is 3 times per year.
  • We are not obliged nor funded to provide anyone with regular Emergency Relief.
  • Service users experiencing ongoing crisis are encouraged to seek support from other support services such as Financial Counselling (Vic) Inc or our Support Program.

Please Note: Requests for additional assistance beyond the limits will be considered but are to be made to the Emergency Relief Coordinator. Your interviewer can assist with your application

Referrals, Advocacy and Negotiation

This may include:
  • Referrals to other local agencies for food vouchers and material support
  • Referrals to services that can help with complex problems
  • Negotiation with essential service providers such as utility companies
  • Advocacy, where a person has requested that our staff speak to a service or agency on their behalf (ie, ATO, Centrelink, Utility provider)

Privacy

All information is confidential and accessed only by volunteers and staff within the agency, unless we have the customer's signed permission to discuss specific aspects of their situation with workers from other agencies.

All files are securely stored and will be securely destroyed seven years after the date of a customer's last file note.