Timely donation

By Bridget Brady
CRANBOURNE families struggling with school costs have already swamped a support program before the year’s end.
The Cranbourne Information and Support Service (CISS) back to school program started just two weeks ago, and more than 50 families have already made use of its services.
CISS manager Leanne Petrides said the list and cost of essential school items continued to rise, hurting families that already struggled to make ends meet.
So an annual donation from Cranbourne’s Lawson-Poole Daylight Lodge on Tuesday came at just the right time.
The lodge donated $1000 to the school program, which was matched dollar-for-dollar by the Freemasons Victoria Board of Benevolence.
Worshipful master Alan White said the money donated by the Lawson-Poole Daylight Lodge was the result of hard work through fundraising.
Ms Petrides said a local secondary school had changed its uniform recently, which made things a bit harder for families. “That makes us pretty angry because we know this area is not a wealthy area.”
Ms Petrides said she was grateful for the support for an agency that continued to serve more and more people in crisis for everyday items such as food and bills.
“We are busier than ever. Your wonderful donation will go towards this program and help us extend it to help a few more families,” Ms Petrides said on Tuesday. “Every single cent that gets donated to us gets spent in this local community.”
Last year the back to school program helped 247 families, or 571 children, with a cost of $38,000.