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Emergency relief

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Important Information

Intake for appointments takes place over the phone at 9am on Mondays. Please note demand for emergency relief is high and appointments are limited.

In financial crisis and need help now?

Bethany Community Support provides emergency relief, a program that helps low and fixed-income individuals and families who need assistance quickly. We can help with:

  • short-term financial relief – like food vouchers and bill payments
  • referrals to financial counselling services and other services you may need

We’re currently providing phone appointments and contactless support.

Who it is for

Greater Geelong region, Colac/Corangamite, Glenelg/Southern Grampians, Greater Warrnambool region
Families
No referral required

How to access this service

Intake for appointments takes place over the phone at 9am on Mondays, or 9am on a Tuesday if the Monday is a public holiday.

To try obtain an appointment, please call Bethany at 9am Monday. Please note demand for emergency relief is high and appointments are limited.

Please contact our team:

Phone:        (03) 52788122

Frequently asked questions

What happens at an emergency relief appointment?

At your appointment, we will: 

  • talk with you about your circumstances and what financial difficulties you’re experiencing 
  • discuss emergency relief support we may be able to provide – things like supermarket vouchers and help with household bills 
  • connect you with other services that may also be helpful, like financial counselling 
How often can I get support?

The demand for our emergency relief program is high and we ask that you only use this service in urgent situations.  The program is designed to assist you once.  If you need ongoing support, we can help connect you with other services like financial counselling services, government concessions and grants, as well as other organisations that offer emergency relief and food relief.   

What type of support do you provide?

In our program we offer supermarket vouchers and help with overdue bills that you’re having difficulty paying. If you have other financial commitments that you can’t pay, ask us when you get in touch and we’ll let you know what we might be able to do to help. 

I can’t attend your office for an appointment – can you still help me?

Yes, definitely.  We will make a time to call to speak with you over the phone. We can provide our emergency relief support remotely too – including sending supermarket vouchers to your email or phone. If it’s a bill, you can send a photo from your phone to us, or we’ll find a way that works best. Our focus is on providing remote help however we can. 

I have used another Emergency Relief service recently, am I eligible to get further help from Bethany?

Once we understand your circumstances financial difficulties, we’ll let you know whether we can assist you as well. We might also be able to refer you to another service, like a financial counsellor. 

I don’t have a Health Care Card or Centrelink benefit – can you still help me?

Get in touch and we’ll speak with you about your circumstances and financial difficulty. Not having a Centrelink benefit or Healthcare Care Card doesn’t necessarily mean we can’t help. If it’s urgent, we’ll do our best to help however we can.  

Further resources

Other local emergency relief providers

Barwon:

Warrnambool

Other financial support resources

National debt helpline: 1800 007 007

Money Smart

Financial Counselling Victoria 

Victorian government concessions for Victorians who are on low incomes or experiencing hardship and need help meeting the cost of living.

Victorian State Government

Your situation is unique, but you don’t need to struggle alone. We are here to help.

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