b'Our work with communitiesWe believe in making a difference in local communities across Victoriaand Tasmania.Supporting young people Even a little support can make aworld of difference, particularly foraffected by bushfiresdisadvantaged groups. Bushfire-affected communities in Victoria are We work with people who are living with still reeling from the devastating impacts of the a disability, culturally and linguistically2019/2020 bushfires. diverse (CALD), the LGBTIQ+ community, In May 2021, we were awarded two $500,000 as well as those who have newly arrived grants from Bushfire Recovery Victoria to helpin Australiaand many more. the East Gippsland community recover. Our goal is to inspire people, enlivenWe were awarded the grants in response to the communities and confront injustice. We workfoundational work we undertook with PLAN towards achieving a common purpose andInternational in the aftermath of the fires. share common values, which gives us theTogether we drew on PLAN Internationals ability to be informed by the communitiesoverseas expertise to assess the situation for we work alongside to drive real, positivechildren and young people in bushfire-affected social change. communities in East Gippsland. Whether its working to overcomeAs a result, we developed the Theory of Change, marginalisation or social isolation,which provides a conceptual framework to plan supporting people whove fallen on toughand action the recovery needs of children and times, or providing opportunities to helpyoung peopleboth now and into the future.them flourish, were here to help.Well use these funds to establish vital, trauma-informed playgrounds and youth employment Shopping for change initiatives to support children and young peopleOur op shops provide affordable clothing andin these areas.household goods for people in needwith profitsThrough our partnership with the Gippsland going back to a good cause. Presbytery and Frontier Services, a chaplain was While all our op shops are now sporting a newmade available to support affected communities.look, many of our locations have undergone additional changes. In November 2020, we moved our White Hills Op Shop in Bendigo to a new location. We are thankful to have settled in a welcoming community and continue to build a strong customer base. Our Hamlyn Heights Op Shop has also moved, now located within the popular Geelong West Pakington Street op shop strip. Find an Op Shop near you30 Uniting Vic.Tas Annual Report 2020-2021'