Make A Difference Dingley Village

06/08/2026

We are beyond proud, grateful, and completely beaming to see our absolute treasure of a volunteer, Marlene, featured in the latest winter edition of the City of Kingston magazine! 💙

Marlene, words can’t even begin to express how much you mean to our whole community. Your endless kindness, overflowing heart, and dedication brighten up even the gloomiest winter days. We are so endlessly lucky to have you, and we’re bursting with pride to see you getting the recognition you so truly deserve! 🥹✨

Grab a hot cup of tea, wrap yourself in a blanket, and click the link below to read all about our wonderful Marlene! 👇📖

Kingston Your City (KYC) is the official quarterly journal of the City of Kingston, delivered to all households and businesses in our community. Read the latest edition or access previous editions.

30/07/2026

Eating well on a budget doesn’t have to be overwhelming. 🛒

Simple, low-cost meal prep tips can help stretch your weekly grocery budget and take the daily guesswork out of meal times.

Whether you’re managing tight finances, balancing energy levels, or just trying to keep pantry costs down, a few small tweaks to your routine can make a big difference.

Here are 3 practical ways to save money and cut down on waste:

1️⃣ Shop your pantry first - Check your cupboards, fridge, and freezer before making your list. Building meals around staple ingredients you already own (like canned lentils, rice, or frozen veggies) prevents buying doubles.

2️⃣ Embrace everyday staples and swaps. - Filling options like oats, eggs, canned beans, and seasonal vegetables (like potatoes, carrots, and pumpkin) offer great nutrition at a fraction of the cost. Swap out expensive protein for legumes or tofu a few nights a week to lower your total shop.

3️⃣ Stick to a list. - Supermarket layouts are designed to trigger impulse buys. Organising your shopping list by section (Produce, Pantry, Chilled, Frozen) helps you move through the aisles efficiently and stay within budget.

https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/eating-well/tips-eating-well/healthy-eating-budget

👇

Planning is the secret to healthy eating based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines while sticking to a budget:

30/07/2026

https://www.fareshare.net.au/latest-news/food-program-making-a-real-difference/

A huge shoutout and heartfelt thank you to our amazing friends at FareShare! 💚✨

Week after week, your incredible support helps us keep tummies full and spirits high across our community at Make A Difference Dingley Village. We are so deeply grateful for the delicious, nutritious meals you provide and for your unwavering commitment to helping us care for those who need it most. 🍲🌱

To the whole FareShare team—thank you for making such a difference alongside us! 🥑❤️

Make A Difference Dingley Village is really living up to its name – making an impact by sharing FareShare meals and homegrown vegetables with people in need.

15/07/2026

💚 BIG THANK YOU TO ECOSHARE! 💚

We want to give a massive shout-out to the incredible team at Eco Share for their wonderful support and incredibly generous donation to Make A Difference Dingley Village.

Thanks to their kindness, our shelves are stocked with a fantastic variety of fresh produce, delicious bakery goods, and high-quality frozen items. This donation will go directly to the most vulnerable members of our local community, ensuring that individuals and families doing it tough have access to nutritious, wholesome meals.

Beyond this donation, we want to highlight the wonderful work Ecoshare does day in and day out. They are true champions of sustainability and community care, working tirelessly to rescue quality food, reduce waste, and redirect vital resources right where they are needed most.

We are so proud to partner with an organisation that cares so deeply about both people and the planet. Thank you, Ecoshare, for your amazing generosity and for helping us keep making a real difference! 🤝✨



https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61591165320198

15/07/2026

If "tax time" reminders leave you feeling anxious or overwhelmed, please know that your feelings are entirely valid and you don't have to navigate it all on your own. Free, confidential, and judgment-free community support is available to take the weight off your shoulders.

🌟 For simple tax affairs, the ATO Tax Help Program offers free assistance through trained community volunteers. Find a service near you at: www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Your-tax-return/Help-and-support-to-lodge-your-tax-return/Tax-Help-program/

🌟 For those facing personal or financial challenges, independent, university-backed National Tax Clinics provide expert, supervised support. Find your closest clinic at: www.nationaltaxclinics.gov.au/

Free, independent and confidential tax help for those who need it most.

18/12/2025

As we wrap up our final day at Make A Difference for 2025, our hearts are absolutely full. This year has been a journey, and we are constantly moved by the incredible spirit of our community.

Thanks to your overwhelming generosity, our final days were a whirlwind of kindness. Because of the donations that have been knocking on our door over the past few weeks, we were able to provide toys, festive food hampers, fresh produce, and essential pantry staples to everyone who visited. It was a joy to see every person leave with their hands full and their spirits lifted.

We want to extend a special thank you to the local champions who went above and beyond to support our mission this year:

Buxton Dingley Village & Keysborough, Community Bank Dingley Village, Safer Storage Systems, CBA Cheltenham, NAB Keysborough, Keysborough Soccer Club, City of Kingston, Lighthouse Christian College

A huge thank you to the many wonderful families and individuals who dropped off food and gifts. The community spirit is truly incredible!

Your contributions are the heartbeat of what we do. Whether you donated a single tin of food or a mountain of toys, you helped ensure that no one in our community has to go without this season.

We will be taking a short break to rest and recharge so we can continue our work in the New Year.

Closing: 18th December

Reopening: 12th January

We recognise that many organisations close over the seasonal break. To ensure our community is supported during this gap, MADDV will open for a special food relief session on Thursday, 8th January from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

To all our volunteers, donors, and friends: thank you for a beautiful 2025. Whatever your traditions may be, we wish you a season filled with peace, warmth, and connection.

With love and gratitude,

The Team at Make A Difference

26/11/2025

16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence

The global event occurs annually, beginning on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November)
and running until Human Rights Day (10 December).

Everyone has a role in preventing domestic, family and sexual violence.

Gender-based violence is a global crisis, affecting 1 in 3 women worldwide.
Domestic, family and sexual violence can happen to any woman, regardless of the country they are from, religion, sexuality, age, social background or culture.

If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit
www.1800respect.org.au for online chat and video call services.


Source: World Health Organization

https://1800respect.org.au/promoting-1800respect/16-days-of-activism

26/11/2025

We are so grateful for the wonderful support of Share the Dignity.

Their generous donation of bags to MADDV for vulnerable women in the community will make a huge impact, and provide vital access to essential items that often women in crisis go without.

To find out more about the incredible work that Share the Dignity do, have a look at the link below.☺️🥰

https://www.sharethedignity.org.au/itsinthebag

26/11/2025

Thank you to the generosity of Australia Post, our resident volunteer and green thumb, Giuseppe, was able to work his magic and give our lovely veggie patch a much needed nourished boost!

We are definitely looking forward to the flourish of veggies that will pop up over summer for our volunteers to distribute to those most vulnerable in our community. 🥰