About us.
Our Organisation
Established in 2013, Kyneton Caring Community Inc. (now The Kindness Collective, “TKC”) is an independent, community-based incorporated association, whose primary purpose is to support those in our local community who find themselves in need.
Kyneton Caring Community (TKC) was started by the Assembly of God Church as a Christian outreach into the community. There were various locations in High Street and Mollison Street Kyneton. The Food bank and Op shop were then managed by the Assembly of God Church. In 2015 the 60 Mollison Street shop was purchased; a board was set up consisting of members from Kyneton Baptist Church and others as a Christian outreach into the community.
TKC’s aim is to provide a safety-net for members of the community by delivering a range of services including: a free food bank; an emergency relief service (clothing and household items, etc.): a drop-in centre and soup kitchen; and a need assessment and referral service to other agencies and service providers in the local area.
As the primary activity of The Kindness Collective, the free food bank has grown considerably over the past few years and currently provides support to over 600 people in our region per month. While The Kindness Collective was initially established to support the local Kyneton community, the free food bank service now provides support to people throughout the Macedon Ranges region and beyond.
The Kindness Collective relies on a committed group of volunteers who give generously of their time to serve their local community. TKC proudly enjoys the support of the broader regional community, including local churches, schools, businesses, councils, and health service providers.
One of our guiding principles of TKC is the understanding that a local community working together has the resources, skills and the motivation, to support those within the community who are experiencing hard times and are in need of help or support. The adage of our community - supporting those in need - within our community is the simple philosophy that we follow.
The Kindness Collective is self-funding and depends on the generosity of the local community who support our work through the donation of food and other goods, as well as important financial contributions.
The Kindness Collective is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission and is endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) with the Australian Taxation Office – making financial donations tax deductible.
Our Board
The board comprises representatives of the broader local community (Kyneton and surrounding areas) from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience. For full details of our board please follow the link below
Our Funding Model
As a self-funded not-for-profit organisation, The Kindness Collective’s day-to-day operation is largely funded by its opportunity shop – located at 60 Mollison Street, Kyneton. Secondary sources of funding include financial donations from individuals, business and local church organisations.
The Kindness Collective is also a periodic recipient of grant funding from the Victorian Government’s Neighbourhood Justice Centre Court Fund.
Our Not-for-Profit & Charitable Status
The Kindness Collective is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) as a “Public Benevolent Institution” (a type of charitable institution whose main purpose is to relieve poverty or distress), under the following categories: advancing social or public welfare; advancing education; purposes beneficial to the general public and analogous to the other charitable purposes.
All donations and proceeds of the opportunity shop go directly to the operation of the The Kindness Collective organisation and its important activities in supporting our local community, including the free foodbank, emergency relief, and a needs-analysis and referral services.
KCC is endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) with the Australian Taxation Office, and donations made to the organisation are fully tax deductible.*
*Subject to the provisions of the Australian Taxation Office
Downloads
Click on brochure below to download.
