AT least 45 families in Orange failed to find enough money of their own last year to replace a broken fridge, washing machine or a computer the children needed to work on for school.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Those 45 families were helped by Anglicare and the No Interest Loan Scheme.
On Wednesday Anglicare was given $43,516 by the NSW government so more families could receive the money they desperately needed to get their lives back on track.
Fair Trading Minister Matthew Mason-Cox was on hand to deliver the good news in Orange yesterday along with member for Orange Andrew Gee.
Mr Mason Cox said many people who had accessed the $1200 loans were able to develop skills to learn how to bring themselves out of a bad situation and stay out.
“In some cases it can help them get a car to get a job and get back on the road to join what everyone expects as normal,” he said.
The loans are for people who cannot gain loans from banks or financial institutions.
The loans are small and up to $1200. There is no interest, no set-up fees and applicants do not have to have a good credit rating.
Repayments come out of government benefits over a period of time.
Anglicare financial services manager Evelyn Trainor said the success rate of people paying the money back was fantastic.
“It’s things they need urgently like registration to get to the doctor ... computers for the kids because of all the technology used in schools these days,” she said.
Mr Gee said it was impossible for families on lower incomes to budget for emergencies such as a broken fridge, so these loans were vital.
“I have seen firsthand what this scheme has done for many families in our community,” he said.
“This program supports local families and residents who may otherwise be excluded from access to financial services many of us take for granted.”
nicole.kuter@fairfaxmedia.com.au
