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If you need help
Council is continuing to support the community, particularly our most vulnerable members, during the COVID-19 outbreak by continuing to provide assistance and key services including:
- aged care and disability services
- social support
- food services.
The Victorian Government is providing emergency relief packages with food and personal care items for vulnerable people in mandatory self-isolation.
Find out more about what support is available during this challenging period.
Available support
We will continue to deliver services to Port Phillip's older people, people with disability and their carers, with a range of precautions taken to protect the health of our clients.
This includes physical and social distancing where appropriate, working with clients to tailor services to their needs, and following the advice of the Victorian and Federal governments.
Eligibility for these services is defined under State Government Home and Community Care or Commonwealth Government legislation.
To apply, please request an assessment:
- For people aged over 65 years, please contact My Aged Care Clients Helpline on 1800 200 422.
- People aged under 65, please contact ASSIST on 03 9209 6777.
The Victorian State Government is providing emergency relief packages, which are boxes containting essential food and personal care items. These packages are being provided to vulnerable people who are in mandatory self-isolation due to coronavirus (COVID-19), and have little or no food, and no network of family and friends to support them.
Wherever possible, people are being asked to arrange for family or friends who are not required to be self-isolated to pick up and deliver food or other items for you.
If you don’t have a support network who can help you and you are in urgent need, call the COVID-19 hotline on 1800 675 398 and press Option 3. The operating hours are between 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday, and 10 am to 3 pm on weekends and public holidays.
Victorian Government support
The DHHS website provides advice on financial support during COVID-19 and worker support payments including:
- $450 Test Isolation Payments for Victorian workers who are self-isolating while awaiting COVID-19 test results
- $1,500 Coronavirus Worker Support Payments for workers who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or been a close contact with someone who has tested positive.
Financial support is available for families and individuals, as well as business and industry.
Australian Government support
The Department of Social Services (DSS) is supporting individuals and families affected by COVID-19 through a range of measures. Visit the DSS website for more information.
Information on support available for businesses can be found on the Australian Government’s business website.
Saver Plus community program
Saver Plus is a matched savings and financial education program, offered by community organisations in every state and territory. This free 10-month program matches your savings, dollar for dollar, up to $500 to help with education costs for you or your children.
Saver Plus is delivered by Brotherhood of St Laurence and provides financial education, budgeting and savings tips.
Participants receive up to $500 from ANZ in matched savings for education costs for themselves or their children
Enquire online at saverplus.org.au
Email saverplus@bsl.org.au
Call 1300 610 355If you're experiencing difficulty accessing food and grocery supplies due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, there are a number of services available to help.
Below are some of the available services. For a full list, download a copy of the emergency food directory:
Emergency Food Directory (DOCX 559 KB)
Emergency Food Directory (PDF 208 KB)Delivered meals service (Meals on Wheels)
Council’s Delivered meals service will continue during this time.
Meals are delivered to resident's homes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and are delivered fresh to be consumed within 3 days or can be frozen for up to 2 months. The number of meals provided to each eligible resident is based on a needs assessment and can be up to 7 meals per week.
The meals are delivered by Choice Fresh Meals who offer a great variety of nutritional food and can cater to many special dietary requirements including texture modified. Meals are three courses and include a soup or sandwich, main meal and dessert option.
Meal packaging has been designed to be easily heated and is both microwave and oven safe.
A regular delivery time will be provided with a 2-hour window dependant on the suburb of the resident.
Access to the service is based on an assessment and can be arranged via contacting intake:
Email: helpdeskaaintake@portphillip.vic.gov.au
Phone: 03 9209 6749Food Relief Centre
A local Food Relief Centre is located at 412 City Road Southbank to support members of the community who are in need. The centre is open 10.30 am to 3 pm Sundays. Details via the Empower Australia website.
Empower Australia, the charitable arm of PlanetShakers Church, partners with Foodbank and Fareshare to deliver this service. They supply food and basic household items to help vulnerable members of the community, including the elderly, people experiencing homelessness, refugees and people experiencing economic hardship.
Food for Life - free vegetarian meal delivery service
Hare Krishna Melbourne Food For Life is providing free home delivery of vegetarian meals to those in need during the COVID-19 emergency.
If you are a City of Port Phillip resident with a valid student or concession card or another reason to be considered for this service, please send an SMS to 0438 716 335 with your:
- name and address
- concession card type/why you need meals
- number of meals to deliver.
Orders can be placed until 6 am on the day of delivery. Meals are delivered between 1 pm and 2 pm daily.
Woolworths Basics Box
If you're unable to get to a supermarket, Woolworths, together with Australia Post have launched a Basics Box for sale to customers who are unable to visit stores such as:
- the elderly
- people with a disability
- those with compromised immunity
- people in mandatory isolation.
The Woolworths Basics Box costs $80 including delivery.
The Australian Government Department of Health is helping vulnerable and self-isolated people to access prescription medication remotely, through its National Health Plan – Home Medicines Services.
The service is available to:
- people isolating themselves at home on the advice of a medical practitioner, for confirmed COVID-19 cases
- people who meet the current national triage protocol criteria for suspected COVID-19 infection after consultation with
- the national COVID-19 hotline
- state COVID-19 hotlines
- a registered medical or nursing practitioner
- COVID-19 trained health clinic triage staff.
- people aged over 70
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged over 50
- people with chronic health conditions or who are immunocompromised
- parents with new babies and people who are pregnant.
The Australian Government is providing support for international students through Study Australia, and Study Melbourne is dedicated to supporting our international student community during this challenging time.
The Victorian Government’s $45 million International Student Emergency Relief Fund supports international students in Victoria who are facing financial hardship through lost wages and work as a result of COVID-19. Applications are now open. For more information visit the Study Melbourne website.
Council will still be offering social support programs over the phone and online. We encourage older residents to contact our Seniors Register and Linking Neighbours Program for these activities.
The following services are continuing with modifications to protect our clients and staff:
Community bus
Our free Community Bus service is still operating to its normal timetable with the following safety measures being implemented:
- buses are disinfected at the end of each shift
- hand sanitiser units have been installed in each bus for driver and passenger use
- drivers have been issued with disposable gloves and surgical masks
- the first row of seats behind the driver has been cordoned off as a physical distance measure
- passengers are asked to physically distance themselves by sitting in alternate seats
- passengers are encouraged to provide their contact details so that we can pass on relevant information if necessary.
Home care
Community support staff will continue to assist with household cleaning tasks including vacuuming, mopping and cleaning. Residents are encouraged to continue the tasks they can manage such as dusting, dishes and wiping bench tops.
Home Care is provided on weekdays during normal working hours.
Personal care
Community support staff will continue to help residents with tasks of daily living that are 'personal' in nature, such as assistance with showering, bathing, dressing and grooming, and making your own meals
Property maintenance
The property maintenance service will continue to assist residents with maintaining a safe, secure and healthy home environment. Urgent general tasks are still being undertaken, such as replacing light globes, installing grab rails and ramps, replacing smoke detector batteries and other minor tasks in the home.
Home and Property Maintenance is provided on weekdays during normal working hours.
Respite care
Respite care provides short breaks for those taking care of a family member or friend. Respite services are available for carers with the major responsibility for the wellbeing of a person needing care.
Care is provided on weekdays during normal working hours but there is some limited capacity for these services to be provided after hours for clients who have high needs.
Unescorted shopping assistance and bill paying
Care workers will continue to shop for essential supplies and pay bills on behalf of residents. The same rigorous protections regarding payment cards apply.
This service operates during normal working hours.