Welfare agencies facing exponential demand for their services are grateful for "desperately needed" funding from the Otago Community Trust.
Last month, $483,000 was given to 11 of Otago's large social service agencies in annual grants.
This equated to more than half of the $853,000 distributed to 35 organisations by the trust.
Chief executive officer Keith Ellwood said the money was an investment in the region's welfare programmes and provided "ongoing and invaluable assistance to people in the community who need support".
Dunedin Methodist Mission chief executive Laura Black said the $60,000 grant received was a "saving grace" at a time when the organisation, and others like it, was coming under pressure.
"We are seeing demand go through the roof and the constant question for us is how do we best meet that escalating need in the number of people we deal with and the complexity of what they present with."
People were struggling after having depleted what reserves they had during the recession and funding to help them was "desperately needed", she said.
Presbyterian Support Otago received the largest grant of $120,000, which director of communications and fundraising Lisa Wells said was "valuable" and a case of the "community helping the community".
The number of people accessing its services was still increasing and measures were being taken to ration food and resources to stretch them further, she said.
Other annual health and welfare grants: Anglican Family Care, $60,000; Barnardos Otago, $25,000; Catholic Social Services, $30,000; Otago Youth Wellness Trust, $45,000; Salvation Army, $40,000; Schizophrenia Fellowship Otago Branch Inc., $33,000; Stopping Violence Dunedin Inc, $15,000; Te Whare Pounamu Womens Refuge, $20,000.
Other grants: Outward Bound Trust, $67,500; Alexandra: Central Otago Regional Choir, $2,500; Balclutha: Heartland Otago-/Southland Life Education Trust, $11,400; Clutha Agricultural Development Board Positively Clutha, $5,000; Kaitangata and District Promotions Inc, $2,000; Dunedin: Otago Medical Research Foundation, $75,000; Dunedin Brass Inc, $15,000; Stroke Foundation Southern Region Inc, $10,000; Otago Polytechnic Pacific Island Scholarships, $7,800; Daniel Belton and Good Company, $6,000; Andersons Bay Playcentre, $1,500; Kaikorai Metropolitan Brass Inc, $750; Otago School of Piping and Drumming, $750; Dunedin Poultry, Pigeon and Cage Bird Club, $300; Otago Embroiderers Guild Inc, $300; Milton: St Patrick's Parish, $3,000; Oamaru: CCS Disability Action Waitaki Inc, $9,000; Ranfurly: Ranfurly Playcentre, $1,000; Waikouaiti-Palmerston: Kati Huirapa Runanga Ki Puketeraki, $5,000; Waikouaiti Amateur Music and Drama Society Inc, $3,000; Wanaka: Southern Lakes Arts Festival Trust, $50,000; Wanaka Golf Club Inc, $10,000; Kahu Youth Trust, $3,000; Weston: Western Progress League, $80,000.
