Five community groups in Southland have benefited from almost $23,000 allocated in the latest funding round by the Meridian White Hill Community Fund.
The group to benefit most was the Northern Southland Community Resource Centre, which received $11,000, to be be used to help buy a new vehicle for its community worker.
Northern Southland Community Resource Centre Charitable Trust chairman Jim Bottcher said the centre was set up to provide community and youth services and support for local residents.
The Subaru Legacy station wagon which would be bought with the money from the White Hill Community Fund would be "invaluable" to the sole community worker, Mr Bottcher said.
"Our community worker's focus is on improving the quality of services for families, individuals and groups.
"The generous support from the Meridian community fund for the new vehicle will give our community worker better access to rural areas and so provide more support and advice to families and the elderly in their own homes.
"Her workload has increased significantly, so it's clearly a service the community values and needs.
"We offer support to the many migrant workers who come to Northern Southland to work on dairy farms, so the new vehicle will enable us to reach more people, especially in remote areas."
Meridian White Hill Community Fund panel chairman Alan Seay said it considered the trust to be a very worthy project.
"We are thrilled to be able to support so many valuable initiatives that will have a positive impact in the Northern Southland community."
