News / Environment
Cash-strapped CERES in bid for urgent funds
Environmental park seeks $150,000 to avoid making cuts to staff and operations
Joanna Beard
OVER its lifetime of more than 40 years, CERES Environment Park in Brunswick East has endured several financial crises. Now it’s facing another one.
The much-loved institution has appealed to the community to dig deep as it seeks to reach a $150,000 target to support continuing operations in the face of economic pressures.
While there is no prospect of CERES closing its gates if the target is not met, it would lead to some tough decisions being made.
CERES chief executive officer, Cinnamon Evans, said a “perfect storm” of issues has put pressure on the organisation’s ability to keep up with costs.
“In the last six to 12 months, we haven’t had the funding success that we’ve historically enjoyed. There’s an economic context going on around us that’s really challenging our revenue stream.”
Evans said CERES is funded through a mix of revenue from its social enterprises, government funding, philanthropic funding, and community donations. But these financial avenues have become “threatened” in recent times.
“It seems like there’s not as much funding available in the system and there are more not-for-profit and community groups competing for the same pools of funding,” Evans said.
“In our social enterprises, people have less disposable income because of cost of living pressures, so we’re seeing our revenue is lower than we’d expected in our budget.
“I think we’ve had a fright in the sense that the economic context around us has changed and the revenue’s not there, so we need to adjust.
“$150,000 will help us with some immediate bills and pressures that we’re facing, and it will buy us some time to make longer term decisions about our financial sustainability.”
Evans said she was “extremely hopeful” that the fundraising target would be met.
“CERES is loved by so many,” Evans said.
“I think CERES inspires us to imagine the world that we all wish we could live in more often. We’ve had a great response [to the fundraiser] so far. We’re about a third of the way to our target in only a few days.”
Evans said CERES required $2.5 million annually to keep its gates open to the public. Enterprises such as the cafe and education programs contribute half of that, while the other half comes from external funding and the community.
If it doesn’t manage to raise the intended amount, CERES will need to pare back its operations.
“I think if we aren’t able to reach our fundraising target, then we’ll need to make more radical decisions than we otherwise might. As an organisation, it would mean contracting what’s available to the community.
“CERES is about hope in action. We can hope for a better world, but you can come to CERES and actually be a part of one,” she said.
“We really need the community’s support, so please consider donating to the fundraiser. Come and buy from our enterprises, come and participate in our education programs. Just come and be part of it.”
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CERES was established in 1982 when a group of locals converted an old landfill site along the Merri Creek into an area for food production and employment.
More than 40 years later, CERES has expanded into a popular institution, offering cafes, workshops, market gardens and school programs. The park is free to enter and open to the public at all hours, seven days a week.
CERES also operates a community garden program which caters to residents who don’t have space to grow their own produce at home.
Community gardeners, Angelo Iezzi and Jo Heriot have been involved with CERES for the past 11 years. They said it’s the “heartbeat” of the community.
“It’s a place to join in with the community in creating a sustainable world. It’s a place of education and connection through gardening. It’s important on a social and a physical level. It’s about getting out and getting your hands in the soil. Particularly for apartment dwellers and people on small blocks,” Heriot said.
“We would be devastated if CERES was ever not operational. I don’t know if we’d even live in the area without it.”
Iezzi said CERES has had a “huge” impact on his identity, and he encouraged other community members to come and take part.
“It’s a hugely important place, it’s a social network”, he said.
“Please donate or come down and see what CERES offers. Go through the community gardens, have a cup of coffee, look at the chooks. See what it offers and what possibilities are there.”
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