NOVEMBER 20, 2017: VOLUNTEERS from a vital support service for kidney dialysis patients were relieved to hear that their application to fund a new vehicle under the Liberal National Government’s Stronger Communities Program had been successful.I was happy to deliver the good news to the group today.Mackay’s Kidney Support Network provides a door-to-hospital pick-up service for dialysis patients and they can’t keep up with the demand.Their wish was to buy a third vehicle so they could expand their service in the region.It was therefore a great blow to them to have one of their vehicles stolen just two weeks ago.I was already working with this group in the hope that we could provide them with some assistance under the Stronger Communities Program.They will receive $15,000 towards the cost of a new car, which is even more important for them after the recent theft.I also visited the Mackay Training and Employment Service to congratulate them on a Stronger Communities Program grant of $2,950 to buy gardening equipment for their not-for-profit business.This group assists people with disabilities find work and they have set up a mowing and cleaning service. They have more people wanting to undertake work and this funding will allow them to train up and equip more crew, and that’s a great outcome for both the workers and their customers.A third Mackay group, the St Vincent De Paul Society, was another beneficiary of the Stronger Communities program.The St Vincent De Paul Society will receive $9,690 for the installation of solar panels at their housing properities in Mackay.This will help them reduce running costs so money can be redirected into other areas of support for people at risk of homelessness.