Illawarra's faith-based organisations have contributed over $9.7 million in value to the community each year.
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The first of its kind survey in Australia also found that the over 100 faith-based organisations in the Illawarra who completed the survey, served 140,000 people - more than half the population of Wollongong and Shellharbour combined.
Cinnamon Network Australia in partnership with Together for the Illawarra announced the results of the Cinnamon Faith Action Audit (CFAA) for the Illawarra region on Wednesday.
Paul Bartlett, Lighthouse senior leader and Together for the Illawarra community engagement co-lead, said the CFAA tool enabled faith organisations to come together in order to measure their social and economic impact within a city or region.
"We had a 101 responses to the important survey and we've been able to produce these real statistics on the impact faith-based organisations have in the Illawarra," Mr Bartlett said.
"What we know is that every year we contribute, just volunteer hours $9.7 million worth of support, which is just based on the minimum wage that we give.
"We know that we impact and connect with 141,000 of the Illawarra residents, which is actually over 50 per cent of our population.
"We understand that most of that work is done in the supplying of food, need, in the areas of visitation, so people with loneliness, isolation."
Mr Bartlett added he hoped the CFAA would create a benchmark for years to come.
"Firstly so the community understands the impact of faith-based, that shows that they trust us," he said.
"Secondly to hand the audit to local government, so that they are aware of the kind of input that everybody is making corporately and I think also to encourage others to get on board and join us in helping people in difficult times."
Major Phil Inglis from the Salvation Army in Wollongong added the audit was extremely beneficial.
"It has allowed all faith-based organisations to get together and say 'look, this is where we are, this is who we are, this is what we do', and then we see what gaps need addressing and go from there," Major Inglis said.
"For example we have some 143 programs operating at the moment. Fifty-five of these programs, including food services and visiting lonely and isolated people, were introduced during COVID.
"We also saw an extra 2000 people seeking help from different faith-based groups during COVID.
"Thanks goes out to all the pastors, priests, prophets and whoever else took part in filling out the survey and contributing to a more and more accurate result."
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