“It’s always our pleasure to help people who need assistance and, in this case, the needy people in Ballarat,” President of the Social Committee, Ken Jenkins said.

The donation will be shared between Uniting Care, Anglicare, the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul Society.

It will assist with families in the Ballarat area who are in need of help this winter, many of whom are living below the poverty line.

Of the donation, $2000 was supplied by Freemasons Foundation Victoria and will go towards assisting more than 4,500 disadvantaged local families.

Donations of cash, food items and blankets can be left at 3BA, 56 Lydiard Street North.

The appeal is especially urging for cash donations because these charities and welfare agencies are increasingly being relied on to help families with payment of heating, medical and schooling costs.