People can now choose to donate their Return and Earn refund to local non-profits groups which are featured as local donation partners.

The first four organisations to benefit are the disability support service ACES, Port Macquarie Animal Welfare Service, Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Sunrise and Lake Cathie-Bonny Hills Lions Club.

Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams said money could be donated to local charities whenever people took their containers to any of the four reverse vending machines in our area.

“If people choose to donate their 10 cents per container instead of collecting the money, they can support four very worthwhile organisations helping our local community,” she said.

People can choose to donate their refund to ACES at the reverse vending machine at Growers Market.

ACES operations manager Cody Boylan said it was absolutely fantastic the organisation could benefit from Return and Earn Scheme donations.

ACES felt the scheme was a good fit for the organisation as some of its programs have an environmental focus.

ACES will put donations from the scheme towards its community-based participation programs.

“It will help us maintain a good quality community-based disability service,” Mr Boylan said.

People can donate their refund to Port Macquarie Animal Welfare Service through the reverse vending machine at Settlement City.

The group’s public officer, president and animal coordinator Leonie Heath said it would be a great help.

“We rely solely on fundraising and donations,” she said.

Port Macquarie Animal Welfare Service has re-homed 108 cats and kittens and 14 dogs in 2018.

The non-profit group covers the Port Macquarie, Wauchope, Camden Haven and Kempsey areas.

Lake Cathie-Bonny Hills Lions Club president John Hayes said the local charity component of the Return and Earn scheme was a fantastic idea.

People using the Lake Cathie Shopping Centre reverse vending machine can donate their container refunds to Lake Cathie-Bonny Hills Lions Club.

“The money will go back to help the community – that’s what Lions is all about,” Mr Hayes said.

Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Sunrise will direct its donations from the scheme to the drought appeal.

The club’s communications director, Michael Jacobs, said it was quite surprising how many containers went through the machines.

“Hopefully we will get a nice surprise,” he said.

“The money we are collecting is going towards drought relief.”

Supporters can donate their refund from the Lake Innes Village Shopping Centre reverse vending machine to the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Sunrise.

ACES, Port Macquarie Animal Welfare Service, Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Sunrise and Lake Cathie-Bonny Hills Lions Club are Return and Earn local donation partners until the end of November.

The local donation partners change every three months.

More information about becoming a donation partner is available on the Return and Earn website.

Mrs Williams encouraged non-profit groups to take the time to apply.

The scheme remains popular in Port Macquarie.

Figures show more than 2.6 million containers have been deposited at the Settlement City reverse vending machine alone.

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