The NILS provides a unique opportunity for people with a pensioner concession or health care card to access free loans to buy household goods and services.

With the assistance of the New South Wales Office of Fair Trading and the National Australia Bank, the Josephite Foundation in Bathurst has established a NILS in Young to run alongside their three existing NILS in Bathurst, Lithgow and Cowra.

Coordinator of Young NILS, Judy Graham, said free loans of up to $1000 are available.

“We lend for a huge range of items and services including white goods, beds and mattresses, medical appliances, dental work and home maintenance,’ said Miss Graham.

“We have had a lot of enquiries coming from right across the district.

We have also had a wonderful amount of support from the community in getting the scheme up and running,” she said.

No interest loans are available to eligible people living in the local government areas of Young, Cootamundra, Temora, Boorowa, Harden and Weddin.

So often NILS coordinators hear, ‘I don’t know what I would have done without NILS’ and it is a real achievement when a borrower repays a loan and can make a new application.

Established by the trustees of the sisters of St Joseph, Bathurst Diocese, the Josephite Foundation is likely to exceed the $1 million mark in loans across the four schemes during 2010.

Already the Young NILS has approved nearly $7000 in loans to people so they can purchase household items and services that will directly improve their standard of living.

Further information about the Young NILS is available from Judy at the Young Neighbourhood Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday on 6382 6328.