Bellsmyre Community Trust manager Donnie Nicolson hailed lottery funding as a godsend for the area.
The trust, based at the Cutty Sark Centre, received £90,000 from the National Lottery Communities Fund to safeguard their future for the next three years.
With the cash due to be paid over the next three years, it will end on the 10th anniversary of the area receiving its first funding from the National Lottery.
Donnie told the Lennox: “This will go a long way towards safeguarding and securing the trust for the next three years. It’s a weight off my mind for sure.
“We’ve got a similar funding deal for the next three years from West Dunbartonshire Council’s Common Good Fund, which is for £36,000.
“That leaves us with another £35-40,000 to raise ourselves. However, that’s an issue at the moment because obviously we can’t do any of that.
“It’s funny because between February and March we’d had a really good response to fundraisers and made a really positive start to the year but then it all came to a grinding halt.
“Lottery funding really has been a godsend for Bellsmyre.”
While the funding boost comes at a good time for the trust, Donnie admits that the impact of the coronavirus has been tough.
He said: “When we applied for the funding we hoped it may become part of a grander plan to scale up services for our 10-year anniversary.
“We hope to extend the range of services that we offer but at the moment obviously we’ve been stumped by the lockdown.
“It’s breaking everyone’s heart.
“What has been especially difficult is that we do a lot with senior citizens and that’s something I’ve been missing. We’ve also heard that a few have passed away, which is heartbreaking.
“Not knowing how people are who you spoke to every day is not nice.
“I can’t say enough for the support we’ve had though. We are a uniquely local organisation who don’t have agendas outside of Bellsmyre and the way the community has come together to help has been incredible.”
The trust is not the only community group in Dumbarton to benefit from the latest grants.
Food for Thought foodbank at St Augustine’s Community Hall was awarded £6200 to help as the demand for emergency food parcels soars locally.
In total £7.3m was shared between 141 groups.
The lottery’s Neil Ritch said: “In these difficult and unprecedented times it’s heartening to see the way Scottish communities are coming together to provide each other with support.
“These awards, made possible by National Lottery players, recognise the hugely valuable and important contribution that Scotland’s voluntary and community sector plays in boosting the health, wellbeing and morale of local people.”
