WHO WE HELP

Magic Carpets - Technology Equipment for Therapy 2

Region - Central Coast, Mid North Coast, Northern Rivers

This $77,000 grant will help Cerebral Palsy Alliance to expand their use of Magic Carpet therapeutic systems to three additional regional NSW therapy centres – Erina, Port Macquarie and Alstonville.

The Magic Carpet is an innovative projection system which allows users of different ages and abilities to play and learn together by interacting with images projected onto a floor or wall. The systems offer play-based therapy promoting movement and coordination in people with a range of physical disabilities. The Foundation has previously provided funding for Magic Carpets in Newcastle, Dubbo and Tuggerah.

Two Dogs Sailing

Region - Mid North Coast

The Charitable Foundation will enable Coffs Coast Legacy to refurbish a sailing boat and establish the Two Dogs Sailing program, helping to connect and support veterans at risk of poor mental health. Two Dogs Sailing is an activity-based program modelled on similar successful projects with veterans in the United States, Israel and Southern Queensland.

The $79,000 grant for the project, is aimed at currently serving and ex-service personnel and their families on the Mid North Coast of NSW to give them access to a program which can benefit their physical and mental wellbeing. The Two Dogs project will provide a safe and healthy environment for the target group to come together and learn new skills, giving them access to the benefits of sailing which have been demonstrated to help overcome depression, anxiety and PTSD.

Shed Fit-out

Region - Hunter

Elermore Vale Men's Shed (EVMS) operates from two small sheds which limits the capacity for members to work in comfort and safety. The Shed’s present facilities can be overcrowded which limits participation, impacts safety and restricts the entry of new members, for which there is a growing waiting list. The existing sheds do not have accessible facilities for people with a disability or limited mobility.

A Charitable Foundation grant of $55,000 will enable EVMS to complete the interior fit out of the new shed including new windows, an office, shelving and equipment, an accessible bathroom, replacing the current temporary toilet, electrical works, safety equipment, and painting.

Avenue for Newcastle

Region - Hunter

Fighting Chance will use a Charitable Foundation grant of $160,000 to establish the Avenue for Newcastle Co-Working space as a fully accessible workspace for people with a range of disabilities to work in the sharing economy, in-house micro-enterprises, or on an individual’s own business idea. People with profound and severe disability leave high school with very limited prospects of ever attaining meaningful employment.

Avenue provides accessible space with technology and trained support workers to help people who may otherwise be prevented from participating in the economy pursue meaningful employment or their business passion. The concept brings together technology, accessibility, entrepreneurship and human rights to create a space in which all people are empowered to flourish as active participants in our society.

ASD Video Modelling

Region - Hunter

Firstchance supports over 350 children with a disability or developmental delay annually. 35% of the children Firstchance supports are diagnosed with (Autism Spectrum Disorder) ASD. Video modelling is a form of therapy that enables children with ASD access to a safe environment in which to use their preferred visual learning style and, through repetition, the ability to consolidate learning at their own speed.

The grant of $47,000 for the project, will help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and all visual learners who need to refine their language, social, self-help and play skills. For visual learners, video modelling can be a highly effective way to teach new skills.

NICView Regional Special Care Unit Expansion

Region - New England

This grant of $80,000 to the John Hunter Children's Hospital Kids Club will support the expansion of the extremely successful NICView telecam system into regional special care nurseries within the Hunter New England Health network.

The system allows families with newborns in intensive care to watch over and connect with their baby from any distance. This expansion will connect families with babies transferred from Neonatal Intensive Care to the lower-dependency special care units in major regional hospitals, before they can be sent to the care of their family home.

SeeMore’s Connecting Generations

Region - All regions

SeeMore’s Connecting Generations is a continuum of the SeeMore Safety program. Children and the elderly have the highest injury rates amongst all age groups.

Connecting Generations is an intergenerational program designed to engage preschool groups with elderly communities in their local area. The grant of $81,000 for the program, provides an effective means of interaction with an underlying purpose of improving the safety, health and well-being of both groups.

Soil 2 Soul

Region - Central West

Soil2Soul is an enterprise model developed by youth support group LeaderLife, to help fill the employability gap for marginalised and at-risk young people. Using existing infrastructure from a lime farm between Dubbo and Narromine, this project aims employ a minimum of twenty young men in a range of work and training activities in farming, business, sale and distribution channels for the enterprise.

The Charitable Foundation’s $73,000 grant will allow LeaderLife to purchase critical equipment for the project including a vehicle, trailer, cool room and tools.

RizeUp Northern Rivers Hub

Region - Northern Rivers

RizeUp works directly with women’s refuges, domestic violence agencies and child safety agencies to identify families in need of support.

A RizeUp Hub is a community based collective of volunteers who mobilise community and corporate support, along with volunteer capacity to deliver RizeUp’s mission in a local area. The Charitable Foundation $69,000 grant will support a hub responsible for delivering three key services - engaging local volunteers and holding volunteer training sessions, delivering awareness-raising training and awareness to community organisations and corporations on the red flags or drivers for domestic violence, and supporting the delivery of homes furnishing programs for survivors – men, women and children fleeing violence.

Food co-op for low socio-economic families in Hamilton South

Region - Hunter

This $52,000 grant will enable Samaritans Foundation to establish a food cooperative to provide low income individuals and families in a large social housing neighbourhood access to low cost, nutritional food.

The initiative will support households facing social and financial disadvantage, including single parent families, elderly people, people with disabilities, those who are socially isolated, and people from indigenous backgrounds.

Community Delivery Vehicle

Region - Central Coast

In 2019, We Care Connect provided more than 45,000 items of essential bay and childhood equipment to support families in need. WCC currently supports over 200 case workers from 69 family support programs predominantly across the Central Coast and south Lake Macquarie.

Demand for WCC’s services currently outstrips capacity and a major restriction is suitable transport. WCC currently uses volunteers’ own vehicles which are not fit for purpose.

A $48,000 grant for a new van will allow WCC to deliver support items, including bulky items such as cots/prams to the caseworkers who have requested assistance for individual families in need, and to collect community donations, promoting local engagement with the program.