Who we help

Program support vehicle

Region - Hunter, Mid North Coast, New England

This $47,000 grant will enable the purchase of a large multipurpose van to be used by volunteers who deliver Camp Quality programs in Northern NSW and directly supporting 550 young people impacted by cancer. The purchase of this van means Camp Quality can save thousands of dollars each year as it will not have car hire costs nor need to reimburse volunteers for the use of private vehicles.

Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation has previously provided $187,500 in funding and $3,000 from the Chairman's Medal to Camp Quality for projects.

Transforming Transport to Treatment

Region - Hunter, Central Coast, Mid North Coast, Northern Rivers, Central West, New England

This $154,000 grant will enable Cancer Council NSW’s Transport to Treatment program to become an online booking platform for transport to cancer treatment. The online system will transform the 28 existing independent services into one convenient online booking system. Along with future expansion of the vehicle fleet, the aim of this project is to enable access to free transport for anyone needing transport for cancer treatment.

Cancer Council NSW has previously received $270,000 in funding for projects from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.

The Port Stephens Youth Centre (Tomaree Peninsula)

Region - Hunter

The $53,000 grant will be used to fit out a dedicated space at Salamander Library to deliver a free community-based mental health and counselling service aimed at youth in Port Stephens.
The service will offer psychology and counselling services, on a bulk billed basis, in an inviting, youth-focussed setting to reduce the clinical nature of the environment to remove barriers of stigma for clients. Service hours will be structured to be appropriate for high school students.

Born to Live

Region - Central Coast

After funding the establishment of the Born to Live program in 2015, this new $44,000 grant from the Charitable Foundation will help another 100 disadvantaged families care for their seriously ill or injured children by providing them with specialised pharmaceutical items or equipment.

The program aims to close the gap for families who require ongoing care for their children in their home, linking them with vehicle and home modification services and funding the necessities for their child’s complex medical needs.

Starting Over

Region - Central Coast

This $48,000 grant will be used to purchase 100 starting over kits to assist people escaping domestic violence. Each kit will include one double bed, two single beds (a person escaping violence with children is a common scenario), one lounge, one dining suite, a wardrobe, chest of drawers, fridge, washing machine, toaster, kettle, crockery, cutlery, and linen. As needed, kits will also include school suppliers, cleaning kits, medication, and mobility aides.

It is hoped that these kits will make the transition and cost of moving into new accommodation easier thereby making the decision to leave an easier one.

Wheels for Hope Social Enterprise

Region - Hunter

Centre for Hope will use this grant to establish a new Port Stephens chapter of Wheels for Hope—a program for marginalised young people to refurbish bikes and skateboards and donate them to disadvantaged local children/families. This $40,000 program teaches 15-18 year olds transferrable skills including mechanical, entrepreneurial, and business providing participants greater education and employment opportunities. This is an extension of the successful launches of this program in Windale, Kurri Kurri, and Raymond Terrace.

Centre for Hope has previously received $50,500 in funding for projects from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.

Magic Carpets - Technology for Therapy

Region - Hunter, Central West, Mid-North Coast

Imagine if a child with limited movement and muscle function could play unhindered with their friends, commanding a virtual magic carpet with the blink of an eye, a simple hand gesture or a soft touch. 

Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation is making fairy tales a reality for more than 900 children throughout Cerebral Palsy Alliance centres in Newcastle, Dubbo, Port Macquarie and Orange with a $71,000 grant to the purchase two Mobile Magic Carpet projection machines. 

The projection of images onto the floor and wall allows children in a wheelchair or Wizzy Bug, to participate in play and unlock the fun of sensory learning. This revolutionary technology will be used extensively in occupational therapy sessions to improve gross motor skills and speech, and ultimately help children living with Cerebral Palsy to gain a sense of control, boost self-esteem, and enhance wellbeing.

For more information on the important work of this community organisation please visit cerebralpalsy.org.au.

GROW A Star Scholarship Program

Region - Central West, Mid-North Coast, Hunter

Compass Housing Services provides scholarships to talented young people from disadvantaged communities to help them pursue their interests and realise their academic, sporting or artistic goals through the GROW a Star program.

The $55,000 grant will assist with the expansion of the GROW a Star program with 25 scholarships to be delivered to young people in Compass’s Dubbo, Taree, Cessnock and Singleton communities.

The scholarships help to build self-esteem and improve school and education retention for children growing up in low-socioeconomic communities, ensuring they have happy, healthy and prosperous futures.

Housing Plus

Region - Central West

This $54,000 grant will assist the Orange Crisis Centre in creating a secure indoor playground to provide respite from the trauma and upheaval experienced by children when escaping domestic violence. The playground is part of a purpose-built women’s crisis accommodation development in Orange.

Group Therapy for Historical Childhood Sexual Abuse

Region - Hunter

Hunter Women’s Centre provides counselling and therapeutic services to marginalised and disadvantaged women. Having identified a gap in clinical therapeutic programs for survivors of childhood sexual assault, the Centre has developed a pilot group therapy program for women on the current waitlist for counselling, along with other childhood sexual assault survivors within the community.  

This $22,000 grant will be used to fund the pilot program and also fund the development of a therapeutic framework for counsellors providing individual counselling to women who are not ready to enter into a group setting, and support current clients who have engaged with the Centre for other issues, providing a referral pathway for women contacting other services in the sector.

NICview expansion

Region - Hunter, Mid North Coast, New England

The NICVIEW camera connects remote families with their newborns while in the care of Northern NSW’s only Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at John Hunter Hospital—which provides care for up to 1,200 babies each year from across NSW, including some of our most rural and remote regions. This $53,000 project includes installation of specialised web cameras on each of NICU’s 12 new beds with a live-feed accessible by baby’s family through a secure, password protected connection to any computer, tablet, phone or similar device. NICVIEW means that family, often separated due to work, school or care commitments, can connect and bond with the newest member of the family, no matter how far away they may be.

John Hunter Children’s Hospital Kids Club has previously received $269,000 in funding for projects from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.

SeeMore Safety Program

Region - All regions

The KIDS Foundation aims to address the leading causes of injury, death or disability in Australian children - domestic violence and child safety issues. 

This $98,000 grant will allow KIDS Foundation to deliver its SeeMore child safety and wellbeing education program for children aged 4-6 within 650 child care centres and pre-schools throughout rural and regional NSW.

These children are statistically at higher risk of dying from injuries than their counterparts in metropolitan NSW. Thanks to the Charitable Foundation, the program will reach 23,000 children and focus on learning through literature, play and real-life experiences and addresses the role of educators in supporting self-regulation development through reflective practice, strong relationships with children and families and development of support networks.

Northern Mobile Learning Centre

Region - New England

This $22,000 will fund the upgrade of the Life Education NSW's Northern Mobile Learning Centre. The Mobile Learning Centres take the organisation’s education messages to thousands of children in far flung regional and rural communities every year. Delivering programs that have a strong focus on resilience, nutrition, exercise, drugs and alcohol, the Mobile Learning Centres help Life Education to empower young people to make healthier choices and realise their potential.  

Scheduled to visit more than 3,600 children in 34 primary schools across the Armidale, Tamworth, Gwydir, Inverell, Moree, Uralla and Walgett council areas this year alone, the Northern Mobile Learning Centre's upgrade will include new state-of-the-art equipment and modernised learning facilities.

Lifeline / Country Women’s Association / Newcastle Permanent Women’s Mental, Physical, and Financial presentation

Region - Central West

Lifeline Central West and Country Women’s Association CWA will develop a series of talks to be delivered in regional NSW about issues that cause mental illness and informing on how help can be sought without being stigmatised. This $41,000 program is timely with drought and business closures in regional NSW putting strain on family budgets and ultimately mental health. Targeting women—with the aim of engaging the female in the household as a way of overcoming the issue of male resistance to seeking help—is seen as a viable way of reaching the venerable male demographic and will be publicised to a large number of women in regional NSW.

Macquarie Home Stay Outdoor Area

Region - Central West

The new Macquarie Home Stay will offer affordable accommodation for people who are living in regional NSW and need to travel to Dubbo for necessary medical treatment. This $43,000 grant will fund the construction of a landscaped outdoor social area for guests and their families to enjoy. This area will be a tranquil location for socialisation, relaxation, and bonding.

Vans for Volunteers

Region - Northern Rivers

The Northern Rivers’ Mental Health Support Group helps people in the Lismore and Byron Bay communities by providing a volunteer van delivery service for goods and furniture for people living will ill mental health. 

Currently relying on a van from a local charity store and private vehicles from volunteers, the $60,000 Charitable Foundation grant will fund the purchase of a new van for the Group’s volunteers to deliver and collect furniture and household goods to support those living with mental illness. The new van will improve the Group’s ability to provide more flexible deliveries, accept more donated goods and improve their response to urgent requests.

Education & Career Development for Refugee & Migrant Youth

Region - Hunter

Mentor Support Network will identify 10 disadvantaged refugee and migrant young people requiring support with education and career development. With this $30,000 grant they will present these young people with a Scholarship to help cover education and career development assistance costs as well as provide them with mentoring and career coaching to give them the best possible pathway into a meaningful career in their new home country.

Mentor Support Network has previously received $77,000 in funding for projects from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.

StrokeSafe Ambassador Program for regional and rural NSW

Region - Northern Rivers, Central West, New England

This $22,000 in funding will expand the StrokesSafe Ambassador Program in Tamworth, Armidale, Dubbo, and Coffs Harbour regions that have some of the highest rates of stroke in the country but do not have a volunteer ambassador presence.
StokeSafe Ambassador program provides public education about what stroke is, how to prevent stroke, how to recognise the early warning signs of stroke, and what to do if someone has a stroke. Ambassadors, including stroke survivors, carers, health professionals and members of the general public, are trained to conduct educational presentations to the community.

National Stroke Foundation has previously received $42,000 in funding for projects from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.

Options Theatre Company Community Performance Space Development

Region - Central Coast

Options Theatre Company provides the opportunity for people with a disability to be involved with the arts and offers training in associated roles including sound and lighting, production, and rigging. This funding will enable the completion of a new sustainable enterprise performance space and café at a new Tuggerah site; this includes fit out of the box office and café, and installation of configurable seating for 80 to 100 people.

Options Disability Support has previously received $33,000 in funding for projects from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.

Out(fit) - University of Newcastle outreach design truck

Region - All regions

This $123,000 grant will fund the design, engineering and construction of an outreach truck for Out(fit) to engage with, and improve the shared spaces within, disadvantaged communities. 

The truck will act as a ‘toolbox’ to work with communities to deliver exciting projects which improve social infrastructure in shared spaces including schoolyards, skate parks, playgrounds and neighbourhood centres in disadvantaged areas. 

It will also act as a mobile design space, teaching facility, exhibition space, meeting room, catering station, working bee headquarters or movie theatre, staffed by Out(fit)’s core team of volunteers and supported by volunteers to help communities reimagine and rethink their spaces to improve community pride and connection.

Next Step Mental Health Program

Region - Hunter

This $113,300 grant will be used to incentivise up to three graduating psychiatrists each year to develop a locally-based practice in the Hunter region. Graduates will be mentored by Procare practitioners, given exposure to managing a local practice, and be provided with a stream of referrals from Procare enabling the graduate to quickly establish a local network and client base. At the end of the two-year pilot, it is expected this program will increase psychiatrist services in the region by 1,200 patients in the first year and has the potential to continually increase local service providers in the long-term. Additionally, the services will be offered as a bulk-billed and/or offered at a reasonable rate to patients.

Procare Mental Health Services has previously received $125,000 in funding for projects from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.

Shelter Cover for Riders, Carers, Volunteers and Supporters

Region - Mid North Coast

This $30,000 grant will be used by Riding for Disabled to fund the construction of an all-weather shelter (cover) over the mounting ramp, the installation of covered seating for spectators, and the construction of concrete paths to enable wheelchair access and participation from people who are in wheelchairs.

Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation has previously provided $257,000 in NSW and $86,00 in the Manning for funding Riding for the Disabled projects.

Mobile BBQ project

Region - Hunter

This $30,300 grant will be used to purchase a portable BBQ trailer with a BBQ, cool room, and storage on board. The trailer will be used for community events in the West Wallsend and surrounding areas and will enable Sugarvalley Neighbourhood Advancement Group the opportunity to reach isolated people though local community events.

Sugarvalley Neighbourhood Advancement Group has previously received $41,300 in funding for projects from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.

Exercise studio extension including equipment

Region - Hunter

The Kaden Centre operates a dedicated exercise space to give patients undergoing cancer treatment access to exercise programs clinically proven to improve the likelihood of a patients’ survival and decrease the chance of their cancer recurring. The Centre’s clients are supported by staff trained in specialised exercise-for-cancer techniques, who develop targeted, individual and safe programs based on each client’s circumstances. 

This $63,000 Charitable Foundation grant will allow the Centre to refurbish and expand its Warabrook facility to cater for the rapidly growing demand for their services.

Everyday Life Dubbo facility upgrade

Region - Central West

Northcott Society’s Everyday Life Skills program empowers young people with a disability to develop essential skills to get involved in and live the life they choose. Supporting more than 90 people from the local community, Northcott’s Dubbo facility has been in need of an upgrade for some time, and the $33,000 Charitable Foundation’s grant will enable a refurbishment to make the space fit for purpose and safer for clients of all needs and abilities.

Taree inclusive playground project

Region - Mid-North Coast

This $50,000 grant has funded the creation of Taree’s first inclusive play space. Located in Fotheringham Park, the playground will feature passive areas, sensory and tactile play zones and visual cues, offering fun for people of all abilities and ages. The design will draw on the local Biripi people and will include a driftwood climber, crab climber, trampolines, assessable glider, four-way swing, water spray and ball, carousel, seashell parkour, cubby, music and sound devices, a rocker, Auslan and braille set up, plus a raised sandpit. 

The playground will be based on the Livvi’s Place inclusive play space model pioneered by Touched by Olivia and replicated throughout Australia to improve opportunities for participation despite a person’s abilities or challenges.

Transitional homeless youth project

Region - Central West

Veritas House supports more than 150 young people aged16-24 experiencing homelessness in the Bathurst and Orange communities. Many of these young people have limited finances and no prior rental history which makes it difficult to be approved for leases in the private rental market thus making it difficult to break the cycle of homelessness. 

This $50,000 Charitable Foundation’s grant will allow Veritas House to complete a long-overdue refurbishment of the one-bedroom flat used as part of its Transitional Youth Housing Program to support young people escaping negative home environments.

2018/19 Wheelchair Sports NSW Member Grant Program – Northern Region

Region - Hunter, Central Coast, Mid North Coast, Northern Rivers, Central West, New England

Wheelchair Sports NSW provides a range of programs and financial support for people with physical disabilities to participate in sport. This $33,000 grant will provide up to 100 Wheelchair Sports members access to funding to support their sport participation, be they at beginner level or an experienced athlete. The goal is to encourage and financially support those with a physical disability remain active in their community and maintain good mental wellbeing.

Wheelchair Sports NSW has previously received $30,460 in funding for projects from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.