Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation is celebrating providing a total of $20.6 million to local charities in an attempt to rewrite the future for disadvantaged, marginalised and isolated people in regional New South Wales.
The Charitable Foundation was established with a $30 million endowment by Newcastle Permanent in 2003 on the 100th anniversary of the building society. The first grants were awarded in 2004 and two founding round announcements are held each year.
The $20 plus million milestone was reached as the Charitable Foundation announced 12 new grants earlier this month, totalling more than $700,000 to support community initiatives addressing issues of disadvantage across its key focus areas of health, social well-being and young people.
Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation Chair, Phil Neat, said this latest round of grants recognised charitable partners that are making a meaningful difference to people in need and the social well-being of regional communities.
“The Charitable Foundation has funded projects that have helped more than 250 charities and community organisations to support and benefit the isolated, marginalised or disadvantaged by providing new and improved infrastructure, education platforms, vital health equipment and access for people suffering from an illness, disability or social marginalisation,” Phil said.
“These grant announcements make possible new projects throughout regional NSW, including $177,940 in the Hunter. The group includes both long-term and new partners which will deliver projects that will benefit people living with autoimmune disease, at-risk youth and people who may be forced to stay long distances from home to seek hospital care for their children.”
The new grants for the Hunter will go towards the following projects;
- Mai-Wel Limited’s Sensational Spaces – an innovative sensory stimulation space and garden for people with a disability using services at The Hill centre in Maitland.
- Hunter Youth Mentor Collaborative’s MSN Refugee Educational and Career Development Scholarships – the funding of ten additional Mentor Support Network scholarships for refugee and migrant youth, to address significant social disadvantage and provide access to mentoring, education and career pathways.
- Hunter Surf Lifesaving Inc’s Community Education Program Renovation – the development of a suite of digital teaching tools, as well as the fit-out of a new trailer and new equipment, to enable Hunter SLS to continue making thousands of beach goers safer when they visit the beach.
- Red Gum House Ltd’s Renovation of three self-contained units at Ronald McDonald House – offering comfortable, homely accommodation for families whose sick children are receiving ongoing treatment at John Hunter Children’s Hospital.
“Each of these grants represents a valuable community partnership, built on our shared mission to address important social issues by supporting innovative and resourceful initiatives from non-profit organisations operating in the Hunter,” Phil continued.
The twelve new projects will begin in coming months and are scheduled to be completed within two years, providing benefit to the local community in the near future.
IMAGE | Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation Grant Recipients
