In March this year the Equal Futures Project – a local group of business leaders dedicated to raising awareness of gender equity and diversity in the region – held a breakfast to celebrate International Women’s Day.

As part of the event, which attracted about 400 people from the business and wider community, the group raised $18,000. Representatives of Jenny’s Place and HMRI were presented with cheques for $9,000 each on Friday, 4 September 2015.

At the presentation Equal Futures Project Chair, Kirsten Molloy, said that people who attended International Women Day events over the past few years wanted to support organisations that were contributing to our local community.

“Jenny’s Place continues to provide important and necessary support for victims of domestic violence, while HMRI undertakes vital research and work across a range of areas that adds value to diversity in our region,” Kirsten said.

Jenny’s Place provides crisis accommodation and support through information, referral and advocacy for women and children escaping domestic violence and/or who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. Established in 1977, Jenny’s Place is a not for profit community organisation that provides a safe and supportive environment to empower women to make informed decisions in their lives.

Since 1998, through its pioneering partnership with the University of Newcastle and Hunter New England Local Health District, HMRI has helped deliver key translational health and medical research and technology closely aligned to community health needs.

Image | Kirsten Molloy (Equal Futures Project), Associate Professor Lisa Woods Researcher (HMRI), Marcia Chapman (Jenny’s Place), Caroline Mara (Equal Futures Project)