Fifteen NSW based charities, including nine from the Newcastle and Hunter region, have been awarded $930,000 worth of funding grants for life-changing projects at the May 2021 Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation Grant Ceremony.

Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation Chair, Jennifer Leslie said these grants allow for disadvantaged and vulnerable people in the community to have access to programs that can support and help change their life.

“These Charitable Foundation grants will enable projects and initiatives that directly address disadvantage, marginalisation or isolation for people, from much-needed health projects, initiatives that help vulnerable young people, to programs that build resilient and connected communities in Newcastle and Hunter,” Jennifer said.

“To date the Charitable Foundation has now funded over 500 projects and as of today has given over $23.5-million to charities and not for profits.

“This funding has helped to rewrite the future of so many our local community, enabling us to work together with our charity partners in all corners of the state to solve problems, lend helping hands, secure improvements, ensure security, offer hope and give support to those in need.”

The projects which will benefit the Hunter and Newcastle communities from this funding round are:

• $125,000 for PCYCs ground-breaking new youth mental health pilot program, GRIT.
• $64,000 for Wheelchair Sports NSW’s Northern Wheelchair Basketball program expansion.
• $55,000 to fund 700 sessions of youth counselling in Port Stephens, delivered by Caring for our Port Stephens Youth (COPSY).
• $124,000 for the Nicholas Butters Trust for the Building Beautiful Memories NICU palliative care room at John Hunter Hospital.
• $60,000 for the Mirabel Foundation’s therapeutic intervention for young people recovering from crisis initiative.
• $32,000 for Friends with Dignity’s Sanctuary Program, delivering domestic violence refuge and crisis support.
• $78,000 for Centre for Hope (Hope on the Streets) pop up COVIDSafe Outreach program being delivered at Rutherford, Toronto, Gateshead, and Wallsend.
• $90,000 for CanTeen to establish the region’s first Cancer Hub in Newcastle
• $70,000 for Atwea to purchase seven mobile science labs and related consumables for seven Alesco Senior College campuses operating across the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Hunter, Port Stephens, and Mid-North Coast areas.

“These projects have been recognised and funded by the Charitable Foundation because we know that they will make a tangible difference in the lives of people in need of these services and support in the Newcastle and Hunter region,” she said.

Local recipients received their grants at the Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation Grant Ceremony on 27 May, hosted by the Foundation in Newcastle.

Centre for Hope CEO, Geraldine Moran said the Charitable Foundation support will enable outreach to young people, particularly across the Tomaree and Rutherford areas.

“During COVID we were unable to go to schools and suddenly over 300 young people went without our support. This funding allows us to extend our reach to places where there is a need, to support to young people who live in amazing places but feel they don’t belong,” she said.

Meanwhile, CanTeen’s State Manager, Angie Elder said they plan to spend its funds on reimagining its Kotara premises into Newcastle’s first Cancer Hub, a one stop shop for families and individuals to access information and services from various cancer support organisations in one location.

“By bringing cancer organisations together, there are proven benefits of co-location from cost-savings to collaboration opportunities. This grant will enable cancer services in Newcastle to collaborate in a way that we haven’t before, ensuring families impacted by cancer have access to an easier pathway of support,” Angie said.

CEO of Friends with Dignity said the $32,000 funding grant will assist them to grow the charity and provide more immediate support to the region’s victims of domestic violence.

“We are fully dependent on grants like this one and donations. This will enable us to provide a sanctuary for victims more quickly and provide them with items they need to transition from crisis accommodation to a new permanent home,” Manuela said.

Head Teacher at Atwea, Grant Dennis said their $70,000 will revolutionise science learning for students at seven Alesco Senior College campuses operating across the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Hunter, Port Stephens, and Mid-North Coast areas.

“This Charitable Foundation grant will fund the purchase of seven new mobile science labs and give our students access to similar science equipment as that available at larger mainstream schools,” he said.

“We will now be able to broaden the learning experiences of students in our science classes.”

“It is truly inspiring to see the impact the projects we fund, and our charity partners deliver, have on improving health, youth and social outcomes. The initiatives our grants support really connect and enable individuals within local communities and provide opportunity where, in many cases, it otherwise would not be available,” Jennifer said.

The projects that received this funding will kick off in coming months and are all scheduled to be completed within two years, allowing the community to reap the benefits of these initiatives and services as soon as possible.

The full list of May 2021 Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation Grant Recipients can be found here.

IMAGE | Group shot of the 2021 Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation Grants program.