Six Aussie charities share in $137,000 in grants from Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation 

7 November 2023

Christmas has come early for six Aussie charities who will share in a massive $137,000 in funding as part of the latest round of grants from the Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation. 

From sick babies in the Northern Territory, young people who have been displaced from their home in South Australia to vulnerable young men aged 14-17 years in Queensland, the reach of this year’s grants has grown to support even more communities across the geographical footprint of Heritage and People’s Choice. 

Youth mentoring charity Raise Foundation will receive $50,000 as the inaugural recipient of the new $50,000 Heritage and People’s Choice Grant. This new grant was introduced to celebrate the successful merger between Heritage Bank and People’s Choice Credit Union and recognises both organisations’ long history of community support. 

Raise Foundation runs mentoring programs for Years 8 and 9 students to help them overcome challenges and equip them with skills and resources to support their mental health, and social and emotional wellbeing. While the Foundation’s funding is focused on supporting Western Sydney and Southeast Queensland, Raise conducts mentoring programs through schools in Sydney, Melbourne, southern Queensland and South Australia.

Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation Executive Officer Paul Olds said Raise Foundation is an outstanding organisation with a long and proud history of supporting Australian youth. 

“We were attracted to their model of volunteer mentors who are strongly supported by training, an evidence-based curriculum and a degree qualified Program Counsellor managing the interaction between the school, mentee and mentor,” Mr Olds said.

“The results of their programs are very impressive and speak for themselves.” 

Raise Foundation Founder and CEO Vicki Condon AM said, “We feel incredibly humbled and honoured to receive this new Heritage and People’s choice grant – thank you. 

“These funds not only mean we can deliver Raise mentoring programs to young people at risk of poor social wellbeing but create a ripple effect of thriving communities across Australia.  

“We can’t wait to show you the very real impact you have had in the communities you have funded.” 

For the second year in a row, Outback Futures was announced as the recipient of the $27,000 Our Shout Workplace Giving Grant that targets health care services for vulnerable Australians. 

Mr Olds said, “The support Outback Futures provides rural and remote Queensland is very special and we’re extremely pleased to again present them with the Our Shout Grant. This grant is of special significance to the Heritage and People’s Choice staff as it is funded by their regular donations to the Foundation via workplace giving.”

“This funding will allow them to extend their psychology and counselling services in remote areas of Queensland where mental health outcomes are 4-5 times worse compared to those living in metropolitan areas.”

The following four charities will each receive a $15,000 Growing Stronger Community Grant:

Backpacks 4 SA Kids – Provides a backpack full of essentials to children and young people who have been displaced from their home in South Australia.

Eat Up – Feeds hungry schoolkids in regional Queensland by providing nutritious lunches for disadvantaged children who arrive at school with no food from home.

Miracle Babies – NutureTime in the Royal Darwin Hospital, a program supporting the families of sick and premature babies.

Top Blokes – Three 6-month, evidenced-based, early intervention prevention mentoring programs for 36 vulnerable young men aged 14-17 years attending low-ICSEA high schools in Toowoomba.

“These charities do outstanding work in their communities,” Mr Olds said.

“Our Heritage and People’s Choice community looks forward to working closely with these charities over the next 12 months to help them grow stronger communities.”

Established in 2018, the Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation has financially supported 51 charities by donating $723,601 to help them grow stronger communities.  

The Foundation is extremely passionate about creating long-lasting positive impacts by helping people in need in our key focus areas:

• Positive educational and alternative pathways to help at-risk children and teenagers;
• Health care services for vulnerable Australians and their families; and
• Support for the economic and social wellbeing of people in regional, rural and remote communities, including in times of natural disasters.

Heritage and People’s Choice provides amazing support to the Foundation.  They fund all operational costs of the Foundation, ensuring all donations and investment income can be applied to helping those in need, now and into the future.

IMAGE CAPTION: Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation Executive Officer Paul Olds and Raise Foundation QLD Program Manager Cindy Donald.