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Westpac Foundation grants a record $954,000 to help 12,000 Australians who need it most

 

100 not-for-profit organisations have received Westpac Foundation Community Grants valued at up to $10,000 each.

 

Local organisations committed to creating better social futures have today received a record $954,000 worth of grants from the Westpac Foundation, for its annual Community Grants program.

 

100 community organisations across the country will receive grants valued at up to $10,000 each, to help improve the quality of life for more than 12,000 people.

 

For the first time, all of this year's grant recipients will receive 'more than money' non-financial support from Westpac. Acting as Community Grant Ambassadors, a group of Westpac employees will mentor grant recipients to build their capacity to deliver more for the community.

 

Bernadette Inglis, Westpac Group General Manager of Retail & Premium Bank and Westpac Foundation Board Trustee, said Westpac is partnering with smaller community groups that are tackling real-life problems to help create change for the longer term.

 

"There is a real need to create brighter futures for Australians experiencing social disadvantage in our communities. For example, on any given night, 1 in 200 Australians are homeless, and alarmingly 24 per cent of these individuals are also victims of domestic or family violence. The organisations we support with Community Grants help to improve the quality of life of Australians affected by these types of complex social issues. We are also supporting local organisations focussed on youth at risk, people living with a disability and Indigenous Australians," Bernadette said.

 

Since 2012, 370 Westpac Foundation Community Grants worth over $3.5 million have been invested in projects that aim to improve the lives of Australia's most disadvantaged; helping to create opportunities that seek to break the cycle of social exclusion and poverty.

 

"This year, thanks to the generous donations of over $440,000 provided by Westpac and its employees and customers, Westpac Foundation is able to provide more grant funding directly back into local communities across Australia."

 

"This includes providing educational opportunities for youth at risk in Western Australia and helping women experiencing domestic violence receive help and support from a community shelter in Tasmania."

 

"Westpac has a long and proud history of opening doors to a brighter future for Australia's most disadvantaged and in 2017 we have set a firm goal to deliver 200 Community Grants for our 200th anniversary," Bernadette said.

 

For more information on the Westpac Foundation Community Grants program and this year's recipients, please visit www.westpac.com.au/westpacfoundation.