Cash Grant Finalists
For over 8 years
Femail.com.au &
Girl.com.au have been connecting with other women. During this time we have supported various charities, big and small, with varying purposes, but there is always more we would like to help....
With requests for donations daily, we decided that we needed to enlist the help of some awesome friends.....YOU!
"Earlier this year
Femail.com.au &
Girl.com.au opened a $5000 Cash Grant to groups, clubs, kinders, schools or community organizations that are not supported by government. Inspired largely by my own experience as a committee member on a non-funded kinder, I realised that there were many small unknown groups trying to raise money for worthy causes that benefit the community we live in. Too often these groups rely solely on the generosity of families immediately involved in the group who have limited resources for fundraising" says Femail & Girl Editor.
Women's Magazines & Online Communities Femail.com.au & Girl.com.au are asking YOU our friends to join with us and help make a difference to local communities by voting.
The response to the Cash Grant has been overwhelming, and it's been extremely hard to choose finalists. It's now up to YOU to choose which group you think should WIN the $5000 cash grant.
The runners up will receive a box of goodies to be used in charity fundraising to the value of $300.
* Femail.com.au & Girl.com.au will endeavor to help as many entrants as possible, if you can offer assistance with fundraising items, equipment or services to help please contact.
femail@femail.com.au
Cash Grant Finalist Voting Winner
Cash Grant Finalist Voting Winner
Knitting for Brisbanes Needy was started as a Yahoo online group in January 2006, after hearing from several not for profit charities that they were always desperate for warm clothing, blankets etc for winter for the needy. There were only 2 members for a few weeks but membership started growing and in September 2007 we now have over 140 online members and about 20 off line members, of all ages, gender and locations throughout Australia and overseas.
Before donating any items to the lesser known charities that assist the homeless, needy etc we ensure they will be giving the donations directly to those in need and not sell them.
To date over 2600 beanies, scarves, mittens, blankets, premature baby clothes, baby/children clothes, toys, animal blankets etc have been donated to many charities throughout Queensland. These include People's Mission (now Student Care Welfare), QUINH, Brisbane Youth Services, Drug Arm, Mater Mother's Neo Natal Unit, Bethesda Nursing Home, Eden in Glasshouse Nursing Home, Sunshine Coast Animal Shelter, Caboolture Fire and Ambulance stations, to name a few.
We have been told how appreciative the needy are to receive not only warm clothing/blankets, but the fact that they are brand new, giving them a lift in their self esteem to think someone would hand make something just for them..
All members use their own money to buy wool; needles, postal costs etc and many are on limited incomes.
However, thanks to www.girl.com and www.femail.com we were fortunate enough to win a $5000 grant, which will enable us to purchase wool, needles, postal satchels etc to send to members, so that they will now be able to make even more items for the needy.
Not only are we grateful for the opportunity to enter the cash grant competition, but the organizations that assist the needy and the needy themselves will also be very appreciative.
Karen Croke
knittingforbrisbanesneedy
http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/knittingforbrisbanesneedy/
| Albury Wodonga Community College - VIC |
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| Avon District Hall Inc - SA |
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| Dance Theatre Network Fundraising Committee - NSW |
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| Knitting For Brisbane Needy - QLD |
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| Mount Gambier North Primary School Special Needs Division - SA |
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| Olive Phillips Kindergarten - VIC |
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| Quirindi Public School P & C. - NSW |
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| Swan Hill Playgroup - VIC |
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| The Mowhawks - VIC |
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| Wishart State School P & C - QLD |
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*Note: Voting closes Friday 31st August, 2007.
1. Albury Wodonga Community College - VIC
Describe your community group?
A community college for young teenagers who are at risk of leaving education and not having any further skills and experiences for the future.
How is your group involved in the community?
We offer young teenagers courses that will give them skills & education to enter the workforce and contribute back to the community.
What project will the $5000 cash grant be spent on?
Buying equipment for the school such as sporting equipment so we can participate in activities to promote health and wellbeing.
2. Avon District Hall Inc - SA
Describe your community group?
Avon District Hall Inc is a community facility owned fully by the community that rely each year on donations and fundraising. Avon is a rural farming community, and The Hall provides an important meeting place, for social, recreational and education session for local women / farmer support groups. The community rely heavily on this facility and desperately need funds to stay open.
How is your group involved in the community?
The Avon District Hall is run by a community of volunteers who provide group activities and a meeting place for locals. Programs are tailored to the needs of the community.
What project will the $5000 cash grant be spent on?
The grant would be used to help with upgrade and fix the facility.
3. Dance Theatre Network Fundraising Committee - NSW
Describe your community group?
Dance Theatre Network Fundraising Committee
How is your group involved in the community?
We assist the dancers to fund travel to and entry into eisteddfods to further their competition and dance/entertainment skills.
What project will the $5000 cash grant be spent on?
It will fund bus hire to allow the dance troupes to compete in the Wagga Wagga Eisteddfod in September 2007.
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4. Knitting For Brisbane Needy - QLD
Describe your community group?
We are a group of ladies and men throughout Queensland (and a few interstate and overseas members) who knit/crochet/sew for the needy of Queensland. We started as an online yahoo group, but through advertising now have members who do not have a computers.
How is your group involved in the community?
We support lesser known charities by donating knitted/crocheted items for them to give directly to those in need; ie homeless, families in need, cancer patients, premature babies, womens refuges, indigenous communities, animal refuges etc.
What project will the $5000 cash grant be spent on?
If we are lucky enough to win the grant, the money would be spent on purchasing yarn, needles etc to be distributed to the members who at this stage, pay for their own yarn. Also it would assist in postage costs for members who post their donations and petrol costs for those who take donations to the charities by car, sometimes hundreds of kms from where they live.
5. Mount Gambier North Primary School Special Needs Division - SA
Describe your community group?
Our local public primary school has recently launched a middle road special needs education plan, for those children with extra needs that are not 'severe' enough to warrant a spot in special education classrooms, but still need extra support in the school environment for success.
How is your group involved in the community?
The school provides this 'special needs' class to fill the gap in our community, to meet the needs of those middle of the road special needs kids and their families.
What project will the $5000 cash grant be spent on?
Our main focus for fundraising at this point in time is for securing fencing along the junior primary boundary in order to keep these as kids safe as possible.
6. Olive Phillips Kindergarten - VIC
Describe your community group?
Olive Phillips has 68 children and their families. Our kinder is a model center for Early Childhood professionals and student teachers.
How is your group involved in the community?
The community project we aim to do will give the children and parents a sense of responsibility, belonging and community pride. Families will be able to share their skills and time in making the environment aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly.
What project will the $5000 cash grant be spent on?
The kinder has begun establishing an enchanting garden for the children, that includes a mock river bed, amphitheatre and vegetable garden. The project has been developed in stages and we are now in the final stage. Our garden is in need of water, native plants and vegetables. We would like to use the grant money to purchase and install a water tank, seek professional planting planning advice for and purchase native plants & vegetables plus establish garden beds and a composting area including a retaining wall.
7. Quirindi Public School P & C. - NSW
Describe your community group?
Our group is called the Quirindi Public School P and C. We try really hard to raise money to help buy things that our children need but that the school cannot afford to buy.
How is your group involved in the community?
Our committee is involved in the community by supporting all children in the community and by helping the school provide safe and functional facilities for all our children.
What project will the $5000 cash grant be spent on?
At the moment we are trying to raise enough money to fix our cricket nets and netball courts, both of which are a bit of a hazard.
8. Swan Hill Playgroup - VIC
Describe your community group?
We are a 3 year old playgroup, we employ a teacher and are totally self funded.
How is your group involved in the community?
We are involved with many families in the community, giving children and parents a service which is not available anywhere else in the town.
What project will the $5000 cash grant be spent on?
The cash grant would help us a lot, this year has not been so good because of the drought. The money would help fix up part of the building we use to make it safer for the children. Also some new outdoor toys, as most of them are very old and we are also trying to put up a shade sail.
9. The Mowhawks - VIC
Describe your community group?
Mowhawks is a group of 6 year 10 students who work as volunteers supervised by local health service (Orbost Regional Health)
How is your group involved in the community?
Students provide intensive garden and yard tidy, maintenance and rubbish removal service for fail aged and disabled community members.
What project will the $5000 cash grant be spent on?
The Mowhawks project need the cash grant to purchase drought resistant plants, mulch and purchase supplies to raise garden beds to enable clients to work in their own gardens without bending.
10. Wishart State School P & C - QLD
Describe your community group?
Parent and Citizen Association of Wishart State School. We raise funds to aid the education and fun for our children at school, that the Government won't provide.
How is your group involved in the community?
We involve the school community and the surrounding community with all fundraising functions and some of our educational functions as well. We invite nursing homes to come to our plays and musicals. We have 67 different nationalities at our school, so we try to involve everyone.
What project will the $5000 cash grant be spent on?
At the moment due to the drought in QLD (level 5 - heading to level 6) and other circumstances, our school of 577 students does not have a playground or an oval to play on. The students are restricted to bitumen areas, (which isn't much) so we would like the grant to fund indoor sporting and recreational items, so our children will have something to stimulate them in their breaks at school, while getting fit at the same time. And to stop the boredom that is occurring, which is leading to bad behaviour. We would love basket ball hoops, ping pong tables, elastic hoops, anything that would be fun and making the students exercise without them knowing.
