Three Canberra charities will this week pitch for over $15,000 funding and in-kind support for their innovative social programs that are delivering life-changing outcomes for marginalised communities in and around the ACT community.
The Funding Network (TFN) will host its second live crowd-funding event at the Vibe Hotel, Canberra Airport this Thursday, September 21 from 5:30 pm.
This event provides a platform for GG’s Flowers, Women’s Centre for Health Matters, and Mental Illness Education ACT to showcase their programs.
These local charities think outside the box to address complex social problems in the ACT. In a bid to expand their services they will explain the value of their programs and what is needed to make Canberra a better place.
GG’s Flowers is one of Canberra’s fastest growing floral businesses and employs people with special needs. They believe people with special needs can be valuable members of the workplace if given the right support, encouragement and opportunity. GG’s Flowers have a vision to provide more employment opportunities, real job training and floristry qualifications for people with special needs.
The Women’s Centre for Health Matters works to improve women’s health and well-being in the ACT region. Funding will support a sustainable micro-finance facility (Assistance Beyond Crisis) for women escaping domestic violence. This facility will provide women escaping violence with a one-off no interest loan to establish short-term financial stability and access to financial counselling.
Mental Illness Education ACT (MIEACT) provides mental health education to young people in schools and the community. They use personal stories to help young people understand mental health issues and seek early intervention. Funding assistance would help MIEACT develop and deliver a bullying prevention program that provides support to victims of bullying, builds strong social networks to prevent bullying and encourages initiators of bullying behaviour to seek assistance.
After each organisation pitches their program, guests then have an opportunity to become involved by contributing funds or in-kind support to the cause they would like to help.
At this collective giving event, you don’t have to be wealthy to make a difference. It’s all about coming together to collectively support social change in our community.
The Snow Foundation CEO Georgina Byron said these events empower the community to band together and give more in a new and engaging way.
“[It is exciting] to be part of this powerful social movement that will transform three Canberra-based charities and enable locals to have a collective impact, far greater than what they could achieve alone,” she said.
Co-Founder and CEO of The Funding Network Lisa Cotton said: “These live crowd-funding events are changing the way sectors come together, to harness the power of the collective and engage everyone to play a role in creating social change.
“So we’re looking forward to seeing the impact this will have on the ACT community,” she said.
The Funding Network’s Canberra event will be hosted at the Vibe Hotel at Canberra Airport in collaboration with other event partners The Snow Foundation, Canberra Airport, Aspen Foundation, Clayton Utz and Deloitte.
It will run from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm this Thursday, September 21 and tickets are $20 per person (seats are limited). The funds from the ticket sales will be distributed to each of the charities on the night. For more information go to The Funding Network Canberra Event
Canberra has many charities that make our community a better place. Do you know of any other innovative Canberra charities that could benefit from crowd-funding assistance? Let us know in the comments below.
Doug Dobing is a modern communicator, journalist and content creator with a passion for people, politics and social justice. You can also hear him talking about local current affairs issues on 2XX FM 98.3 SubjectACT. He loves AFL and is an AFL Canberra photographer. You can find him on Twitter @DougDobing.