#KenBehrens are renowned for being Australia’s most generous people, and Canberra Giving Day is a perfect example of that kindness. Research suggests no other state or territory hosts a territory-wide fundraising event like the one held in the ACT on Canberra Day.
This Canberra Giving Day, organisations are calling out for Canberrans to open their wallets and their hearts to local charities that are in need of support and funds.
CEO of Hands Across Canberra, Peter Gordon, says Canberra Giving Day is a great celebration to encourage Canberrans to give more where they live.
“Canberrans are incredibly giving but the trouble with that generosity is the vast majority leaves Canberra to national and international charities. We don’t need to encourage Canberrans to give more money, we just need to encourage them to give money here in Canberra,” says Mr Gordon.
“People just don’t understand the level of need there is in Canberra. Everyone here thinks everyone in Canberra is fine but they’re not – some of us need a bit of help.”
– Peter Gordon, CEO of Hands Across Canberra
Mr Gordon said that picking a favourite from the 75 charities involved in the 48-hour fundraiser is like “picking a favourite child” but two that stand out to him are the Early Morning Centre and an organisation that support migrants and refugees.
“Homelessness is a terrible, terrible blight on our community, and the Early Morning Centre can’t provide the breakfasts and the showers they do without money. We need to get behind these local organisations that are doing great work with our most vulnerable citizens,” says Mr Gordon.
“My final message would be to give early and give often.”
Supporting multicultural members within the Canberra community is an important and essential job, one that local Zakia Patel knows all too well.
Director of the Multicultural Hub in Canberra, Ms Patel’s organisation specifically supports refuges and asylum seekers who find themselves settled in Canberra.
“What these donations would mean for our organisation… we get a lot of requests to support community members with accommodation, particularly from women who need to leave their house for whatever reason,” Ms Patel says.
“We are not funded to provide crisis support for any member of the community, but we do, and being able to have some funding to support them and support them for a sustainable amount of time would just go a long way for us.”
The pandemic has hit most of us hard, and if not financially, we’ve felt the effects mentally.
For children, this is exacerbated, and Mental Illness Education ACT (MEIACT) are at the forefront of addressing this issue.
MEIACT CEO, Heidi Prowse, says the organisation has ambitious goals for this year and wants to expand their services to primary school students.
“We’ve been delivering into secondary schools for 25 years, and everything happening around us has meant primary schools need more support, and then the pandemic has made it an even bigger challenge. We are asking everyone to make a donation, give where you live, and ensure that small organisations like MEIACT can do big things in our backyard,” Ms Prowse says.
“Get behind a local cause. We can all make a donation but it’s so amazing when your donation can make double the impact. If you’re ever considering whether to donate to a cause, today is the day.”
To donate to a charity involved in Hands Across Canberra, visit handsacrosscanberra.org.au
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