I am writing to express my heartfelt appreciation to everyone in the ACT who supported The Smith Family’s 2022 Winter Appeal.

At a time when Australians continue to face COVID challenges and ongoing economic instability, we’ve been humbled by their tremendous generosity.

This show of support could not have come at a better time, with the fallout from COVID still impacting children’s education, particularly those experiencing poverty. We know that financial disadvantage creates barriers for learning, and our recent family survey found parents and carers continued to be worried about their children falling behind at school, amidst ongoing disruptions and the after-effects of extended periods of home learning.

The Smith Family’s vision is a world where every child has the opportunity to change their future – and our programs equip students with the knowledge, skills, and aspirations they need to unlock their potential.

With the donations received, The Smith Family will provide extra learning and mentoring support to an additional 611 children and young people in the ACT during terms three and four. These include an out-of-school reading program and our after-school learning clubs. We know these evidence-based programs work because we measure the progress of students to ensure they are benefitting.

Parents, students and teachers tell us that our programs are helping children to be more confident and engaged at school, improve their learning outcomes, and become more aware of study and career opportunities post-school.

In the last year, our programs reached around 180,000 children and young people nationally. And with more young Australians in need of support than ever before, we want to extend this reach to 250,000 in the next five years. But we can’t do this vital work alone, and that’s why community support is crucial.

So, to everyone who generously contributed to our Appeal, I say a great big thank you.

Olga Srbovski
Regional Programs Manager
The Smith Family

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