2022 / 2023 GRANTS
Australian Street Aid Project – PINK Sleepbus / Grant $75,000
The PINK Sleepbus will provide women and children with a safe place to sleep at night. Whilst this is a short-term solution for the homeless, it will provide much-needed respite. The PINK Sleepbus is expected to arrive in Mackay by June 2024.
Pictured: Diane Smith & Ash Helder from SafeSleep Mackay & Australian Street Aid Project with Ian Joblin, MCF Director.
Kidney Support Network – Vehicle / Grant $28,545
This grant replaced an aging vehicle that assists in transporting renal patients to and from hospital appointments and for dialysis three times per week.
Pictured: Tony, one of the amazing volunteers with the new vehicle.
Selectability / Grant $20,000
The River 2 Reef Ride For Young People took a group of 10 disadvantaged young people and trained the participants up to successfully complete the River 2 Reef 30km ride in October 2023. The aim of the project is to build a sense of participation and community amongst the group and to develop teamwork and communication strategies that enforce positive outcomes. The facilitators of the program offered positive role-modelling behaviour and an understanding of change/community expectations of young people in our society. Successful participants of the program got to keep the bike.
Pictured: Carl Holland from Selectability & Mayor Greg Williamson (current board director).
Ronald McDonald House Charities North Aust. – Tutoring Program / Grant $14,400
These funds have gone towards tutoring hours for local students. The aim is that each student achieves improved numeracy and literacy skills and to make the journey back to school as smooth as possible after missing such a large amount of schooling due to cancer treatment. This tutoring will provide a much-needed boost to their confidence and self-esteem.
Pictured: Samantha Baker from RMHC & Geoff O’Connor (named fund donor).
Crossroad Arts – Loose Ends Event / Grant $10,000
These funds provided assistance in venue hire, artist’s, artist support and an auslan interpreter for the 2023 Loose Ends Event. LOOSE ENDS is part of celebrations for International Day for People with Disability. LOOSE ENDS is a crowd favourite event and a fantastic way to close off a year of creativity in a fun and kooky way. This event was initiated in 2018 to address the gap for inclusive night-time activities in the CBD for young people with disability. It was also designed to be a place for people to socialise, be entertained and have opportunities to meet new and different people. The evening features performances from Strictly Wheelchair Dance Group, With One Voice Choir, Choir of Unheard Voices, Groove Movers, live painters, poets and Crossroad Arts performers. For many groups the LOOSE ENDS evening is an event to work towards to celebrate diversity, access and inclusion.
Pictured: Lesa and Georgia from Crossroad Arts with Luke Phillips from Gardian (named fund donor).
Phoenix Place Inc. – Equity Driving Program / Grant $9,720
The grant has funded the modification of a vehicle and the training of an existing qualified driving instructor to provide local access to specialized driving lessons for people with a disability.
Objectives and aims are to provide local opportunities for people with a disability to enhance and improve their independence, participation and employability and reduce their reliance on family carers and paid carers.
There is no service in Mackay at present and people need to travel to Townsville, or Rockhampton as the closest points for driver training.
Pictured: Janice Quadrio and Connie from You Can Do It Driving School.
Mackay Community Visitors Association (MCVA) – IT Hardware / Grant $5,500
2 desktop computers, a new printer and a server were purchased to allow MCVA to continue to operate to the highest possible standards with their work connecting the elderly of the region.
Pictured: Ian Joblin (current board director) accepting Grant on MCVA’s behalf.
CQ University – Emergency Funding / Grant $5,000
The $5,000 has been used to contribute to CQUniCares Emergency Grants. These grants provide financial assistance to low-income students who experience unexpected financial hardship as a result of an emergency or unforeseen situation that has the potential to derail their studies. The funds are used to support vocational education and training (VET) and higher education (HED) students living and studying in the Mackay region.
Pictured: Imogen Wood & Sabrin Sekandar, Service Leaders from Whitsunday Anglican School with Leanne Williams from CQU.