James Frizelle Charitable Foundation Grants 2019 - 2020
2019
Gold Coast Community Fund
Established in early 2000, the not for profit, volunteer based Gold Coast Community Fund (GCCF) aims to relieve financial hardship which is determined on a case by case assessment of an individual beneficiary’s or charities genuine financial need. Relief of financial hardship may include assistance for people who are suffering from the effects of homelessness, sickness or from a disability, where, in each case, there is also financial need within the Statistical Area only of the Gold Coast. The Foundation’s funding of $300,000 over 3 years (2019; 2020; 2021) is divided between the GCCF Disadvantaged, Domestic Violence, Homelessness, Housing programs.
Northern Rivers Community Foundation
The NRCF is a community-based independent foundation that connects people and communities to tackle challenging social and environmental problems across the Northern Rivers region. Established in 2004, they are dedicated to improving the lives of those less fortunate, including those affected by economic circumstances, mental illness, disability, learning difficulties, aged services, domestic violence and homelessness. NRCF grants support a range of projects – from helping a local disability charity to purchase a new beach wheelchair, funding intervention and support programs for at risk youth, through to the re-establishment of a local food pantry wiped out by floods. Funding by the Foundation of $225,000 is divided over 3 years (2019; 2020; 2021) with the 2019 recipients listed below.
Byron Bay Herb Nursery
A not for profit disability service charity that provides employment and training opportunities to local people with intellectual disabilities in the Northern Rivers Region allowing them to have and maintain control of the decision-making, planning and sustainable development of their own business in an environment that encourages skill development, independence, dignity, teamwork, continuous improvement and the production of a quality product. $4,700 provided to construct a secure storage area for mowing & gardening equipment.
Bangalow Men's Shed
A welcoming and safe space for men of all ages to practice physical, social, and emotional well-being and develop skills through meaningful projects for the community at large. Funds of $5,125.00 to install a walkway/wheelchair access ramp to provide inclusion of a wide range of persons in activities important to many, especially those unable to participate in other shed activities
Family Support Network
Support and Intervention programs for vulnerable families with young children in South Lismore. $3,480.00 funds provided to upgrade kitchen appliances (fridge, microwave, dishwasher, oven) to conduct healthy eating workshops providing education to families on cooking healthy, affordable meals.
Liberation Larder
$9,000.00 to engage a Safe Space Social/Mental Health Worker on the street & surrounds of the Byron Bay Community Centre Fletcher St Kitchen whilst nourishing meals & fresh food is made available to the homeless people in need.
Little Wings Charity
$9,552.00 to Little Wings Children’s Hospital Flight program – Nth Rivers. Since 2012 has provided free, non-emergency flights & ground transport service for seriously ill children & their families located in country NSW. The Children’s Hospital Flight Program supports families from rural & regional NSW with a child suffering from a serious & chronic illness such as cancer.
Pottsville Beach Neighbourhood Centre
$8.900.00 to Women’s healing Beyond Trauma Project – provide sessions of nurturing & healing activities for women impacted by violence related trauma. Provided at two locations – Pottsville & Murwillumbah, free for women who are paticipating in trauma counselling & child & family support
Riding For Disabled Ballina
A voluntary, nonprofit organisation which develops opportunities for anyone with a disability to enjoy safe, healthy, stimulating, therapeutic, horse-related activities enriching lives through specialised programs and relationships with horses. $2,065.00 funding to purchase & install poly belting on the horse stalls for safety.
Rotary Club Murwillumbah
Murwillumbah High School Mental Health First Aid Project – $3,000.00 to provide the Teens Mental Health First Aid Program to approx. 100 year 8 students & the 14 hour Mental Health Course to 5 school staff from Murwillumbah High School in 2020.
The Windsome & Lismore Soup Kitchen
Providing transitional housing for marginalised men, serving over 80 hot meals every day (a staggering 30,000 meals a year) as well as take away food & essential support services in Lismore:- including medical, counselling, interest and support groups. Utilising volunteer resident labour to strip & repair, paint & plaster walls, prepare the metal ceilings, remove old carpet, $4,000.00 was provided to fund the professional laying of new woollen underlay & carpet to then welcome broken homeless men to a new life.
Vibe Care Pantry
$7,711.00 to assist in providing free & low cost food to over 500 disadvantaged families per week (over 2000 people) in the Tweed region, helping disadvantaged families save significantly on their shopping bill along with free fruit & veg, bread & low cost food will be provided to up to currently help over 500 families a week (approx. 2000 people).
Wollumbin Family Support Inc.
$8,310.00 to faciliate a support group that promotes recovery from domestic violence be prpoviding a safe, non-judgemental & inclusinve envoronment where participants can access information, support & connection. The program addresses the complex issues and emotions felt after experiencing abuse & empowers participants to reconnect & heal from the trauma.
OrangeSky Australia
$95,000.00 funded by the Foundation to help bring the “Don” – Northern Rivers first free mobile laundry and shower van to life. A not for profit, volunteer based charity whose mission is to Positively Connect Communities by providing clean laundry, a warm shower and genuine conversation to support the 1500+ Friends who every-night experience homelessness in the Northern Rivers, to help them feel safe and more connected to their community through genuine and non judgemental conversation, as you never know how a simple conversation might impact a person’s life.
You Have A Friend
A not for profit, volunteer run charity based in Tweed Heads also providing support of our Stanthorpe farmers and their families – Farms dying, animals being disposed of – shot and buried, farmers are being forced to walk off their land because the have no water – “if we can’t help them all, let us just help one or as many as we can”. You Have A Friend trucked in over 600,000 litres of water to the farmers in the area and it was heartbreaking that 1/3rd of each 25,000 litre load evaporated once pumped into the farmers dams. The only way to combat the problem was to “drought proof” by providing tanks up to 40,000 litres/troughs/float packages tailored to individual farmer’s needs. James Frizelle Charitable Foundation exclusively partnered You Have A Friend and provided funding of $100,000.00 to roll out the project to as many farms as possible.
2020
St John's Crisis Centre
A not for profit, volunteer based charity, offering a welcoming place for those seeking refuge be it from domestic violence, homelessness, or in need of emergency crisis assistance. The Drop in Centre provides a hot meal, shower, laundry or bathroom facilities and the company of others in a warm and friendly surroundings. Offering a safe and dignified environment, the St John’s Welfare Office assists people in emergency or crisis situations, including families with young children. Hayley’s Cupboard has free non-perishable food items for those struggling to feed their families or themselves as well as household supplies, towels, linen and blankets, men’s, women’s and babies clothing, shoes and beanies. In some cases due to extreme hardship, grocery/fuel /phone/public transport cards/chemist cheques/emergency accommodation/limited contribution towards school costs may be provided. On site access to various organisations for help including the HHOT Team (Homeless health Outreach Team), Centrelink, Gold Coast Youth Service, Orange Sky, Uniting Care Community – Psychologist, Family Services Australia, Hair Dressers, Podiatrist, Dental Appointments and Narcotics Anonymous who meet twice a week on the premises. Funding of $150,000.00 by the Foundation over 3 years (2020, 2021, 2022) to assist in ongoing service provision.
Wounded Heroes - Horses 4 Heroes
A not for profit, volunteer based charity. Horses 4 Heroes program was initially designed in 2017 for the Gallioili Barracks Soldier Recovery Centre Brisbane to assist referred current members of the Australian Army, Navy, & Airforce, suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder/anxiety/depression and unable to return to work in the Australian Defence Force. 2020 will see the program expanded to include veterans and their spouse, operational 30-36 weeks a year and provided free of charge to all participants. The program draws together concepts of peer-support and equine therapy. Led by Vietnam Veteran Pete Riches the program (non-riding, ground work only) provides participants with a non-judgmental and positive environment to connect with a horse and enable recovery and rehabilitation. Medication fosters a passive experience, which is seen as the normal whereas interacting with such a powerful and spirited animal can instil a sense of self-worth and self-confidence particularly benefiting those who as a result of PTSD, often see themselves as powerless when dealing with every day events as well promoting physical, occupational, and emotional growth. Funding of $120,000 over 3 years (2020; 2021; 2022).
LifeFlight Foundation - LifeFlight Rescue
RACQ LifeFlight Rescue has been Queensland’s leading community helicopter service for the past 40 years providing emergency, lifesaving medical treatment to seriously ill and injured people. LifeFlight’s purpose has always been the same – to save lives and support Queenslanders during their time of need. This purpose is at the core of everything they do. Aeromedical care is a vital community service and delivering it is a high-cost proposition. The combination of highly skilled professionals, together with cutting edge helicopters fitted with advanced medical capabilities, requires sufficient funding to keep airborne conditional on 70% Qld Govt funding; 5% LifeFlight Profit for Purpose (LifeFlight Jet Air Ambulance/Coordination Centre/Training Academy/Indsutry partnership profits are directed back into LifeFlight Rescue) & 25% community support (via grants, community donations; appeals; sponsorship etc). Our Foundation grant of $75,000.00 over 3 years (2020; 2021; 2022) will help keep LifeFlight in the skies over Queensland; working hard every minute of every day, to save lives.
Friends with Dignity - Little Friends Scholarship Program
A volunteer based not-for-profit registered charity providing practical Programs gifted unconditionally to assist survivors of domestic violence rebuild their lives with purpose, dignity and hope in collaboration with refuge and crisis centres . The Little Friends Scholarship Program provides bi-annual monetary scholarships to children who have faced Domestic and Family Violence, to ensure all children have the ability to either further their education and/or be able to participate in extra-curricula activities that they may not be able to pursue due to the financial impact of Domestic Violence within their family environment. Our Foundation funding of $60,000.00 over 3 years (2020; 2021; 2022) will be distributed through the Little Friends scholarship program specifically to Gold Coast/Tweed/Northern Rivers recipients.
Variety Qld - Just Like You
Children and Young People with a Disability Australia (CYDA) 2019 national survey of education experiences of students with disability reported that 48% of students with a disability had experienced bullying – more than twice the rate of bullying it is estimated the general population of school aged children experience. As a consequence, students with disability experience long-term harm and sometimes opt to leave school or attend part-time because they feel they have no option. The Just Like You Project will bring 80 disability awareness workshops into 10 selected Gold Coast primary schools to engage young people in positive discussions about diversity, inclusion and social cohesion. These face-to-face workshops, presented by professional facilitators with a disability, are purposefully designed to educate school children by improving awareness, increasing knowledge and strengthening acceptance through empathy and understanding. The workshops are evidence-based, highly interactive and educationally effective. Students are engaged to reflect on their own roles and actions in their school and community, and promote inclusive behaviours in schools. Our Foundation is co-funding the project, contributing $50,000.00 over 2 years (2020; 2021)
The 4 Aussie Heroes Foundation - Triumph Over Trauma Program
Not for profit Charity developing and delivering the program to enhance quality of life for those military (ADF) and first responder (AFP, QPS, QFES, QAS) personnel, past and present with PTSD and related mental health issues, as a result of serving our great Nation and our Communities. An 11 day live-in, rehabilitation Program, for 10 participants (plus spouse/support persons attending part of the program) will will be run late 2020 and early 2021 at no cost to participants, includes approximately 100 sessions of educational and activity based therapy, with a 3 day “Refresh” Program conducted 3 months after the main Program for the same Participants. Both group and individual sessions include:- Equine Assisted Therapy (ground work), Canine Support, Exercise Physiology, Nutrition and Healthy Eating, Benefits of Humour and Laughter, Improving Sleep, Shared Stories, Bush Walks, Benefits of Creativity, Trauma Sensitive Yoga, Relaxation Techniques, Values and Strength, About Peer Support, Alcohol and Substance Use. Our Foundation grant of $50,000.00 will contribute towards the cost of the their next two programs.
Ronald McDonald House SEQ
$50,000.00 funded by the Foundation in support of seriously ill children and their families through accommodation and support services at the Gold Coast University Hospital in order to keep families together when life gets turned upside down due to a child’s illness. The Children’s Ward Family room provides 2 ensuited parents bedrooms, kitchen stocked with essential items, bathroom and laundry amenities with complimentary toiletry packs for resident parents, a cosy lounge with a TV, computer and internet facilities and a children’s play space with toys and activities. The Newborn Family Room is a refuge with stocked kitchen, bathroom and laundry facilities, a cosy lounge with a TV and a children’s play space with toys and activities.
Arundel Park Riding for Disabled - Wheels of Change
A not for profit, volunteer driven charity focusing on horse riding therapy for both children and adults with a disability allowing each paticipent the opportunity to grow and develop to the best of their ability. The Foundation grant of $25,000.00 for Wheels of Change will purchase a purpose built horse float to transport 3 riding horses or a carriage and 1 horse enabling those participants with a disability who wish to participate on an equal basis, effective access to equestrian activities in the community. Additional benefits include being able to move horses from the property in emergencies such as bush fires and floods and being able to purchase and transport horse feed direct from the farm.
Baby Give Back - Safe Start
A not for profit, volunteer based Gold Coast Charity believing that every baby deserves an equal and safe start to life. Volunteers work tirelessly to collect and safety check essential baby items for vulnerable families as sadly, for some new parents the reality they face is agonising over whether to buy nappies or food for their child as they simply can’t afford both. The Safe Start program provides emergency packs to vulnerable families in collaboration with maternity hospitals and social service agencies. The Foundation grant of $10,000.00 will assist in purchasing the basic essentials (including nappies and formula) that parents need to care for their baby to include in the packs.
Byron Bay Herb Nursery - Connection Pivot
A not for profit disability service charity that provides employment and training opportunities to local people with intellectual disabilities in the Northern Rivers Region allowing them to have and maintain control of the decision-making, planning and sustainable development of their own business in an environment that encourages skill development, independence, dignity, teamwork, continuous improvement and the production of a quality product. A Foundation grant of $24,500 provided for purchase of laptops, ipads, software and portable wifi routers for clients who don’t have internet access and the online training in mental health first aid of 9 support staff; 9 support staff and 20 workers trained in positive psychology and pivot capability, community education and digital online learning technology ensuring clients with a disability remain connected to their peers so that they feel less alone, more resilient and in control of their lives during times of crisis.
Byron Youth Service - The Pavement Project
A not-for-profit charity committed to providing services for young people between the ages of 12 -24 years. Our Foundation Grant of $24,650.00 funds the pilot of The Pavement Project, a street-based project with Youth Workers supporting 12 young people living with mental heath issues (such as anxiety, depression), PTSD (after experiencing traumatic events such as domestic violence), and impacted by risk of homelessness to live their best life. The project will assist participants access counseling, life-skills and personal care resources. It will also them with experiential circuit breaker activities individually tailored to each of the 12 participants (eg: get a drivers licence, learn to ride a horse), that offer a turning point to shift their lives onto safer trajectories and brighter futures by boosting their self esteem and increasing their feeling of being capable and valued.
Cerebral Palsy Alliance - Babies At Risk Program
Cerebral Palsy is the most common disability in childhood resulting from damage to the brain during pregnancy or shortly after birth. Half of all children with CP also have an intellectual impairment. A third cannot walk, a quarter cannot talk, and three quarters experience chronic pain. Babies at Risk program provides 30 hours of specialised intervention therapy for individual babies identified as being at risk of cerebral palsy (CP). This targeted, time-critical therapy supports cognitive, communication and motor development, giving vulnerable infants the best chance to achieve optimal outcomes over their lifetimes. Our Foundation Grant of $11,700 will allow two at risk babies from south-eastern Queensland and northern NSW regions to benefit from 60 hours of therapy, delivered by CPA’s highly skilled team of occupational-, speech- and physiotherapists based in Alstonville. Providing access to this program early could be the difference between a baby suffering painful hip dislocations or living pain free.
Services like speech therapy can mean the difference between a mother and father hearing their child say, “I love you”.
Choice Passion Life - Pippa's Accessible Vehicle
Previously known as the Cerebral Palsy League, a profit-for-purpose organisation that provides vital support to more than 5,000 children and adults with disabilities in Queensland and Northern NSW changed their name to CPL which stands for Choice, Passion and Life – a sentiment that reflects everything they do. 6 yr old Pippa’s diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy (Spastic Quadriplegia) with a Gross Motor Functional Classification Scale rating of IV is causing decreased strength, coordination and endurance, requiring Pippa to move from a manual into a power wheelchair. As powered wheelchairs do not fold/collapse and are designed for the patient to travel still seated in the chair, it can’t fint into Pippa’s mum’s car. A modified van (modifications funded by NDIS) is required to safely transport Pippa in her new power wheelchair, however as a single-mum to her two daughters Pippa’s mum cannot afford to buy the van needed. Our Foundation grant of $8,420.00 towards the purchase of an accessible vehicle will allow Pippa to be safely transported in her new powered wheelchair to school, doctor and therapy appointments, hospital visits and equally as important community activities for Pippa to participate in with her friends and peers just like any other children her age.
Friends with Dignity
A volunteer based not-for-profit registered charity providing practical Programs gifted unconditionally to assist survivors of domestic violence rebuild their lives with purpose, dignity and hope in collaboration with refuge and crisis centres . The Sanctuary Program transforms houses into a welcoming home for survivors of domestic and family violence who have literally left behind their entire lives (and everything they own) when they leave a refuge and want to start their new journey and rebuild their lives. Working on a referral basis only through registered referring agencies, dedicated volunteers work hard to create a Friends with Dignity Sanctuary using items donated by supporters—household and personal care items, gift cards and financial donations, to assist victims freeing them up to focus on other issues such as finding a new school for children, a job for themselves and seeking other services that can assist. In order to collect donated household items and deliver to Sanctuaries partial funding was needed to purchase a truck. The Foundation contributed $30,000.00 towards the purchase of a brand new Gold Coast based, Isuzu Truck.
Gold Coast Hospital Foundation - Cancer Patient Transport Service
The Gold Coast Hospital Foundation is a locally-based community organisation receiving no government funding, striving to relieve medical hardship caused by illness, injury or disability. One of their key operational objectives is to provide free transport to over 600 cancer patients each year to attend treatment appointments. Once diagnosed, the journey of ongoing cancer treatment is confronting, exhausting and convoluted. Frequent attendance at the hospital for specialist appointments, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy treatment and blood tests are demanding for the patient, their family and friends and the impact of cancer does not affect the patient alone. Patients are picked up from their homes, delivered to the hospital for their treatment and then returned home. The Service consists of 3 vehicles, which combined, cover 7000 transfers per year and average 650 kms each day (Monday to Friday). Our Foundation grant of $30,000 will help sustain this invaluable service to our community.
Wounded Heroes - Homeless Heroes
A not for profit, volunteer based charity. First and foremost Wounded Heroes strives to prevent the suicide of those veterans that have lost all hope. Homeless Heroes provides front-line emergency financial assistance to fund short-term crisis accommodation and emergency food, phone, fuel and transport for homeless current Australian Defence Force personnel, veterans, and their families. Providing a ‘Housing First’ policy, allows engagement with the veteran/spouse, leading to acceptance of assistance and if required support through Wounded Heroes network of clinics and (sought in partnership with DVA) their entitlements. In 2019 Homeless Heroes supported 212 veterans, taking approx 6-8 weeks until permanent housing is sourced, at an average cost of $2,000 per veteran. Over the past 3 years, 68% of homeless veterans Homeless Heroes have engaged, funded, supported and provided with crisis accommodation/welfare, have been on the Gold Coast/Tweed region. A Foundation grant of $57,500.00 was made to assist Homeless Heroes’ crisis support of the veterans and current ADF personnel in our community.
Human Nature Adventure Therapy Ltd - Thriving Through Adversity
Human Nature’s primary focus is to empower young people to navigate life’s challenges – transforming trauma and disadvantage into healing and growth through innovative, accessible professional mental health outreach . Now more than ever, disadvantaged and at-risk young people across the Northern Rivers need responsive, accessible mental health support to build resilience during challenging times, overcome childhood trauma and thrive. Through drought, bushfires, floods and the coronavirus pandemic, those who were already struggling with significant childhood trauma have faced increasing social, financial and mental health issues. Vulnerable young people in our community need to know that mental health support and connection is still there for them even in times of physical distancing, and that there’s still a positive future ahead for them. Our Foundation’s grant of $23,490.00 will co-fund “Thriving Through Adversity” to develop and deliver essential, tailored professional mental health support services to 100+ of the most at-risk and disadvantaged young people across the Northern Rivers region providing each young person with 20+ hours of virtual therapeutic support,
Macleod Accommodation Support Service Inc - MacLeod Refuge
A not for profit organisation, Macleod Refuge has operated on the Gold Coast since 1992. It provides crisis accommodation, trauma counselling and connects women with community groups and agencies that can assist with health, income, education and life skills. The Macleod Refuge provides high security crisis accommodation for women and children escaping domestic violence where on aveage, they will stay for 4-6 months while they heal, recuperate, complete legal requirements in order to regain their confidence to live independently. With the building of 8 new, pet friendly apartments due for completion around September 2020, our Foundation grant of $50,000.00 will contribute to furnishing these apartments with new appliances, indoor and outdoor furniture, manchester, household items and playground equipment.
OzHarvest Limited - Gold Coast
Established in 2013, OzHarvest Gold Coast is a not for profit charity that addresses food insecurity by supplying over 65 charities with free, nutritious meals and fresh produce for the vulnerable people in their care including the homeless, single parent families, and socially isolated pensioners (who are at statistically higher risk of poor health and wellbeing outcomes). Three OzHarvest Gold Coast vans operate “food rescue” and “drop-off” activites at least six days per week, including outside of business hours and on weekends. Our Foundation grant of $50,000.00 will provide 100,000 meals to our local community through OzHarvest.
Shaping Outcomes - First Steps
A not for profit NDIS provider delivering specialised supports that build on the strengths and increase the abilities of children with disabilities or developmental delays and their families. First Steps program supports children with developmental delays unable to access NDIS plans or do not meet accessibility requirements for the NDIS in the Tweed, Gold Coast and Northern Rivers regions. First steps provides 5 hours of Early Childhood Intervention to 45 children, empowering families, engaging communities, build foundations and creating social networks in support these children for the rest of their life. A Foundation Grant of $10,000.00 was provided towards funding the First Steps program costs.
St John's Crisis Centre - Fridge/Freezer Food Support
A not for profit, volunteer based charity, offering a welcoming place for those seeking refuge be it from domestic violence, homelessness, or in need of emergency crisis assistance. The Drop in Centre provides a hot 2 course meal for up to 60 people 5 days a week (along with take away sandwiches and fruit for an evening meal) warm and friendly surroundings. The Foundation provided $4,245.00 for the Centre to purchase a new additional commercial fridge/freezer to increase their food storage capacity.
Top Blokes Foundation - Gold Coast Mentoring for boys and young men
Top Blokes Foundation is a social-education organisation that improves the mental health, emotional resilience and community engagement of at-risk and disadvantaged young males aged 10-24. Top Blokes Mentoring Programs strengthen the mental health of young males while improving their engagement within the wider community. The 5 x programs (1 x Stepping Up, 2 x Junior Top Blokes and 2 x Building Blokes will be delivered within 5 primary school/high school/ the community of the Gold Coast over 6 months, totalling 66 workshops, engageing 60 young males and completing 1,080 mentoring hours. Participatants will engage in weekly interactive workshops on topics such as: Mental Health, Risk-Taking and Peer Pressure, Respectful Relationships, Understanding Masculinity, Anger Management, Online Behaviour and Consequences. A Foundation Grant of $25,000.00 was provided towards the cost of delivering the program.
