Local charity hits the ground running Four Reasons Why secures a new corporate partner

Aside from helping people, there is no better way for a charity to kickstart its year than with securing a new corporate partner, committed to helping fill the coffers so the next 12 months can be filled with providing assistance to families doing it tough.

Mount Gambier based charity Four Reasons Why has done just that, starting with a fundraiser last Saturday night at Sorrentos 5290 –the charity’s newest sponsor.

For Four reasons Why founder Trudi Shelton the approach from Sorrentos was a godsend.

“They approached us and asked if we would like to have a fundraiser in January,” Trudi said. “We’ve never started fundraising that early and it’s just great to be able to start the year like this.”

It’s the perfect start to 2023 coming off a huge 2022.

“This has come off the back of our biggest and most successful Christmas in the five years since we started,” Trudi said. “In a nutshell we helped 180 families and 346 kids, distributing $22,000-plus worth of assistance for Christmas. We are really proud of that achievement in reaching so many people.”

But Trudi has been working in this space for long enough to know you have to build up those funds and the support again each year so you can continue to help those who need it most.

“Our focus in 2023 was always going to be to replenish the funds in order to see longevity and this initial fundraiser will really help,” she said. “It is great to have a new supporter come on board and fun to start the year with a light-hearted social event that will also create awareness about our charity and allow us to reach more people that maybe don’t really know what we do.”

Subsidising sports fees and other educational costs, providing clothing, teaming with schools and other charities to support food programs are just part of what Four Reasons Why does within the community.

“To kick off the year with a new partner is great and they have assured us moving forward they want to continue to support our work,” Trudi said.

Four Reasons Why is pushing its sports program at the moment, taking advantage of the new Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre to support kids that otherwise would not be able to afford to access the new stateof-the-art facility.

“We are looking to help low socio-economic families to access the centre and the opportunities it provides,” Trudi said.

The Sports Membership Assistance Program (SMAP) is there to help finance activities or sport of the person’s choice by offering $350 a year and the eligible age group has just been extended to 9-25 year olds.

“Whether it is club sport, swimming lessons or gym membership, we are happy to help,” Trudi said. “It could be dance lessons, basically whatever, and it is a really easy application process.”

Four reasons Why will also be looking to further strengthen its ties with schools, especially in creating hubs – safe spaces for kids and parents alike to pop in and talk about their needs.

“We already have good connections with North, Melaleuca and Mulga Street where we have been a presence in these hubs where it can be a more casual, social approach to get help to families,” Trudi said. “It seems to work well if someone can pop in and have a chat to someone if they are struggling and doing it tough so we want to be a regular presence in these hubs and others.”

And while Four Reasons Why is welcoming a new corporate partner in Sorrentos Café, they are also grateful for some of the longer term partnerships, with the Barry Maney Group falling into that category with local staff, through the CMV Staff Foundation, selecting Four Reasons Why as their charity of choice for a $3500 donation.

“We feel blessed to have been chosen,” Trudi said. “It shows they believe in the work that we do and that’s why they provide ongoing support.”

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Jason Peake is the face for the Barry Maney Group’s commitment to Four Reasons Why.

“The work that Four Reasons Why do in the local community at the grassroots level is phenomenal,” Jason said. “They are able to act quickly, ensuring that the families or individuals they are helping can receive items that many of us take for granted.”

And it is a sign the legacy of the late Barry Maney lives on at the Barry Maney Group, even with its relatively new ownership through CMV, that also had a strong, preexisting philosophy about giving back to the community.

“The Late Barry Maney provided a clear and positive legacy through all his business dealings that put ‘Ethics before Profit’ and ensured that nothing came before the satisfaction of our customers, our community and our staff. It has been fantastic that we have been able to continue on Barry’s legacy with the CMV Group, and the CMV Group Staff Foundation, as both business values were aligned in providing our community the necessary opportunities to grow and pave a stronger future for all,”

Jason said.

Four Reasons Why also has another potential fundraising campaign on the go at the moment with a Noel Barr Toyota initiative where the public gets to head into the dealership and vote for their favourite charity. The campaign finishes at the end of May with the inning charity securing $1000 with the remaining two charities also in line for a smaller windfall.

“It is fantastic to get this kind of support,” Trudi said. “The way businesses and individuals are approaching us and offering help is brilliant and makes our job easier – we can focus on where the need is rather than being too worries about where the next dollar is coming from.”

NEW PARTNERSHIP: (Above)

Sorrentos Cafe owner Amanda Hudson; Four Reasons Why founder Trudi Shelton & fundraising event coordinator Paige Clarke

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