HOW OUR COMMUNITY GIVES BACK
FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
MS LIANE GIULIANO DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
You may recall when I began my journey as Director of Philanthropy and Community Engagement at Loreto Normanhurst just over six months ago, I reflected on the words of Sir Isaac Newton: “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Chosen by our students as the theme for the 2020 Music Festival, the words embodied the difference that they—and we— wanted to make through our Music Festival and Annual Giving appeals for all Loreto Normanhurst girls. As I reflect on the year, I find myself again thinking about those words; if 2020 has taught us anything, it has taught us how important love, family and community are in holding us together and lifting us up. While the pandemic may have limited my ability to meet our wider community in person, it afforded me the opportunity to witness our students supporting each other through one of the many opportunities at the School, such as the Year 10 SPRINT program or assisting our future students on Orientation Day. I’ve seen parents and teachers partnering to ensure our girls stay resilient and keep their minds and hearts open to change the world. I’ve had conversations via Zoom and over the phone with ex-students sending prayers and offering gratitude for the education that shaped their lives.
This leads me to the impact and purpose of philanthropy – which is to bring people together to help each other, to stimulate the human spirit, to foster kindness and generosity and to liberate and empower our girls.
WORKPLACE GIVING
You may be interested to know how philanthropy is deeply embedded in our school. Many of our staff give on a regular and ongoing basis to the Work and Welcome Program which helps refugees find a place to work in our communities. There are also work staff that contribute from their salary each fortnight to the Building and/or Bursary Funds, so that girls who might not otherwise have the chance to benefit from a Loreto education can study here. We are deeply grateful for their generosity.
BURSARY (WELFARE) FUND
During a difficult economic year, our parents and ex-students stepped up in a life-changing way. Many contributed towards the sum of more than $95,000 that was raised for the Bursary (Welfare) Fund. This year alone, we supported fifteen families in necessitous circumstances to a value of $309,374. This is a 100% increase on 2019.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LORETO LIFE 2020
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