SHOPPING FOR A CAUSE
Coles’ month-long drive to support medical research, health and wellbeing
Coles has today kicked off a major one-month fundraising appeal for seven charities across Australia, to support local causes close to the hearts of customers and team members.
The appeal will raise much-needed funds for a range of causes including paediatric brain cancer research, helping local schools create healthy kitchen gardens, and giving hope and care to children in local hospitals and hospices.
From Wednesday, 20 September until Tuesday, 17 October, shoppers in all states and territories except WA can purchase $2 donation cards from Coles or donate at the checkout to the nominated charity partner in their state[1]. In WA, donation cards to support Telethon will be available until Sunday, 22 October and Coles will also be selling Fat Cat Dolls until stocks last.
Among the beneficiaries is Hummingbird House, Queensland’s only children’s hospice and a home away from home for babies, children and young people living with life-limiting conditions.
This year marks Coles’ tenth year in partnership with Hummingbird House, during which time Queensland customers have helped raise more than $4.3 million for the charity through initiatives such as community barbecues, homemade cake stalls, merchandise and donation cards featuring colourful artwork by children and families who have been guests of Hummingbird House.
Hummingbird House General Manager Ellen Whittaker said Coles’ partnership has made a genuine difference to hundreds of Queensland children and families over the past ten years.
“Hummingbird House’s partnership with Coles was founded in 2014 before our hospice had even opened their doors. At that stage, we were still raising funds and awareness to help finalise the completion of the project and it’s amazing to reflect on how far we’ve come since then,” she said.
“Our partnership with Coles started out with only a few stores in Brisbane’s southeast to now encompassing the entire state with fundraising in over 180 stores to help children with a life-limiting illness and their families across Queensland and northern NSW.”
“The funds raised at Coles in the past decade have helped us to provide resources for the hospice, fund travel costs for regional families and assist families make lasting memories with their children when they know that their time together is short. The need to sustain this service is ongoing as there will always be children living with life-limiting conditions. That’s why we ask Queenslanders to get behind us again in this year’s appeal by putting a $2 donation card in their shopping basket next time they’re at Coles.”
In addition to supporting Hummingbird House in Queensland, funds raised in this year’s appeal will also be distributed to state charity partners including:
- Telethon (WA) – Funds raised in WA go to Telethon who currently supports 107 beneficiaries delivering life-changing programs, purchasing equipment and funding medical research into childhood diseases to help sick, vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Western Australia. Coles is also the proud partner of the Telethon Family Festival, a free family event which will take place along Wellington St, Perth on Sunday 22 October from 10am to 4pm.
- Robert Connor Dawes Foundation (VIC) – Victorians can help improve the odds for kids with brain cancer - the number one disease killer of young people - by supporting the Robert Connor Dawes Foundation to fund research and better patient care.
- Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation and John Hunter Children’s Hospital (NSW/ACT) – Funds raised in NSW[2] and the ACT will support research, programs and initiatives by Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation and John Hunter Children’s Hospital which aim to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people.
- Make-A-Wish Foundation (SA/NT) – Funds raised in South Australia and the Northern Territory will help Make-A-Wish to grant wishes to kid with critical illnesses.
- Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation (TAS) – Tasmanians can help raise funds to deliver pleasurable food education in Tassie schools through the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation.
Coles Group General Manager Corporate and Indigenous Affairs Sally Fielke said the one-month appeal was just one way that local stores give back to the communities in which they operate.
“This year’s seven charity partners have each been chosen by our state operations teams and many of our team members and customers have close connections to their causes,” she said.
“Last year, thanks to our incredible team members and customers, our appeal raised more than $2.8 million for these partners and we hope our customers can show their support once again by buying a donation card, making a donation of their choice at the checkout or by supporting one of the many local community activities our team members are coordinating such as quiz nights, community barbeques and bake sales.”
For media enquiries, please contact:
Coles Media Relations on (03) 9829 5250 or [email protected]
[1] Exceptions are Coles supermarkets in Deniliquin, Lavington and Albury in NSW where funds are directed to Victoria and Broken Hill (NSW) where funds are directed to South Australia.
[2] Exceptions are Coles supermarkets in Deniliquin, Lavington and Albury in NSW where funds are directed to Victoria and Broken Hill (NSW) where funds are directed to South Australia.
