Sidney Myer’s commitment to the community started almost 100 years ago when he initiated the Myer tradition of philanthropy. The Myer Community Fund continues to support and empower families to this day.

In response to the Covid pandemic, Myer Community Fund Emergency Relief Grants program has awarded Doncare, Myer Doncaster’s local charity partner with funding. Investing $15,000 into supporting children through the Student Wellbeing and Back to School programs.

The impact on school children due to the Coronavirus pandemic will be serious and widespread, with many parents and guardians navigating increased financial instability due to job loss or reduced working hours. This will have a significant impact on parent’s ability to pay for activities and school supplies for their children.

Doncare’s Student Wellbeing program ensures children living in circumstances of disadvantage can engage in a range of co-curricular, recreational and peer promoting activities that would otherwise be beyond their families’ financial means.

Children and young people who live with disadvantage can suffer significant impacts to educational outcomes, self-esteem and emotional wellbeing that then limit their overall life outcomes, passing on disadvantage to the next generation.

These children miss out on the kinds of activities where friendships are created and life skills are learned, simply because their parents/guardians cannot afford it.

The funding from the Myer Community Fund will assist our Community Support Workers and Case Management team to identify families in need and provide financial support to disadvantaged children for activities like school camps, excursions, music lessons,
tutoring, sports activities and school supplies.

Amber had fled family violence and she desperately needed a laptop for her 5-year-old son who is on the autism spectrum.

Since COVID-19, all specialist appointments needed to be accessed online and Amber was trying to manage using an old mobile phone. The Case Management team’s successful application for a Flexible Support Package secured a laptop in order to support Sam to meet his developmental milestones.

“The laptop is already making a huge difference. Everything is so much easier. It was great timing as Sam’s specialist appointments were moving back online again due to lockdown. I cannot tell you how much the laptop is an absolute godsend, so thank you, thank
you, thank you!”