Voting is now open in the inaugural round of the #GreaterGoldCoast community funding program, which is giving three groups from across the region the chance to share in $3,000.
From February, community groups from across the Gold Coast can participate in the monthly funding round by entering to be part of the program.
Greater Bank will select three organisations each month that the community then vote on, with the winner receiving $2,000 and the runners-up each taking away $500.
OzHarvest Gold Coast, Robina Raptors Rugby League Football Club and Animal Welfare League QLD have been nominated for the inaugural community funding round.
OzHarvest Gold Coast rescues quality, excess food from businesses and delivers it free-of-charge to charities, including emergency relief programs, domestic violence shelters and school breakfast programs. Their refrigerated vehicles support 50 charities across the Gold Coast and Northern NSW. Their service delivers improved health and nutritional outcomes to vulnerable communities, reduce the food waste sent to landfill, and save charities precious funds to reinvest into front-line services. In the face of ongoing cost of living pressures, demand for food relief has increased dramatically. Every $1 donated to OzHarvest means they can deliver two meals to someone in need.
Robina Raptors Rugby League Football Club is a not-for-profit organisation aimed at developing, managing and supporting rugby league players on the Gold Coast. Established in 2005, they are the fastest growing rugby league club in the region with a mission to bring people together and enrich their lives. The Raptors field junior teams in both boys and girls competitions, as well as Open Men’s and Open Women’s team. Support from the #GreaterGoldCoast program will help provide the youth in the area the opportunity to enjoy the game of rugby league and develop their skills in ‘the greatest game of all’.
Animal Welfare League QLD (AWLQ) cared for almost 11,000 homeless and stray animals at their rehoming and community vet clinics in 2022. Established in 1959, they are committed to the promise of never euthanising a healthy, sociable or treatable animal in their care. The housing crisis, increased homelessness, and domestic violence situations attributed to increased numbers of animals needing assistance. During the flooding across both South East Queensland and NSW in early 2022, AWLQ mobilized their Emergency Rescue plan to transport and protect flood-stricken animals. They also continued their strong drive for de-sexing of animals through their National Desexing Network program.
Greater Bank’s Gold Coast Regional Manager, Scott McCluskey, said the #GreaterGoldCoast program is a wonderful demonstration of Greater Bank’s commitment to the communities it supports.
“Supporting the people that support us is firmly entrenched in our culture and offers far more than simply providing banking solutions that genuinely help our customers,” Mr McCluskey said.
“Greater Bank has a long history of supporting the communities in which we operate and there is no better example of that than the expansion of our Community Funding Program into this region."
Scott McCluskey, Greater Bank’s Gold Coast Regional Manager
"We’ve been delighted by the response to the program since opening entries last month and we now look forward to providing financial support to a range of groups that are making a real difference in their communities.
“I encourage everyone from the region to get voting and support the three fantastic and very worthy groups,” Scott said.
Voting is now open and closes at 5:00pm, Wednesday 1 March 2023. Vote online here.
Greater Bank is also calling for entries for future funding rounds. Community groups can enter by visiting greater.com.au/greatergoldcoast, providing their organisation’s details and explaining in 100 words or less, how they are helping to improve the lives of locals.