Tweed Heads-based charity, You Have A Friend, will use money from Greater Bank’s #GreaterGoldCoast Community Funding Program to provide breakfast for local school students who would otherwise go without.
You Have A Friend Inc receives $2,000 after topping the vote count in the April round of the program, with $500 going to both Fibromyalgia ME/CFS Gold Coast Support Group Inc. Waves of Wellness Foundation as our monthly runners up.
The not-for-profit organisation has been operational for 15 years and is currently run by 80 volunteers and no paid employees.
You Have A Friend Founder, John Lee, said that all money raised goes directly to supporting people in need.
“We support the homeless, the marginalised, single parents and their children, as well as providing more than 300 meals, plus fruit or vegetables and grocery items each week on the streets of the Tweed Heads District,” John said.
“We have also supported and still support many local flood victims, and spent time providing equipment and supplies to farmers struggling with the recent droughts.
You Have A Friend Founder, John Lee
“Having found out that a number of local students are turning up to school without having eaten, we now run a program that provides breakfast items like bread, milk, cereal and fruit to local state schools so that kids can get their day off to a better start.
“Teachers can see the difference a good meal makes to students’ concentration levels, so we’ll use this very welcome funding from Greater Bank to help cover the cost of the program and ensure kids make the most of their educational opportunities.”
Greater Bank’s Gold Coast Regional Sales Manager, Scott McCluskey, said good nutrition is a vital part of kids’ development.
“Kids who are hungry can’t focus on their schoolwork and are therefore more likely to fall behind and become distracted from learning,” Scott said.
“Making sure they have breakfast gives them a much better chance at succeeding at school, which opens all sorts of possibilities for the future, so we are very pleased to be able to support You Have A Friend with their important work.”
Another $3,000 up for grabs in the #GreaterGoldCoast May round, with Radio Lollipop Gold Coast, Pacific Pines Junior Australian Rules Football Club Inc and Twin Towns Kindergarten in the running as monthly nominees.
The public online vote is now open until 5.00pm Wednesday 24 May, 2023 at greater.com.au/greatergoldcoast.