COLES has 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 now until Tuesday, October 17, 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.
The Coles Cannonvale team is supporting 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’ 10th year in partnership with Hummingbird House, during which time Queensland customers have helped raise more than $4.3m 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 had made a genuine difference to hundreds of Queensland children and families over the past 10 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.”
PHOTO: The Coles Cannonvale team – Keisha McWhinney, Debbie Mc Aliece, Sharlene Rudkin, Andy Barbrook, Jackie Murray, Melita Moore and Heather Hinschen.
