Lasallian Foundation

Mission / Objective

Millions of children and young people around the world are denied access to basic human rights. The Lasallian Foundation works to make a sustainable difference by giving them the opportunity to realise their full human potential and break the poverty cycle which has plagued their families and communities for generations.

Services

Development projects ranging from water and sanitation, education (formal and informal), and development of infrastructure

Beneficiary Group

We deliberately seek out projects that reach the most marginalised children, youth, their families and communities. Those who no one else will assist. We work on long-term solutions, not just short term handouts.

Projects in Progress

We work in Papua New Guinea, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and more recently Southern Sudan.

Typical projects include:

• primary and secondary school education
• vocational training, tuition centres and youth development programs
• residential care for orphanced, abandoned or HIV Aids affected boys and girls
• working children's programs
• day care centres
• empowerment and human rights programs for women, children, the poor and the disabled

All projects are created, initiated, developed and implemented by local agencies on the ground in consultation with the beneficiaries.  The Foundation provides funding and capacity building support to local agencies.

CEO

Br Paul Smith, CEO

Brother Paul began his work with the De La Salle Brothers in 1969 where he was based at De La Salle College, Kingsgrove. In 1972 Brother Paul moved to St Bedes Mentone, where he served in various roles including Boarding Master,
Principal of Senior School, Deputy Headmaster and Acting Headmaster. Between 1982 and 1993 Brother Paul was the Director of BoysTown Beaudesert, a residential facility for 100 boys aged between 12 and 16 referred through the Queensland courts. From 1993 to 2001 he was the CEO and Chairman for Boystown Family Care. During this time he was the promoter for BoysTown Lotteries, a highly successful fundraising initiative to help provide assistance to tens of thousands of young people in need.

Brother Paul officially founded Kids Helpline in 1991. Kids Helpline is a 24 hour, free, confidential, telephone counseling service for children aged between 5 and 18 years of age. Brother Paul also established Parentline with Trevor Carlyon, Executive Director of Kids Helpline, which is a Queensland phone counseling service for parents experiencing problems

In 1991 Brother Paul co-founded Boystown Link Up with Anne Freeman. This grew to be a strong advocate on the rights of children, especially young offenders. A multi-faceted response to the problems for youth aged 17-25 years was developed including the conduct of two transitional centres for men and women awaiting release from jail. Brother Paul has received many awards for his tireless work for children’s rights issues for marginalised and delinquent youth. This includes the
Federal Human Rights Medal for founding Kids Helpline, the PACT (Protect All Children Today) Award for commitment to fighting child abuse along with the Australian Humanitarian Award for service to the Health of Young People. He was pronounced Father of the Year for Queensland and Queenslander of the Year on three occasions. In 1994, Brother Paul was awarded Membership of the Order of Australia (AM) for work with disadvantaged youth.

He was a member of the landmark Kennedy Commission that investigated the conduct of jails throughout Queensland and served on the Des Sturgess report into paedophelia.

Brother Paul is currently CEO of the Lasallian Foundation and was recently made a Paul Harris Fellow.

Board Members

• Mr Tony Smith
• Ms Sally Nicholes
• Deputy Chair Lasallian Foundation
• Hon Paul Guest QC
• Mr John Mann
• Br Patrick McCarthy
• Mr Steve Molloy
• Br Kevin Moloney
• Mr Nick Newton
• Hon Alastair Nicholson AO RFD QC
• Dr Manjula Waniganayake

Number of Employees

4

Number of Volunteers

15

ABN

74 113 234 889

Year Established

2005

Tax Deductible

Yes

Wills and Bequests

Deciding how our wealth and possessions are to be distributed after we die is one of the most important decisions that we will make during our lifetimes.

It’s a common myth that you have to be wealthy to leave a gift in your will, but nothing could be further from the truth. After taking care of family and friends, you’ll be amazed at what one final gift, no matter how big or small, can do.

Whatever the amount, we’re extremely grateful for any gift that’s been included in a Will for the Lasallian Foundation, as it helps support disadvantaged children and their families who live in some of the poorest communities. 

You will be helping us to continue development projects such as teaching skills in agriculture which will provide food, generate income and lead to self-sustainability – education for children whose families cannot afford to send them to school, especially girls – a home for children who are orphaned because of the AIDS virus and many more. 

You could make a difference and ensure that your last wishes are something to remember.  The Lasallian Foundation is changing the lives of thousands of children in South East Asia and PNG. Your legacy would be the ongoing gift of hope and opportunity for them.

Including a gift in your Will to the Lasallian Foundation is such an easy yet powerful thing to do. We recommend that you speak with your solicitor, legal advisor or trust company when you make or update your Will. You can explain your wishes about including a gift in your Will to them and they can make sure that your Will accurately reflects your wishes.

Asking your solicitor to include a few short words in your Will can make a world of difference to the lives of children and won't cost as much as you might think. You can find the wording that we suggest you use to include a gift in your Will by downloading a copy of our Bequest Brochure.

By remembering us in your estate plans and your Will, you can ensure that our much-needed work will continue long into the future.  Our work will be your legacy.   

Please do not hesitate to contact our Bequest Officer, Vicki on (03) 9832 3102 if we can assist you in any way or if you wish to have a confidential discussion about your Will.

General Donations

Your donation can achieve so much.  The future for many children may seem hopeless but working together we can educate them and lift them out of poverty.

All donations are guaranteed to achieve maximum benefit for disadvantaged children and their families who live in some of the poorest communities.

Every cent makes a difference to the lives of the young people we support.  For further information or to make a donation download our Brochure or visit www.lasallianfoundation.org.  Donations can also be made by contact our office on (03) 9832 3102 or email vicki@lasallianfoundation.org.

Volunteering

Your time and skills are just as valuable as any cash donation.  If you able to assist us during special events or in our office, please call us on (03) 9832 3100.

Other support

Build a living legacy through the Lasallian Foundation Endowment Program. For a minimum investment of $10,000 your generosity will continue to change lives for many children now and into the future. This program allows you to create a fund in perpetuity on behalf of a loved one, your family, your business or in someone's memory. Please contact Vicki for more information.

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