Social Enterprise Wins Impact Award
16 December 2015 at 11:05 am
A social enterprise that provides disengaged youth with skills and community connections as well as managing the earth’s resources has won the 2015 Impact100 Melbourne grant of $100,000.
The major grant was awarded to Kids Off The Kerb, a social enterprise based in Thomastown in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, with an outreach site in the western suburbs. The social enterprise’s projects include a whitegoods refurbishment and recycling program and a computer recycling program.
“This $100,000 will give Kids Off The Kerb the ability to implement our long held intention of linking disengaged young people supported by Our Place in Footscray with our social enterprise projects located in our factory in Thomastown,” Chair of Kids Off The Kerb, Nathan Stirling AM, said.
“This is a truly exciting and sustainable development which we believe will significantly benefit scores of young people in its first year and hundreds more over time.”
Since inception in 2013, Impact100 Melbourne has helped raise and distribute more than $300,000 in grants across the themes of migrants, homelessness, and youth and education.
Supporters in 2015 included Netwealth, Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, Reach Foundation, Foundation for Young Australians and Leadership Victoria.
Four organisations – Aboriginal Literacy Foundation, Kids Off The Kerb, Life Changing Experiences Foundation and Raise Foundation – were short-listed from 41 Expressions of Interest for this year’s theme of Education and Young People.
Impact100 Melbourne Founding Committee Member Rikki Andrews said the benefits were finalists extended beyond the financial boost.
“For the third year in a row our grant awards night not only provided a charity with a game-changing major grant, but also great connections were made between our guests and all four finalists,” Andrews said.
“We have already heard of additional donations being made to these charities, plus a wishlist of non-financial needs is being circulated among Impact100 Melbourne Members. We look forward to continuing our relationship with all our finalists into the future.”
 Kids Off The Kerb and Impact100 Melbourne Committee members at the awards ceremony |
