ClubsACT Joins Forces With Canberra Hospital Foundation in a Year-Long Fundraising Endeavour

The outlook for the Canberra Hospital Foundation (CHF) Can Give Day 2024 is all the brighter thanks to a partnership with ClubsACT.

ClubsACT, the industry peak body for Canberra’s Community Clubs, has put its hand up to rally its clubs to devise a raft of fundraising initiatives that will tap into the generosity of its vast membership base.

Brainstorming with the 38 clubs under the ClubsACT umbrella commences this month. The goal is to identify the best way for each to support the cause, depending on their capacities and capabilities.

The hope is that it will go beyond involvement in the Big Wig challenge, according to ClubsACT Operations Manager Kate Palmer.

“We’re hoping bigger clubs will raise enough to put their CEOs through the Big Wig challenge, but are also asking our individual clubs to meet with the Canberra Hospital Foundation and discuss the best ways they can help,” she said.

“Whether that’s a donation for every schnitty they sell or showing recognition at their establishments for members who donate, we will decide in due course.

“Our clubs are diverse, so their fundraising measures will likely be diverse. But one thing they all have in common is a passion for serving the community.”

“We’ve actually been discussing this for years, but COVID put the brakes on many things for our clubs, as there was a lot of uncertainty. We’ve wanted to do it for a long time because their work is in an area that touches everyone in our community at some stage,” she said.

“Everyone, at some stage, needs the hospital or knows someone who will. Given this and our own community focus, this partnership was a no-brainer.”

While no goal has been officially set yet, ClubsACT President Kim Marshall said the organisation would work with CHF and its members to support fundraising throughout 2024, with each club encouraged to raise a minimum of $10,000.

“Our members are very excited to be involved in this partnership, and we are proud to support the foundation in their important fundraising efforts,” she said.

“As not-for-profits, our members understand the vital need to support community-focused organisations like the Canberra Hospital Foundation and to help generate the funds that are fundamental to enhancing the health and wellbeing of Canberra residents. This relationship very much aligns with the ethos of our industry, and we are very excited to have developed this partnership.”

Funds raised for CHF throughout the year would be pooled for donation on Can Give Day 2024, when ClubsACT will potentially be able to double its donation via dollar-matching from CHF’s generous supporters.

The Canberra Hospital Foundation is the only organisation that exists to raise funds for enhancing the health and support services delivered in all public hospitals and health centres in Canberra, including The Canberra Hospital, Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, Canberra Region Cancer Centre, North Canberra Hospital, University of Canberra Hospital, Clare Holland House, walk-in centres and community health centres and services.

CHF deputy chair Susan Proctor said given ClubsACT clubs had a collective membership base that was almost equivalent to the entire Canberra population, the partnership had potential to have a significant impact on the Can Give Day outcome both in terms of fundraising and raising awareness.

“The foundation provides its services to all those members when they need health service care and comfort, so ClubsACT and CHF have a mutual interest in ensuring members of the Canberra community who are, more often than not, members of clubs, have as good an experience as possible when they or their loved ones need to use their local health service,” she said.

“We’re very excited to broaden the understanding of the Canberra community of what the foundation does through our exposure in the clubs throughout this partnership.

“We would love for members to go to their respective clubs and support this partnership.”

David, Dione. “ClubsACT Joins Forces with Canberra Hospital Foundation in a Year-Long Fundraising Endeavour.” Riotact, 25 Nov. 2023, the-riotact.com/clubsact-joins-forces-with-canberra-hospital-foundation-in-a-year-long-fundraising-endeavour/719923. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.