Three projects aiming to deliver meaningful change on the Central Coast have received funding from the Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.
They are Habitat for Humanity, Brave Foundation and Lung Foundation Australia.
Habitat for Humanity has received $120,000 and will expand its Brush with Kindness program to the Hunter and Central Coast for the first time.
The project will engage 150 volunteers to repair and refurbish 20 social and transitional housing units to provide high-quality accommodation and a sense of dignity for people facing disadvantage, especially those escaping family and domestic violence.
The Brave Foundation has received $75,000 to support expecting and parenting teen dads on the Central Coast.
CEO Jill Roche said the new project will directly focus on supporting young local fathers.
“Brave Foundation will design and implement a pilot program dedicated to supporting young fathers,” she said.
“This work builds on our existing Supporting Expecting and Parenting Teens (SEPT) Program but will be tailored to specifically meet the needs of young dads.
“The program seeks to address the barriers experienced by young dads and recognises the value of their contribution as a parent in their child’s life.
“With little research available about young fathers and outcomes for their families, we are eager to do the work to understand the unique needs of all young parents and use that knowledge to develop a program to unlock the boundless potential of young fathers, allowing them and their families to flourish.”
Lung Foundation Australia will use its grant of $33,839 to establish its Lungs in Action Community Exercise Project in the Hunter and on the Mid North and Central Coast.
The project will train 10 local registered fitness professionals to support patients living with eligible chronic lung and/or heart conditions.
The three organisations are among 10 in the state to benefit from the funding round.
Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation Executive Officer, Carly Bush, said the successful projects were selected for the quality outcomes they would deliver to the lives of disadvantaged and marginalised people in NSW regional communities.
“These new projects will deliver much-needed support and potentially life-changing opportunities to young people, victims of domestic violence, people living with disabilities and First Nations communities,” she said.
Founded in 2003, to date, Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation has provided more than $26M in grants to more than 550 projects.
The Foundation offers two rounds of funding each year for groups across the Central Coast and regional NSW.