The 2024 Westfield Local Heroes program is now open with Tuggerah Westfield accepting nominations for unsung heroes in the community, who go above and beyond to make a positive change for the people around them, the environment or other important community causes.
Last year’s Westfield Tuggerah winner, Mirandra Browne of The Entrance Food Hub, won $20,000 for the community initiative.
With nominations open until March 18, the Westfield Local Heroes program celebrates the community’s positive role models by shining a spotlight on them and their cause offering $20,000 and $5,000 grants, totalling $1.26M annually, to provide vital support to community organisations and the work they do.
As the program enters its seventh consecutive year, its alumni have continued to benefit the community with contributions of $7.395M in grants to more than 700 community organisations since its inception in 2018.
Westfield Local Heroes alumni represent a variety of fields, including family and youth support, health and wellbeing, inclusion and equity, community resilience and environmental sustainability.
Selected by a panel of Westfield team members and local community partners, the program sees a shortlist of three finalists selected for each Westfield centre, which will then be put to the community to vote for their local hero for 2024 between August 20 and September 9.
The successful hero of each Westfield centre will be awarded a $20,000 grant for the group or organisation they represent, and the two other finalists will each receive a $5,000 grant.
Grant recipients will be announced on October 15.
For more information and to nominate your Westfield Local Heroes, visit www.westfield.co.nz/local-heroes