Coles has raised more than $2.5 million to support medical research, health and wellbeing for children.
Funds raised in this year’s local fundraising drive will help charity partners to implement and deliver projects and services across Australia. This includes paediatric brain cancer research, helping schools to create healthy kitchen gardens, and granting wishes to kids with critical illnesses.
Coles Group General Manager of Corporate and Indigenous Affairs Sally Fielke thanks Coles’ customers and team members for their generosity and support.
“Coles is delighted to have raised over $2.5 million to support our seven state charity partners,” she says.
“Our team members and customers continue to exceed all expectations with their passion and generosity to support their local charity partners. In addition to purchasing merchandise and donation cards, customers have supported the causes through community BBQs, cake stalls, and quiz nights put on by our stores.
“We can’t thank our customers enough and we know the funds raised will make a huge difference in local communities right across Australia.”
Western Australians led the charge with more than $792,000 raised for the Telethon which currently supports 107 beneficiaries delivering “life-changing” programs, purchasing equipment and funding medical research into childhood diseases to help sick, vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Western Australia.
In Queensland, shoppers raised over $765,000 for Hummingbird House, Queensland’s only children’s hospice and a “home away from home” for babies, children and young people living with life-limiting conditions. Funds raised will provide resources for the hospice, fund travel costs for regional families and assist families to make lasting memories with their children when they know that their time together is short.
In NSW and the ACT, a collective total of more than $492,000 was raised to support research, programs and initiatives by Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation and John Hunter Children’s Hospital which aim to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people.
In Victoria, over $271,000 was raised for the Robert Connor Dawes Foundation to fund research and better patient care with the aim of improving the odds for kids with brain cancer.
A shared total of more than $148,000 was raised across South Australia and the Northern Territory to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant wishes to kids with critical illnesses.
$98,000 was raised in Tasmania to help deliver “pleasurable” food education in Tassie schools through the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation.