Wolper grants boost communal organisations
THE Burger Centre, Hatzolah, Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe (FREE) and the National Council of Jewish Women of Australia’s (NCJWA) Mum for Mum program are the beneficiaries in the Wolper Jewish Hospital Health Foundation’s 2015 round of grants, announced this week.
THE Burger Centre, Hatzolah, Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe (FREE) and the National Council of Jewish Women of Australia’s (NCJWA) Mum for Mum program are the beneficiaries in the Wolper Jewish Hospital Health Foundation’s 2015 round of grants, announced this week.
The Foundation’s mission is to sponsor, support and fund health and wellbeing initiatives that deliver clear benefits to the Jewish and general communities.
“Since its establishment last year, the Foundation has given over $120,000 to a broad range of organisations,” Wolper chairman Daniel Goulburn said.
“In this round, I’m extremely pleased that the Foundation chose to support smaller organisations by granting them seed funds for their health and wellbeing initiatives.”
The Burger Centre received funding for its “Colour Your Life” program, which arranges weekly art therapy classes for people with early onset dementia. The classes relieve fears and stress, and provide a mode of self-expression.
Senior manager Bronwyn Elbourne said the organisation was extremely grateful. “Certainly without the grant we wouldn’t be able to run the program,” she said.
Hatzolah’s Rabbi Mendy Litzman also conveyed his gratitude and said the funding would enable Hatzolah to “continue helping the community 24/7 on a volunteer basis”.
“The money will go directly towards ongoing expenses that Hatzolah incurs on a daily basis.
“We couldn’t do this without Wolper. We don’t receive any government funding, so we rely solely on donations from the community.”
FREE’s grant will help fund its senior citizens club, “Bis 120”, which brings elderly Russian-speaking members of the Jewish community together at weekly social functions offering cultural, political and religious presentations.
Spiritual leader Rabbi Yehoram Ulman said: “We are thrilled and grateful to Wolper for the grant.”
Mum for Mum program director Nadene Alhadeff said the funding would provide a “significant boost” to the running the program.
“An ever increasing number of mothers today are isolated, anxious and depressed leading up to and post the birth of their babies. This support will enable more professional and supervised volunteers.”
GARETH NARUNSKY
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