On Monday IMB Bank Community Fund will add to the $10 million it has donated to charities and organisations who do great work in their communities.
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All the Illawarra and South Coast recipients for 2019 will be named at Wollongong City Art Gallery on Monday morning
Among them will be a SCARF Refugee Support initiative in Wollongong which has been saved from closing by IMB Bank..
Chief executive Pippa Rendel said SCARF will use the funding to expand it Let's LEAD Youth Program, which helps improve the lives of young people within local refugee communities. And create future leaders, through partnerships within the local business community.
Ms Rendel said SCARF has received funding from IMB Bank in the past but this was the first time for the Let's LEAD Youth Program which does wonderful work with the help of volunteers but was in danger of closing.
"This comes at a really good time for us. We have been running the program for a couple of years with different funding but that had finished and we had six months where we didn't have any funding for the program. But we knew it was good so we kept running while we were looking around and trying to work out what we were going to do. It was getting crunch time.".
Ms Rendel said the Let's LEAD Youth Program included monthly leadership meet-ups for about 20 young people during the year.
"They get together to practice using their leadership skills. We also have a range of one off events throughout the year such as outdoor adventure days where young people get together. There are also networking sessions where we get the young people together with local and established business people and the university. There are about 50 young people who participate in those".
Ms Rendel said as a CEO she found it very inspiring to go to Let's LEAD Youth events because the participants were so enthusiastic and motivated to learn and seek out opportunities.
IMB Bank chief executive Robert Ryan said the volunteers and leaders behind the SCARF program were an example of the kind of dedication and determination of so many people who give their time to help others in their own communities.
Mr Ryan said the 2019 funding announcement coincided with the 20th anniversary of IMB Bank supporting such work. "It is an honour to reflect on the partnerships we have formed with people and organisations in the community who dedicate their time and effort to creating a better life for others".
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
