A powerful night of storytelling and community generosity has raised over $100,000 for women across the Geelong region at the Give Where You Live Foundation’s live crowdfunding event, Pitch Up Geelong.
Held in front of 180 community members, Pitch Up Geelong gave three local community organisations the opportunity to share the challenges facing women in our region, showcase their work and inspire the community to invest in solutions that create lasting change.
Cultura, Cloverdale Community Centre and Killara Foundation each raised more than $30,000, with the funds supporting programs that create greater opportunities, safety and pathways for women and their families.
Zac Lewis, CEO of the Give Where You Live Foundation said the event demonstrated what was possible when the community came together behind local solutions.
“What a night we had at Pitch Up Geelong! This event highlights how the community coming together can make a real difference for people locally,” Mr Lewis said.
“Thanks to the incredible generosity of our matched funding partners and the 180 people who joined us, we successfully raised close to $100,000 for Cultura, Cloverdale Community Centre and Killara Foundation, improving opportunities for Geelong women to build a better future.”
Cultura raised over $30,000 to contribute towards their Sew Good program, which supports women from marginalized multicultural backgrounds to turn existing sewing skills into income through a clothing repairs and alterations social enterprise. Corrie Inei, Manager of Settlement and Community Services at Cultura was speechless at the end of event and said the result would have a significant impact on the women involved in the program.
“It’s just incredible to receive this sort of money! I can’t believe it. It will mean opportunities for more women to come in and be supported. It means we can get our repairs and alterations service started. There’s so many opportunities. It’s very, very exciting.”
Cloverdale Community Centre raised over $30,000 to support their ongoing Lotus Kitchen enterprise which connects food access with skill development to build a more inclusive local food system.
Liz Bonner, CEO of Cloverdale Community Centre said they were overwhelmed with the response to the pitch from the women of their Lotus Kitchen program, and the money would help secure the future of the initiative.
“Literally without that money, we were on the brink of having to restructure and lose staff. I am overwhelmed. I get to keep my beautiful staff.”
Killara Foundation raised over $30,000 to help them continue to support the Djilang Sistas Hub, a culturally safe space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women impacted by family violence. The funding will support long-term wellbeing initiatives and provide family violence support, education and employment pathways.
Kylie Skew, Geelong Indigenous Women’s Hub Coordinator at the Killara Foundation was delighted with the amount raised on the night and said the impact would be felt by women and families across the community.
“It is indescribable what that money will do for us at the Djilang Sisters Hub. So many women and their children supported. Necessities that we take for granted will be provided for women and children that don’t have them. I can’t even comprehend how many people it is going to help, but it is just incredible, and I couldn’t be more thankful.”
On the night at Pitch Up Geelong, donations were matched up to $40,000 thanks to the Foundation’s matched funding partners Anthony Costa Foundation, Town and Country Pizza, and the PMF Foundation.
The event was also supported by event partners, Evans and Partners, and Geelong Regional Libraries.