Corporate News

More than 100 people crowded into Villawood’s Southbank headquarters in Melbourne to hear the Villawood Foundation assisted community causes with a total $4.6 million in FY25-26.

Foundation Ambassador Jacqui Felgate outlined the year’s highlights, which included a record $1.212 million raised for The Royal Children’s Hospital with the Good Friday Appeal auction home. GFA chair Penny Fowler was on hand to acknowledge the Foundation and the massive community effort that went into delivering this contribution.

Villawood MD Rory Costelloe detailed how the Foundation focussed on many small grassroots community groups that might not obtain any corporate assistance.

He stressed the importance of helping essential care workers – emergency services, teachers, health practitioners and others – into a home, and the strength they contributed to new communities.

The Foundation provided $1.25 million to them during the year. Carers have received a total $9.16 million since the support program started in 2018. More than 500 carers have now been helped into their homes.

Jacqui spoke with Geelong Youth Engagement’s Andy Brittain on the hundreds of teenagers steered from trouble’s way through his Geelong Youth Engagement’s Kokoda treks and their ‘pre- and post-finals’ support programs. Andy tugged at heartstrings as he described his ‘worst week of the year’ when kids fronted up at the start of each new program but the deep sense of achievement when they completed their jungle journey.

Foodbank Victoria CEO Dave O’Connor related the extraordinary story of the 76,000 people, from Mildura to Mallacoota, it helped feed every day. Relying heavily on an army of volunteers, without little government support, the Foundation’s support was critical to Foodbank’s existence, he explained.

The Foundation’s FY26’s $4.6m included $973,000 raised for the South Australian Kids Appeal through Adelaide’s The Good House Auction in Adelaide.

The Foundation was created in 2022 as a formal umbrella for Villawood’s philosophy of giving back to the community. Villawood has assisted several hundred groups around Australia and causes over its journey, providing them a total of more than $30million.