Wilya Janta
In Jurnkkurakurr/Tennant Creek, where current climate data is predicting dramatic increases in days above 40 degrees, Wilya Janta ("Standing Strong") is an Aboriginal corporation working to revolutionise housing in remote communities by providing homes designed by Aboriginal people, for Aboriginal people.
Working with Warumungu Elders and community members, Wilya Janta are developing houses that combine traditional knowledge with modern sustainability features – from using locally sourced, regenerative materials like anthill, spinifex and solar power, to ensuring that cultural considerations form an integral part of the design process. Through innovative cultural consultancy and a highly collaborative design process, they're demonstrating how homes can be both culturally appropriate and climate resilient.
This groundbreaking project addresses multiple challenges facing remote communities, where current housing often reflects ongoing failures in design, poor thermal performance, and lack of cultural consideration. As residents increasingly face difficult choices between paying expensive electricity bills for air conditioning and meeting basic needs like medication and food, Wilya Janta's work shows how centring community knowledge and cultural practices can create housing solutions that are not only more sustainable but that also restore agency to communities in determining their own housing futures.
We redistributed $7,271 towards Wilya Janta's vital efforts in revolutionising housing solutions with, and for, First Nations communities.
Unless otherwise stated, Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and initiatives listed above, or on the Pure Community website. We simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by lending our support.
Rising Tide
In Newcastle NSW, home to the world's largest coal port, a community-powered climate movement is proving that ordinary people can create extraordinary change. Rising Tide is a grassroots climate activism group, using peaceful civil resistance to challenge the fossil fuel industry and advocate for climate action.
Their recent "People's Blockade" brought together 7,000 participants for a ten-day "protestival" (protest festival) that successfully blocked coal-exporting ships for 50 hours – their longest action yet. Through community building, creative activism, and peaceful civil disobedience, Rising Tide is showing how collective action can disrupt business as usual and help push for the systemic changes our planet desperately needs.
With the approval of 28 new coal and gas projects under the current government, Rising Tide's work is more crucial than ever. Their successful actions have managed to pile a huge amount of pressure on the Australian government and fossil fuel industry, while their community-building approach demonstrates how bringing people together in creative resistance can build the momentum needed for real climate action.
We redistributed $7,271* towards Rising Tide’s community-powered climate activism and their ongoing work in advocating for urgent climate action.
*Due to timing considerations, this amount was delivered to Rising Tide in two parts.
Unless otherwise stated, Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and initiatives listed above, or on the Pure Community website. We simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by lending our support.
ReLove
Australia has a significant problem with furniture waste and, according to sustainable furniture brand Koskela, it’s estimated that the annual amount of furniture sent to landfill by Australian households is more than four times the weight of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. At the same time, Australia’s growing crisis of women and children fleeing domestic and family violence means there are thousands of victim/survivors having to navigate the financial minefield of rebuilding their lives and moving into new, often unfurnished, accommodation.
In a brilliant merger of both environmental and social impact, ReLove is a Sydney/Gadigal based charity that rescues good quality furniture and household items, otherwise destined for landfill, and redistributes them directly to women and families impacted by domestic violence, people experiencing homelessness, men and women coming out of incarceration, and people seeking asylum - for free.
Importantly, ReLove’s free store is a safe place for people in crisis to shop for everything they need to make their new house a home and to do so with agency and choice. ReLove also provides free delivery and installation of chosen furniture and goods, helping those who use their service to clear these additional, often costly, barriers.
As part of our 1% For the Earth commitment we were proud to send $5,580 ReLove’s way, in support of their brilliant ‘dual impact’ work which, over the past 12 months, saw 1,228 tonnes of furniture destined for landfill ‘ReLoved’ by 784 families furnishing new homes. Good for people and the planet? Music to our ears.
LEND YOUR SUPPORT
While adequate funding is, of course, crucial to ReLove’s continued success, volunteers also form a big part of their operations. You can volunteer with Relove here.
You can also shop pre-loved, designer furniture via ReLove’s online store with 100% of proceeds reinvested directly into the charity’s operations.
FOLLOW
Instagram - @relove_au
Facebook - www.facebook.com/groups/reloveau
LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/company/reloveau/
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Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and initiatives listed above. We simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by lending our support.
Dhuluny
Based on Wiradyuri* Country in the Bathurst region, Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation (WTOCWAC) are an Aboriginal Corporation made up of Traditional Elders who provide cultural education, mentoring and support and the protection of Ngurambang (country), with their work receiving recognition and awards at both local and international levels.
From 11-18 August, WTOCWAC are hosting Dhuluny (Dhu-loin), a week-long series of events commemorating the 200-year anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law on 14 August 1824, and the ensuing frontier violence - the first use of martial law against Aboriginal people in New South Wales.
Named after a Wiradyuri word for “truth”, “rightness”, or “gospel”, and meaning rectitude, that which is direct, straight, acting, living, Dhuluny will feature an extensive program of events all centred in the preservation of culture, truth-telling, and the resilience of the Wiradyuri Nation. The event lineup includes art exhibitions and discussions with artists, film screenings, theatre performances, workshops, a Corroboree, a conference and an Aboriginal art market.
Celebrating 200 years of Wiradyuri resistance, Dhuluny is an opportunity to progress reconciliation by marking these shared histories, allowing attendees to reflect on the legacies of the declaration and consequences for both Wiradyuri people and colonial settlers of the region. Two hundred years later, Dhuluny commemorates a period of resistance warfare, violence and massacres and celebrates Wiradyuri resilience and survival.
We Paid the Rent with $5,580 to WTOCWAC in support of Dhuluny and of their important and ongoing work in truth-telling, protecting Country and ensuring that Oral History and cultural narratives are passed down through generations. If you’ll be in the area, or you’re able to make the trip, why not visit Bathurst and take part in Dhuluny when it kicks off in August.
LEND YOUR SUPPORT
LEARN MORE
FOLLOW
Facebook - www.facebook.com/WTOCWAC/
*Wiradjuri is a large nation and there are many differences in how Wiradjuri is pronounced and written across Wiradjuri Country. Wiradjuri is the accepted uniform spelling across Australia and commonly used. Wiradyuri is the preferred spelling across southern Wiradjuri. Yiradyuri is the traditional pronunciation west of Wagga Wagga, and along both sides of the Murrumbidgee river. Source: https://yiradyuri.au/about/
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Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and initiatives listed above. We simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by lending our support.
Australian Climate Case
Uncle Pabai and Uncle Paul are Guda Maluyligal Traditional Owners from Boigu and Saibai Islands in Zenadth Kes (the Torres Strait). With the Uncles and their communities faced with rising sea levels, tides flooding their homes, sacred land eroding into the sea and soil becoming too salty to grow food, they took the Australian Government to court in 2021 for failing to act on, and prevent, climate change. They’re arguing that, due to this failure, the Federal Government negligently and unlawfully breached their duty of care to the Torres Strait community.
Australia’s response to climate change is one of the weakest in the world and if the Federal Government doesn’t change course – and fast – then islands in the Torres Strait could become uninhabitable. This would force Torres Strait Islander communities to leave their homes, severing thousands of years of connection to the land, while also making them Australia’s first climate change refugees.
The good news? The Australian Climate Case has been modelled off another groundbreaking case that ran successfully in the Netherlands in 2015, which means: it’s definitely winnable. It’s also the first time that anyone in the country has argued that the whole of the Federal Government – not just one Minister or agency – has a duty to protect people from climate harm. So, if it’s successful, everyone in Australia (and the world) will reap the benefits.
As our Q4 For the Earth commitment, we supported the case with $3,223 which, via Grata Fund (a NFP that help grassroots community movements, civil society organisations and individuals challenge the legal system) will go towards campaigning costs, mobilising communities, travel costs for the plaintiffs and their legal team and funding for expert witness testimonies to show the court just how rapidly Australia’s window for taking meaningful climate action is closing.
Closing arguments for the case will take place in Gimuy/Cairns from 29 April - 3 May and will be the final stage of hearings before a decision is handed down. A decision date is not yet set, but can typically take 4-6 months after hearings finish.
In what is set to be a crucial moment for First Nations-led climate justice in this country, the Uncles are courageously putting themselves forward and are fighting for a safe and sustainable future for us all. Let’s show them that they do not stand alone.
LEND YOUR SUPPORT
Donate to the Australian Climate Case
Sign the #MuraKalmelSipa Pledge
LEARN MORE
Australian Climate Case - Website
FOLLOW
Instagram - @australianclimatecase
Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and initiatives listed above. We simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by lending our support.
Uprising of the People
Based on Kulumbirigin Country in Gulumoerrgin/Darwin, Uprising of the People (UP) is a Danggalaba Kulumbirigin-owned, grassroots organisation that aims to nurture and rebuild relationships between Elders, Country and Young People in the community.
Led by CEO Mililma May, a Danggalaba Kulumbirigin Tiwi woman, activist, artist and writer, UP facilitates a wide and impressive range of community-focused programs and campaigns, as well as running the Billawook Gurinyi Community Centre, the first and only youth/family centre in Darwin’s Northern suburbs. The centre provides a safe place for community to drop in, attend cultural and employment workshops and make music or record stories.
Some of UP’s programs* include their ‘Elders in Residence’ program, designed to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families via knowledge sharing, mentoring and support, as well as their ‘Walk With Us’ Cultural Tours, which provide participants with an opportunity to learn more about Kulumbirigin Country and culture. Mililma was also a powerful voice in the national conversation surrounding the 2023 Voice to Parliament Referendum.
Additionally, UP also plays a significant advocacy and activist role in the fight to protect Country in the NT. Most recently, UP has been integral in the ongoing fight to protect sacred Larrakia Country at Binybara/Lee Point, as the area faces the threat of environmental destruction and significant biodiversity loss due to a proposed DHA housing development.
We Paid the Rent with $3,223 to UP, with the aim of supporting the vast amount of important work and advocacy they do for community and Country in Gulumoerrgin/Darwin.
*We’ve only listed a few of UP’s many programs and campaigns here and, considering the size of the organisation, they are doing an incredible amount of work in the community. We encourage you to visit the UP website, read their latest progress report and follow them on Instagram for updates and to learn more.
LEND YOUR SUPPORT
Donate to Uprising of the People
LEARN MORE
Uprising of the People - Website
Open Letter to Minister Plibersek from Mililma May
FOLLOW
Instagram - @uprisingofthepeopletld
Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and initiatives listed above. We simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by lending our support.
First Nations Futures
Across the globe, Indigenous peoples represent the most prominent blind spot in the funding community and in Australia, only 0.5 per cent of philanthropic funding goes to First Nations communities. It’s a shameful statistic and one that requires urgent and committed action to redress.
With existing funding systems in Australia rooted in colonialism and, in many instances paternalism, this statistic is no accident. Strict, rigid and pre-determined eligibility criteria, extensive monitoring and surveillance, lengthy reporting obligations aligned to incompatible theories of change - these are just some of the factors that contribute to the significant barriers facing First Nations community-driven initiatives when it comes to accessing the flexible, sustainable and autonomous funding they need to thrive.
As a First Nations-led and driven funding platform, First Nations Futures stands in stark contrast to existing models and is driving an agenda of economic justice by calling in the shared responsibility of all Australians to collectively invest in First Nations-led solutions. Guided by their own values-based impact framework, the platform delivers unrestricted, long-term and culturally safe funding to a growing network of grassroots, First Nations community-driven initiatives, better enabling them to self-determine their own destinies.
If the last few months have taught us anything it is that, without question, First Nations people must be the architects of their own futures. Supporting community-led funding models, like First Nations Futures, provides a significant opportunity for non-Indigenous Australians to co-invest in this objective and to put allyship with First Nations peoples into tangible, meaningful action, post referendum.
Lend your support:
Co-invest* with First Nations Futures
*In this context, Co-invest is an act of responsibility to collectively invest into a shared benefit without monetary return.
Learn More:
First Nations Futures - Website
First Nations Futures - Impact model
Follow:
Instagram - @firstnationsfutures
Facebook - www.facebook.com/firstnationsfutures
LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/company/first-nations-futures/
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and initiatives listed above. We simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by lending our support.
Surfers for Climate
Living in a country surrounded by some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, many of us have a deep love and appreciation for the ocean and how it makes us feel. Significant health and wellbeing benefits aside, our oceans are also a vital part of the fundamental building blocks of life on earth and have the ability to regulate the weather, serve as a carbon sink, and provide food and livelihoods to many millions of people around the world.
Despite this, and the threat posed to all life on earth as a result of the climate change-induced crisis already underway in our oceans, our governments continue to greenlight unprecedented and environmentally catastrophic offshore oil and gas projects, putting Australia’s precious, unique and ancient marine ecosystems at even greater risk.
One group that spends a significant portion of their lives in the ocean, but whose voices are often missing from the climate change conversation, are surfers. However, via a range of educational initiatives and resources, community building events, and successful political advocacy campaigns, Surfers for Climate is working to change this reality by transforming Australia’s many surfing communities into agents for climate action.
While their many community-focused programs aim to encourage individual climate education and action (including their Wavechanger program, Trade Up events and Wipeout Your Emissions resource) their political advocacy and campaign work makes it easy for us all to be better informed and take collective action against disastrous projects like the infamous PEP-11 and more recently, proposed seismic blasting in Gunditjmara sea Country.
When it comes to tackling climate change, the process can feel overwhelming and insurmountable - like we don’t know where or how to begin. By creating an organisation grounded in community, Surfers for Climate helps point those who care for the ocean in the right direction, with a focus on imperfect action over perfect inaction.
Lend your support:
Take Action:
No new offshore oil and gas - Stop PEP-11
Learn More:
Follow:
Instagram - @surfersforclimate
Facebook - www.facebook.com/surfersforclimate/
Youtube - www.youtube.com/@surfersforclimate3484/videos
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and initiatives listed above. We simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by lending our support.
First Nations Foundation
Increased financial stress is being felt right around the country as we endure what many are referring to as a ‘cost of living crisis’. It’s well understood that financial stress leads to reduced overall wellbeing and can create significant psychological challenges. A nationwide conversation is currently underway, acknowledging the prevalence of this increase in financial pressure and precariousness, and offering no shortage of discourse around potential remedies.
Often unacknowledged however, is how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia disproportionately experience financial stress as the result of entrenched systemic exclusion and discrimination. A PRE-cost-of-living crisis report found that 1 in 2 Indigenous people in Australia suffer severe levels of financial stress; 9 in 10 have no financial security, and 52% have no savings. As 75% of the community struggle to access financial services there is a clear and urgent need for targeted support.
By Mob, for Mob, First Nations Foundation have developed a range of culturally relevant resources and programs to promote financial empowerment, equipping participants with the tools and confidence to build financial prosperity for themselves, their family, and their community for generations to come. This comprises financial literacy training, a huge range of digital resources including gender-specific content such as the Rich Blak Women podcast, and a travelling superannuation outreach event, which itself has helped reconnect $24m in super to over 1,600 people across urban, remote, and regional communities.
If you’re in a position to, please consider joining us in contributing financially to the First Nations Foundation to allow them to expand their outreach. They’ll also be running in the City2Surf this year and invite anyone to run and/or fundraise on their behalf, if that’s more your style.
Lend your support:
Donate to First Nations Foundation’s City2Surf fundraiser
Run and fundraise for FNF in the City2Surf
Learn more:
First Nations Foundation - Website
FNF Annual Impact Report, FY22
Interview with Larisha Jerome - Ladies Talk Money
Socials:
Instagram: @firstnationsfoundation, @richblakwomen
Facebook: facebook.com/FirstNationsFoundation/
Youtube: youtube.com/@firstnationsfoundation6525
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed above. We simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by lending our support.
Bendigo Sustainability Group
It’s no secret that we’re strong advocates for community-driven movements, particularly those that promote sustainable living and development and ground-up changemaking. Enter Bendigo Sustainability Group (BSG), a community of Victorian locals who foster environmental sustainability through action, education, inspiration, and resource mobilisation.
Over about 15 years of operation, the work of BSG has been necessarily varied - from setting up action groups to tackle specific issues like waste reduction and nature conservation, to being instrumental in a number of local sustainable energy projects, with a particular focus on community solar installation.
Building on their local solar rollout, BSG are currently fundraising for their Giving Power project, which maximises existing State and Federal Government subsidies in conjunction with crowdsourced funds to install solar-systems in low-income homes in the region (where almost 30% of households are classified as being ‘low’ or ‘very low’ income). The Giving Power project is a small-scale pilot, which BSG hopes to expand significantly if successful. Currently aiming to service approximately 30 homes, an expansion of the project could see hundreds, if not thousands of low-income homes transition to sustainable energy with very little financial outlay.
Please consider contributing to BSG’s Giving Power Fundraiser, where every $1 contributed yields approximately $2.40 in solar system value. We believe movements like this are essential in empowering communities to advocate for themselves while building a better future for all.
Lend your support:
BSG’s Giving Power Fundraiser (via Chuffed.org)
Learn more:
Giving Power Homeowner Profiles
Govt. Small-Scale Renewable Energy Scheme
Socials:
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed above. We simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by lending our support.
First Nations Homelessness Fundraiser - DJ Kirra + grassroots collective
Almost 1 in 3 Indigenous Australians aged 15 and over have experienced homelessness at some time in their life, around ten times the rate of other Australians. For many of those that are homed, overcrowded dwellings remains a significant issue, and, in 2018 half of all Indigenous Australians living in remote areas, and more than 30% of those in major cities were living in homes with major structural problems.
While the Federal Government’s commitment of $100 million for remoting housing over the coming years will deliver some urgently needed resources, these are limited to remote communities in the NT. Unfortunately, this is a nationwide issue.
This quarter we’re Paying the Rent with $2,627 to the 2023 First Nations Homelessness Fundraiser led by DJ Kirra and their grassroots collective, who maintain a concentrated effort in Far North QLD, where there is a severe shortage of emergency shelter beds for homeless youth.
Lend your support:
2023 First Nations Homelessness Fundraiser – Chuffed.org
Learn More:
Homelessness Australia – Pre-Budget Submission 2023-24
Urban Indigenous homelessness: much more than housing – AHURI Report
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework – Housing Data
Image credit: Luke Currie-Richardson
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed above, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by supporting them.
Menindee Community Relief
Mendinee in western NSW exists as a fairly complete and apt example of the range of environmental challenges being managed by regional communities across the country. Much like other parts of the state, the small community is currently reeling from significant and widespread flooding, which has devastated homes and infrastructure.
At the same time there is limited access to safe drinking water due to the chronically ill Darling-Baaka river, in which up to 20 million native fish have recently perished during a mass kill. Bureaucratic failures and broken promises have forced the community to take matters into their own hands, something they are well practised at after years of neglect.
Our environmental contribution of $2,627 this quarter is to a Menindee Community Relief fundraiser. Support raised will be used to overcome existing logistical issues and recover personal costs, provide access to food, safe drinking water, and other essentials to impacted residents. Beyond this, there is still a need to rebuild flooded houses.
Lend your support:
Menindee Community Relief - GoFundMe
Learn more:
Flood-affected Menindee community to receive food hampers delivered by former resident - ABC News
Menindee floods equivalent to filling Sydney harbour every six days - NSW SES
Police to review emergency response to Menindee fish kill - The Guardian
Lower Darling landholders say Menindee flood could have been avoided, if they were listened to - ABC News
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed above, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by supporting them.
W&J Cultural Custodians
The sacred fire is still burning, and we are still here.
We will not be denied. We continue to stand our ground.
I ask you to stand with us as we continue to stand our ground.
For over 500 days a sacred fire has been burning inside the ceremonial bora ring adjacent to Adani’s (aka Bravus) Carmichael Coalmine, maintained by the permanent presence of a Wangan and Jagalingou Nagana Yarrbayn Cultural Custodian. The ceremony being performed, Waddananggu, literally ‘the talking’ in the local Wirdi language, began as an act of resistance and reaffirmation of sovereignty on the Wangan and Jagalingou Country threatened by the mine. The site has since evolved into a community hub, which provides space for mob to share, transmit and reconnect to culture, and learn new skills. An open invitation exists for all to come and witness Waddananggu and stand in solidarity to protect human rights, culture, and Country.
Chances are you’re familiar with the widespread opposition to the Carmichael Coalmine, both locally and abroad. The project to mine thermal coal in the Galilee Basin, operated by the multinational company Adani (itself owned by the world’s third-wealthiest person), has drawn intense scrutiny for the severe threat the venture poses to the local environment, particularly at a time when future-focused energy discourse strongly favours cleaner methods of energy production. The mine has created new threats to large swathes of Country, while at the same time drastically exacerbating existing issues. From the dredging of over a million cubic metres of seafloor at our Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area to make way for a coal terminal at Abbot Point – where in 2017 Adani exceeded its pollution limit by 800% after releasing heavily polluted water into the reef and surrounding wetlands – to leaking hydrocarbons into the groundwater of the Great Artesian Basin some 300kms inland, seriously endangering the environmentally and culturally significant Doongmabulla Springs. Toxic dust from the mine blankets the surrounding area, polluting land and water alike, interfering with cultural practice and poisoning traditional bush foods.
A series of desert oases, the springs at Doongmabulla are comprised of 160 separate wetlands, which are home to over 56 endemic species. They provide much needed respite for animals and people alike in an otherwise extremely dry environment, and are a reliable water source for communities and graziers during drought. Alarmingly, the potential impact of Adani’s activity around the springs is not well understood, with the CSIRO having raised major concerns about the mining company underestimating environmental impact in its water modelling. With an already observable and ‘significant’ drop in aquifer levels, there is concern that irreversible damage to the region has already been ‘locked in’.
The sacred Doongmabulla Springs are also home to the final resting place of Mundunjudra (the Rainbow Serpent) in Wangan and Jagalingou Dreaming.
"Our ancestral homelands are the locus of creation, our lives are enfolded into a sacred space. Our homelands have sustained our generations for millennia. They are the source of our cultural and religious practices as well as our economic livelihoods and our sovereignty. They are a unique cultural landscape, and we are the cultural custodians of the lands and waters..."
It is beyond foolish to squander the unparalleled knowledge and experience of a people who have lived in productive harmony with this land for tens of thousands of years, and surrender it to those who seek to profit through environmental exploitation and the wilfully negligent erasure of culture.
Those standing their ground in order to protect the region have mounted multiple legal challenges to prevent the mine from operating. Having endured amendments to native title law by the Federal Government in one instance, they had their native title rights extinguished by the State in another a couple of years later. Yet despite this, weaponised bankruptcy proceedings, confrontations with police, and rejected freedom of information requests, amongst a plethora of other things, the resistance continues, and large parts of Country remain protected. Wangan and Jagalingou Nagana Yarrbayn Cultural Custodians are currently relying on the creative use of human rights law as a shield against cynical opposition. Plans for another mine in the Galilee basin were recently blocked in court on the basis that human rights would be unjustifiably limited by the proposal, and that ‘the climate scenario consistent with a viable mine risks unacceptable climate change impacts to Queensland people and property, even taking into account the economic and social benefits of the Project.’ Although it might sound like those who oppose the mine are a small majority, the reality couldn’t be more contrary. Over 100 major companies so far have ruled out any potential involvement with the Carmichael Project, which has presented a range of issues for the project, including funding and insurance setbacks. A key issue that remains is the relative power and wealth imbalance that exists between those who would like to see the project proceed and everyone else. Here, we’ve been primarily concerned with the local impact of the venture, however there is evidence to suggest that the coal extracted from the mine is entrenching energy inequality and debt in Bangladesh, where energy is being bought for two and a half times more than what it can be sold for after wearing the transport costs of the coal from Australia via India.
"Now our goal is to turn Waddananggu into a permanent cultural reserve to protect totemic trees, animals, medicines, springs and cultural heritage. By contributing to our fight you are taking an active role and being part of a driving force that together makes real change in the protection of Country and the environment..."
We stand in solidarity with the Wangan and Jagalingou Nagana Yarrbayn Cultural Custodians as they fight to protect their history, their dreaming, and their Traditional Lands, now our home.
If you’re in a position to contribute and help keep the fire burning please consider doing so. Your donation will help to ensure they can continue to be present on, and speak for, Country and will send the message that protecting the sacred knowledge, culture and lands of Australia’s First Peoples is invaluable, particularly when compared to temporary profit.
Waddandanggu and the growing camp currently require several thousand dollars a month to maintain and to ensure the ongoing presence of a Culture Custodian in the ceremonial Bora ring. This includes providing protection against harsh conditions from scorching heat to flooding rains, and maintaining things like camping gear, vehicles, solar panels, and the communications tower, while ensuring food and medical supplies are always available. Funds also support the growing community hub where culture is both shared and produced. The camp is 100% volunteer run and funded through community donations. You can make one here.
Financial donations can also be made to their legal fund, and in-kind donations such as gift cards (for BCF, Woolies, Coles, Kmart, Bunnings etc.) can be sent to PO Box 347, Clermont QLD 4721.
This quarter, we were in a position to contribute $2,362.82 to help keep the sacred fire burning.
Links for further learning:
Traditional Owners Invite to Jagalingou County ↗︎
Declaration by the Wangan and Jagalingou (Nagana Yarrbayn) Custodians about the Carmichael Mine ↗︎
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed above, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by supporting them.
Eugowra Flood Appeal
During the first hours of a rainy Monday morning in November, on the sixty-second day of a particularly severe weather event, signs of impending disaster began to emerge. Over the weekend huge swathes of NSW, from Mudgee to Albury, were thrashed with rain. In Canowindra (a forty-five minute drive from Orange), the Belubula River had flooded at levels not seen for seventy years. Shortly after, the nearby Wyangala Dam began spilling into the Lachlan River, reaching a staggering flow of 230,000 megalitres a day. This spillage rushed down system to Mandagery Creek, which flows through the centre of Eugowra, the wall of water devastating homes, livestock, farmland, and infrastructure along the way, before quickly reaching the town.
By Monday evening the entirety of Eugowra had become flood-affected and cut off, only accessible by boat or helicopter. To add to the chaos and confusion, telecommunications had gone down over the course of the morning, hindering the efforts of both locals and emergency service crews alike as they fought to protect the community. The SES deployed twelve helicopters, which made a total of 159 flood rescues (about 1/3 of the town’s population), many from the rooftops of buildings that had withstood the initial ‘tsunami’, with some residents waiting up to six hours for a lift. The scope of the emergency was so that according to SES commissioner Carlene York the SES was required to appeal for overseas assistance for the first time.
‘The best way I can describe that night in Eugowra was to liken it to a war zone…The pure force of the water and the destruction it caused is something I will never forget.’ – Grace Langlands, SES Orange City Volunteer.
Come Tuesday morning, it was clear that around eighty percent of homes and businesses in Eugowra were damaged. Two lives had also been lost. Whole houses were torn from their foundations, cars flipped and swept away, and the streets peppered with the bodies of pets and livestock that were unable to be saved in the scramble for higher ground.
The official peak of the flood was 11.2m, a whole half-meter higher than the town’s estimate for a one-in-5,000-year flood event. Prior to this, the biggest flood on record had been 10.01m. Impacted areas stretch over two-hundred kilometres from Parkes in the North to Yass in the South, however it was Eugowra that experienced the most widespread destruction. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has faced criticism for its failure to predict and sufficiently warn residents of the imminent emergency, even cancelling its warning for potentially dangerous and lift-threatening flash flooding a few hours before the most violent waves swept through the town. The BoM has since commented that it ‘stands by the accuracy and timings of the forecast warnings’, and to be fair, it’s fairly well accepted that predicting floods can be tricky work.
On the other hand, Australia’s general preparedness for natural disasters and a changing climate, or indeed lack thereof, has been uncomfortably exposed time and again over the last few years, most recently during the flooding in Bundjalung country, and before that during the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires. Many parts of this country are subject to the vicious cycle of environmental disasters – droughts, fires and floods, and despite the popular view that this is just part and parcel of living in The Lucky Country, the reality seems to be that things are in fact worsening. Significantly. According to NSW Government data, most regions across the state have been under at least one natural disaster declaration since 2017. The intensity of extreme rainfall events in some parts of the county has increased by approximately 10% over recent decades, which will likely lead to increased flooding. Despite this however, we can also expect to see an increase in, and the lengthening of, hot and dry periods, bringing with them drought and fire.
Towns in Central-Western NSW are tragic yet apt examples of how varied and extreme the consequences of our changing climate are. Over the last 3 years the area has been stricken with drought, afflicted by dust storms, and plagued by mice and locusts – now, streets and paddocks lay bare for all the rain.
‘Four or five years ago we were crying out for water – now it’s totally the opposite.’ – Jason Hamling, Orange Mayor
With this in mind, extensive disaster preparedness is imperative to ensure the survival of our regions. From better early warning systems and investment in community-level mitigation, through to increases in government disaster relief funds and the embedding of timely advice in government disaster response to prevent interim homelessness. If people can’t be protected at home, or if the cost of individual disaster recovery is too high, people will leave the region, which may eventually lead to the collapse of some of our agricultural centres.
‘You can’t blame them. It has been a traumatic experience. I know a lot of the community will bounce back, but there will be some that won’t bounce back, or can’t afford to.’ – Kevin Beatty, Cabonne Mayor
We would argue that some of the most effective and painfully overlooked disaster mitigation practices and crucial knowledge of the land lie with the Traditional Custodians. Referencing the obliteration of Eugowra, Wiradjuri man Ally Cole pointed out that his ancestors had moved through the area, camping on higher ground in the surrounding sandhills. They knew not to settle on the flats. Dealing with the other extreme, cultural burning practices, like those taught by Firesticks, have proven invaluable in the prevention of bushfires, while at the same time enhancing ecosystem health.
Interestingly, the other group who were comparatively well prepared for the floods in the region were the insurance companies. In late 2021, relying on updated government flood maps, data and flood risk modelling, Allianz significantly increased insurance premiums for people in high-risk regions such as Eugowra. One Eugowra resident, a pensioner, was allegedly quoted $23,000 per year for flood insurance. The lives of those who were insured now hang in limbo, with some unsure if they were sufficiently covered by their policy due to differing technical defections of how damage came about (i.e. flood vs rain), which are technically covered by different insurance policies. While others have reported that they’re still waiting to be visited by insurance assessors. Irrespective, according to the Climate Council, around a quarter of homes in Eugowra will be ‘effectively uninsurable’ by 2030.
According to one Eugowra resident who is currently living in a caravan provided by the government while they await the processing of their insurance claim:
‘We can't live [in the house] because there are no walls left and we can’t sort it out until we know whether or not we’ll get insurance…A lot of people here have been told no. We’re just waiting.’
While residents of the impacted areas wait for the disbursement of (what is frankly insufficient) financial support from the government, or for their insurance claims to be processed, they push on, setting a shining example of all that can be achieved through collaborative community effort.
'Our beautiful community has been devastated, lives have been lost, and thousands of people have been displaced and left with nothing. Recovery is going to take a long time.'
At the behest of the community, the main source of relief for residents of the affected area is being collected through GIVIT’s Eugowra Flood appeal and distributed with the help of NSW Reconstruction Authority (formerly Resilience NSW), support organisations, charities, outreach teams and community groups. Donations will be used to purchase essential items and services, with 100% of publicly donated money being used to buy exactly what is needed, when it’s needed.
We were in a position to contribute $2,362.82 towards Eugowra’s community fundraising efforts last quarter.
A testament to the spirit of the community, the Fat Parcel Food Van aims to provide free food and coffee for locals as they work towards a return to relative normality. The van itself, as well as a cool room, have been kindly lent by a couple of businesses in neighbouring Orange in a show of regional solidarity. You can pay forward a meal or a cup of coffee through their GoFundMe.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed above, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by supporting them.
Kumanjayi Walker Coronial Inquest - GoFundMe
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following article contains the names of deceased persons.
At 8:36pm, on the 19th of November 2019, Kumanjayi Walker died on the floor of a cell at the Yuendumu police station, an hour after he was shot by police. His family, and members of his community who had gathered outside the station following the news of his arrest weren’t notified of his death until twelve hours later.
While we’re not in a position to comment on the events of November 19th, particularly while the Coronial Inquest into Kumanjayi Walker’s death takes place, there are a number of things that are clear and can’t be ignored: no one should have died that night; no family should be separated from one another, nor kept in the dark during a time of such significant pain; and that Kumanjayi Walker suffered at the hands of both explicit and institutionalised racism, and it was widespread systematic failure, to which he was exposed for a large part of his life, that ultimately lead to his death.
At the time of writing this, we understand that there have been close to 517 Aboriginal deaths in custody, likely more, since the 1991 Royal Commission into the issue. Over the past 30 years, governments have not fully implemented the royal commission’s 339 recommendations, nor those of the Australian Law Reform Commission’s Pathways to Justice inquiry, the Don Dale royal commission and many other coronial investigations. The failure to do so has evidently been devastating.
This quarter we’re Paying the Rent to the fundraiser coordinated by Kumanjayi Walker’s cousin, Samara Fernandez, to assist with costs relating to the current coronial inquest. These include legal costs, travel and accommodation expenses allowing family to attend the Coronial Inquest, and money to support community events.
‘Family and community is devastated. This is an emotional and difficult time for all family and community members involved. An experience we never want any other family to go through. There are no real words to describe our pain… It is important to us that, as a family and community, we are present in the inquest process for many reasons. First, being present ensures we are being heard and speaking for Kumanjayi, who can no longer speak for himself. Being in attendance means that we understand all the circumstances that led to Kumanjayi’s death to ensure no other family needs to endure what we have!’
Samara Fernandez - Warlpiri woman from Yuendumu and Kumanjayi Walker's cousin
While urgent action from the federal and state governments continues to be stalled, family and community support must be bolstered and their voices elevated while they advocate for deep systemic change, and beyond. Due to the extent in which failure permeates our ‘justice’ system and other intuitions, this change will take time to be fully effected. However, there are a number of things that can be implemented immediately as part of the healing process, and that Black Voices have been calling for in order to reduce harm and injustice, for example a ban on guns for police in remote communities and a Raising of the Age.
You can donate directly to the GoFundMe to assist with costs relating to the Coronial Inquest for Kumanjayi Walker here. A transparent breakdown of these expenses are listed on the go fund me page and include legal costs, travel and accommodation expenses that allow family to attend the Coronial Inquest, and money to support community events.
If you would like to contribute to longer-term family support, the Dhadjowa Foundation provides strategic, coordinated and culturally appropriate support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families whose loved ones have died in custody. Founded by, and in consultation with, the families of Tanya Day, Kumanjayi Walker, Aunty Sherry, and Nathan Reynolds, who together form the foundation’s board. You can donate to the Dhadjowa Foundation here.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed above, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by donating to them.
Addison Road Community Organisation
Nestled among one hundred and seventy trees, and one big dead Sydney blue gum, in Marrickville sits Addison Road Community Organisation (or Addi Road as it’s more affectionately known). Addi Road serves a range of functions for the community, from supporting art and culture through their permanent gallery and museum, and frequently hosting events such as festivals, film screenings, and sustainability workshops; through to elevating human rights by providing much needed food security out of their (fully solar powered) Food Pantry.
Launched in 2016 in response to growing inequality and environmental concerns, the Addi Road Food Pantry and associated services are, now more than ever, essential in their provision of access to low cost, safe, and nutritious food to all, as we endure a severe cost-of-living crisis. Everyone is welcome to shop at the food pantry irrespective of income, while food vouchers are available for those who aren’t in a position to pay. Beyond this, Addi Road provides food relief hampers to a range of diverse beneficiaries who are impacted by growing inequality, entrenched disadvantage, and growing workforce casualisation.
One of the most exciting aspects of the Food Pantry is that it’s stocked with rescued food – each week over 8 tonnes of food are diverted from landfill and into the hands of more than 8,000 people. It might sound absurd, but some of the most significant climate action we can take on an individual level is to prevent edible food finding its way into landfill. Let’s break it down:
7.6 millions tonnes of food are wasted annually in Australia, the equivalent to between $2,000 and $2,500 in groceries per household per year.
Food waste produces over 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. If it was a country it would be the third largest emitter after the USA and China. In Australia, food waste accounts for around 3% of our annual emissions.
25% of water used in agriculture is used to grow food that ends up as waste. Australia’s share of this is equivalent to about five Sydney Harbours.
Food waste costs our economy approx. $36.6 billion a year.
See where we’re going?
According to Addi Road:
‘We all have a role to play in reducing our environmental impact. We believe what we can do at a local level is promote sustainable practices, support locals to engage with our gardens and provide facilities for community gardens and sustainable practices.’
Beyond fighting food waste and hunger, Addi Road also maintain two thriving gardens, a nursery and a compost facility. Their organic Community Garden, which is run by volunteers, provides urban food production and promotes sustainable initiatives. Whereas the Rain Garden is a bio retention system created in partnership with Inner West Council and is designed to improve the health of the Cooks River. Local stormwater is diverted through and filtered by the garden which houses 14 species of native grass, sedges, and flowering plants, before being returned to the main stormwater channel. The rain garden re-interprets the old creek line that once flowed through the area prior to colonisation, and is tended to by a mix of council staff and volunteers, who propagate local native plant species, which are used in Council parks and reserves throughout the Inner West.
Facing a biting cost-of-living crisis and an ever-worsening environmental crisis, we’re grateful for our community, and in particular organisations like Addi Road, who motivate and inspire us to learn and take action, and who provide us with the support we need to endure.
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Addison Road Community Organisation is located at 142 Addison Road, Marrickville. The Food Pantry is located in Hut 1, the Community Garden is behind the Greek Theatre, and the Rain Garden is next to Gumbramorra Hall.
There is also a Food Pantry at 31 Pyrmont Bridge Rd, Camperdown. Both Food Pantries are open from 12pm to 4pm Monday to Friday.
If you’re in a position to donate, please consider supporting those in our community who might be facing a difficult time. In addition to money, Addi Road also accepts donations of food.
You can sign up to volunteer, join a gathering at the Community Garden, or see what else is on. If you’re not local, there’s a very good chance there is a community garden near you.
Addi Road also has a ‘Return & Earn’ container deposit system. Every glass, bottle, or can, recycled makes you eligible for a small refund or donation to a listed charity. Open from 7am-9pm every day.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed above, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by supporting them.
Koori Mail Office Rebuild Fund
Key findings from a new report by the Climate Council has found that climate change is firmly embedded in the 2022 flooding emergency that swept through southeast Queensland and New South Wales earlier this year, with some regions experiencing rainfall that was simply off the charts. And, with another flooding event occurring in NSW this week, it is becoming increasingly clear that we need to widen our response to the climate emergency.
You might remember the Koori Mail as one of the organisations we supported earlier this year, as they helped coordinate and raise funds for the community-led recovery response to the catastrophic flooding event that swept through the Bundjalung/Northern Rivers region in NSW.
Despite suffering extensive flood damage to their own headquarters and being forced to halt production of the newspaper for the first time in 30 years, Koori Mail immediately began coordinating massive flood relief efforts from their Lismore office, which became temporarily known as The Koori Mail Flood Relief Hub. Here, they not only fund-raised, but provided the community with access to essential goods and services such as temporary accommodation, food, medical supplies, other essential items, legal advice, community support, and general assistance. Just last week Koori Mail were presented with the Innovation Award at this year’s prestigious NAIDOC awards for these flood recovery efforts.
In what has now been described as one of the most extreme disasters in Australian history, the Koori Mail played a central role in their community, at a time when adequate and timely government support was thin on the ground. They threw everything into caring for their local community and now - they’re asking us all to show up and support their own recovery.
“The [Koori Mail] building is still structurally sound, however it has been completely destroyed and now we need to bring attention to rebuilding the home of Australia’s only independent fortnightly Indigenous newspaper. This includes severe damage left to the interior and exterior, and support to secure the remaining suites of the building to ensure the Koori Mail staff have adequate office space to continue full operations and production.”
— The Koori Mail
The Koori Mail gave (and continues to give) so much to their local community, especially during the floods, as well as providing an essential platform for the voices of Indigenous Australians - something that has been historically absent or widely underrepresented in the mainstream media. It was an honour to be able to provide them with $2,940, this time for the rebuild of their own headquarters, so that they can continue to keep the voice of Indigenous Australia strong, proud and relevant.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed above, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by donating to them.
Showing up for Seisia
You might remember the incredible ‘5 changemakers in 5 days’ series brought to us by Common Ground during reconciliation week? (Check it out here if you missed it).
One of those changemakers, Talei Elu, is a Saibai Koedal woman from Seisia – a small Torres Strait Islander community in remote Cape York. Moving back home to be closer to community, Talei is an incredible advocate for the small but vibrant Seisia community and was recently successful in lobbying the government and Telstra to improve telecommunications infrastructure in the area.
“This little community has so much potential, but unfortunately the lack of enabling infrastructure like good telecommunications, reliable power and water, has meant our community faces serious challenges and barriers to achieving better health outcomes, business prospects, and opportunities to access distance education.”
— Talei Elu in conversation with Common Ground
With Telstra being the only telecoms provider in the community, phone coverage and internet connectivity continue to be of low quality. Residents struggle to make 000 calls and access essential services like banking, MyGov and online education, despite paying the same amount for these services as the rest of Australia. Although Seisia was recently successful in securing a grant to build a Telstra tower for better coverage and faster internet, this tower will take months to build, and the community is desperate to find an interim solution, especially for households with Elders and individuals who have high medical needs.
In response, Seisia is seeking donations to purchase Telstra GoRepeaters for these households which will boost the network signal and can maintain good enough coverage for calls.
We’ve given $690 to the cause this quarter, which is the remaining amount from our paying the rent commitment.
If you’d also like to support the Seisia community, please donate to:
Seisia Community Corporation
BSB: 064 804
Account: 133 51 509
Tag: SEISIA TELECOMS
With special thanks to Talei Elu and Common Ground for raising awareness on this issue.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed above, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by donating to them.
Victorian NAIDOC Ball
“I think it's really important to pay it forward to create opportunity for mob to be joyful - not just orgs and funding that focus on [the] pain and hardship our community faces.
Mob haven’t been able to have NAIDOC Ball for a couple of years now due to covid and this is for most, one of the only times a year we get to gather, celebrate and be joyful.”
— Sky Thomas/SOJU GANG, Dj + Creator
Once again, the arrival of July brings NAIDOC Week! From the 3 -10th July, National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held right across the country to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“It’s an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.”
— National NAIDOC week, 2022
Learn more about the history and significance of National NAIDOC Week here.
With COVID causing huge disruptions to previous celebrations, this year’s NAIDOC week events were finally able to go ahead as planned, after years of cancellations and pivoting in-person events and gatherings online. With thanks to Sky Thomas (AKA Soju Gang) we were presented with an opportunity to be able to purchase ‘pay it forward’ tickets for this year’s Victorian NAIDOC ball, on behalf of First Nations community members.
As Sky reminds us above, while it is always important to financially support First Nations-led groups and grassroots organisations working to make racial equity and justice a reality, so too is it important to support avenues for First Nations joy, creativity and celebration.
With thanks again to Sky for liaising with VIC NAIDOC and making this opportunity for us to ‘pay it forward’ possible, we purchased 12 ball tickets equal to $2,250, representing part of our commitment to pay the rent this quarter. Speaking of NAIDOC week, why not also consider making a ‘pay it forward’ commitment of your own, as part of an ongoing, yearly NAIDOC celebration?
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed above, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by donating to them.
Koori Mail
100% Aboriginal owned and self-funded, the Koori Mail is Australia's only fortnightly national Indigenous newspaper. Since 1991 it has acted as a platform for the voices of Indigenous Australians, something that has been historically absent or widely underrepresented in the mainstream media. The newspaper is wholly owned by five Bundjalung Aboriginal Community Organisations, and all profit is returned to Indigenous Australians as dividends for their owner organisations, scholarships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and sponsorship of Indigenous community events.
Based in one of the worst hit areas during recent flooding events, Koori Mail suffered significant damage to their headquarters and for a period of time, were forced to halt production of the newspaper for the first time in 30 years. Despite suffering extensive damage themselves, they began coordinating massive flood relief efforts from their Lismore office, now temporarily known as The Koori Mail Flood Relief Hub. They have become the lifeblood of their community during this time, particularly in the absence of timely and adequate support from government and larger well-known charities.
Bundjalung Community Flood Relief
While they don't ordinarily operate in the crisis relief space, Koori Mail have been (and still are!) instrumental in coordinating the community-led recovery in Bundjalung. Providing emergency relief to everyone, from individuals and families through to local businesses. By converting their headquarters in Lismore into a makeshift support centre they’ve established a hub through which the community can find access to essential goods and services such as temporary accommodation, food, medical supplies and other essential items, legal advice, community support, and general assistance.
“We have a GP, a registered nurse, we have a diabetic nutritionist coming down today because a lot of our mob, you know, have chronic disease, and need to have access to healthcare for that” - Koori Mail General Manager, Naomi Moran, speaking with VICE
To sustain the provision of these essential services Koori Mail have been fundraising for the Bundjalung Recovery Relief Fund via GoFundMe. Registration for support from this fund is open to individuals and families to assist with re-furnishing of homes, cost of repairs (home owners), and/or to cover the costs associated with new rentals or accommodation. Indigenous community organisations and NFP’s can also register for support for the rebuild and repairs of office premises, rebuild and repairs for their tenants of Aboriginal housing, and/or to provide other support for Indigenous communities that have been affected.
For this quarter, it was our privilege to be able to give $3,255.00 towards the Koori Mail’s Bundjalung community flood relief campaign and to support an impossibly resilient community that, from their own accounts, have had to orchestrate and self-fund their own flood recovery. At the time of writing, the campaign has received 98% of the $1.25m they are seeking for the Bundjalung Community Flood Relief GoFundMe, and with hundreds of registrations already coming in from the Lismore, Coraki, Casino, Wardell, Cabbage Tree Island, Ballina, Tweed Heads, and surrounding areas, it is so important that this community receives as much support as possible, as quickly as possible.
You can donate to the Koori Mail’s Bundjalung Community Flood Relief GoFundMe here and you can follow for updates via their instagram page here.
Why not also support the Koori Mail by subscribing here, or picking yourself up a copy of their latest edition at any of these news outlets.
Northern Rivers Community Foundation (NRCF)
According to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change, over 20 million people have been internally displaced by extreme weather-related events since 2008, with storms and floods being the most common drivers. The Panel also suggests that a noticeable increase in catastrophic events, such as those that have recently struck our east coast, are human-made.
Amidst the horror at the sheer force and extensive damage that these flooding catastrophes have left in their wake, is the equally concerning realisation that such events could very well be our ‘new normal’ - climate change, it would seem, has well and truly begun.
Turning our focus again to flood-stricken communities in the Northern Rivers region, we were also honoured to be able to give $3,255.00 to the Northern Rivers Community Foundation (NRCF) as they work to support the community through early, medium and long term flood recovery phases.
Connecting people and communities to tackle challenging social and environmental problems in the Northern Rivers, the NRCF has a unique model: they invest donor money into a perpetual fund and donate the interest and dividends from those investments in the form of community grants.
With a very wide scope due to their funding model, NRCF don’t provide specific programs or services themselves, but rather provide funding to a wide range of organisations based in the Northern Rivers that themselves work directly with the local community. They have a number of named funds, many of which focus on the maintenance and protection of the environment in such a unique and diverse part of the world. By being embedded in a particular region and working with a range of community groups within that region, NRCF are able to respond to local needs, as determined by the community itself, effectively and meaningfully (sort of like Pure Community does). Plus, the donation of profit and dividends earned through ethical investments makes their impact twofold, first by investing ethically from the outset, and then by giving the profits from these investments back to the community to continue the cycle of support for local environmental and social causes).
NRCF’s Resilience and Regeneration Fund + Quick Response Flood Relief Grants
To support the NRCF’s flood recovery efforts, we’ve donated to their Resilience and Regeneration Fund which will direct money to local organisations who are well placed to provide support through their connections with community, access to resources and first hand knowledge of community needs.
Over the last two years, NRCF has provided grants ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars through this fund and with a growing number of recipients year on year, the impact has been spread across the far-ranging community, addressing a variety of needs.
In response to the recent flooding events, NRCF has partnered with Byron Community Centre to offer quick response grants of up to $10,000 for not-for-profit community organisations, providing flood relief and recovery across the whole Northern Rivers Region. Grants will be awarded on a weekly basis, with applications closing at the end of April.
If you’d like to support the wonderful work of the NRCF, you can donate via their website here. To see their impact in 2020, you can read their Impact Report here.
Deadly Connections
As another January 26th rolls around we are again reminded that, for Australia’s First Nations people, this isn't a date for celebrating. For many, it’s a date that represents invasion, trauma and mourning and can be a painful reminder of the continuing impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people and culture in this country.
At the forefront of the conversation for increased justice is the call for Governments around Australia to ‘Raise the Age’ . That is, to raise the age at which Australian children can be arrested or locked up from (a very young) 10 to 14 years of age. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are disproportionately impacted by these laws and pushed into custody at even higher rates, accounting for 65 per cent of younger people in prisons. And, when we talk about Indigenous incarceration then we must too acknowledge the current endemic of deaths in custody.
A prominent voice in calling for Australia’s age of criminal responsibility to be raised is Deadly Connections, a community-led Sydney based not-for-profit that works to break the cycle of disadvantage and trauma and directly address the over-representation of Aboriginal people in the child protection and justice system(s). Deadly Connections’ primary aim is to improve mental health, reduce anti-social and risky behaviours to improve community safety, and crucially, to reduce the disproportionate rate of Aboriginal people coming into contact with the justice system. They do this by offering community centred, culturally responsive and holistic projects to develop stronger, safer communities for families, individuals and children. Some of these projects include:
Deadly Young Warriors
Deadly Young Warriors is designed to empower jargums and young people to increase/maintain their self-confidence, develop their skills, capacity, and strengthen their cultural identity. The project adopts an early intervention, prevention, and diversion approach and is delivered through a range of community led, purpose-driven activities and mentoring, as well as specialised justice support and advocacy.
Girra-Girra Place
A semi-independent therapeutic program for people whose lives have been impacted by substance use, homelessness, child protection and justice systems, family breakdown and violence, providing a safe place for people to begin their individual healing journeys. Girra Girra has been developed by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people and the program is staffed by people with lived experience, who have embarked on their own healing journeys.
Deadly Futures
The Deadly Futures program offers fun, creative, educational, and cultural activities for Aboriginal young people who have been suspended, or at risk of suspension or being disengaged from high school. It aims to strengthen Aboriginal young peoples connection to culture, improve school engagement, develop literacy/numeracy skills, disrupt the school to prison pipeline, provide mentoring, drug and alcohol information and education, and provide links to support for children and their families.
Bugmy Justice Project
The purpose of the Bugmy Justice Project is to identify the unique systematic, racial, cultural, and historical factors specific to Aboriginal people who will be sentenced by NSW criminal courts. By reducing information asymmetries this project seeks to improve the sentencing processes and outcomes for defendants by providing courts with additional information that addresses the personal and community circumstances of the individual Aboriginal person and relevant sentencing options. At present, Aboriginal people are disempowered by Sentence Assessment Reports (SAR) that provide a narrow snapshot and risk assessment of the individual, while current risk assessment tools are shown to be inaccurate and potentially culturally biased against Aboriginal people.
‘Our programs work at the heart of the community and are driven from our own cultural beliefs and traditions so we can break the cycle at key life stages where disadvantage and trauma emerge. They are innovative programs based on lived experience and personal skills that create change.’ - Deadly Connections
For this quarter, we were honoured to give $2,683 to Deadly Connections, to support their vital work in helping break the cycles of disadvantage, trauma, child protection and justice involvement so that Australia’s First Nations people can thrive and not just survive.
This #survivalday (Jan 26th) why not lend your support by donating to Deadly Connections here, and while you’re at it, you can also:
Sign the Raise the Age petition and write to your local MP
And spread the word!
Image credit: Luke Currie - Richardson
Save the Bees
From news headlines to going viral on Tik Tok, it would seem that bees are having a moment. And, for good reason. As one of the most significant pollinator species in the world, bees are fundamental to maintaining widespread environmental health, as well as playing a crucial role in supporting our food systems and the planet as we know it. In Australia, over ⅔ of the food we eat relies on honeybee pollination, while our native bees (who don't generally produce honey) are essential to the survival of our native plants But, like so many of our precious and life-sustaining plant and animal species, bees are under threat like never before.
According to Save the bees Australia, this quarter’s ‘For the Planet’ donation recipient, “the state of beekeeping around the world is in calamity and close to a state of disaster.” Along with the usual suspects of climate change and the use of damaging insecticides and pesticides, global bee populations are suffering from a range of different threats, including:
Colony Collapse Disorder - when the majority of bees vacate their hive, leaving behind their queen, immature bees, and large honey supplies. This is an abnormal, but increasing occurrence and there is no clear understanding around why this occurs.
Varroa Mites - a parasite that enters the hive on the bodies of honeybees and feeds on, weakens, and kills colonies. These mites have reached every continent in the world except Australia and as a major exporter of bees, we’re in a unique position to help repopulate bee colonies globally with healthy bees.
Australian bee populations are also at risk from the widespread practice of monoculture farming, which leads to reduced biodiversity and soil degradation and increases the risk of bee populations being wiped out if the plant species being farmed encounters pest or disease, as well as honey tampering.
Things certainly aren't looking great for our bees, but thankfully, social enterprise Save the Bees Australia has been galvanising like-minded people to advocate for the bees since its inception in 2014. The community has been so effective in its advocacy that we have seen imported honey removed from Australian supermarket shelves and Bayers confidor neonicotinoids also removed from sale. In addition to their advocacy work, Save the Bees Australia are also heavily focussed on education, particularly in Kindergartens and schools, and their social media accounts and website are filled with educational info and tips to help us all become better allies for our honey making friends. They are also the creators of a fantastic free resource that connects consumers with local beekeepers, helping to support not only these small businesses, but also ensuring that honey lovers are only getting the good stuff.
For the final quarter of 2021, we were honoured to be able to donate $2,682.93 to Save the Bees Australia, and to play a small part in supporting their incredible work protecting one of the most important species for our continued survival on earth.
Want to become a bee protector yourself? Save the Bees have a range of suggestions for you to get involved and ‘Bee the Cure’:
Support and encourage local beekeepers and small producers by buying local raw honey using the Save the bees Honey Map.
Make your garden or balcony more bee friendly using these tips.
Become a beekeeper (or find out if a hive can be managed on your property), or build a bee hotel in your neighbourhood.
Care for local bees by growing herbs and letting them flower, provide drinking water, grow an insect friendly garden and learn to love weeds, and stop using toxic herbicides and neonicotinoid insecticides.
Shop local, seasonal, and organic, when you can. Get to know the people behind your food and what practices your money goes to support. Farmers markets are an excellent way to source these foods, and support your local farmers and small businesses.
Plus, if you’d also like to donate to the cause and support the work of Save the Bees Australia, you can do so here.
Dharriwaa Elders Group
Based on the land of the Yuwaalaraay/Euahlayi people in Western NSW, the Dharriwaa Elders Group (DEG) is an Aboriginal cultural organisation that works to support Elders’ wellbeing, protect Aboriginal cultural heritage and knowledge, and promote Aboriginal cultural values in the local community.
The region’s lakes, known as Dharriwaa by traditional custodians, is a significant meeting place for Aboriginal peoples and a source of food and medicine, with immense cultural significance.
DEG is made up of members over 60 who live in Walgett, who work tirelessly to promote relationships between Aboriginal Elders and other generations of the Walgett Aboriginal community.
In August 2021, Walgett reported its first case of COVID-19 - representing a very worrying time for the community, one third of whom are Aboriginal. People have been doing all they can to stop the transmission of COVID, staying home and looking out for others, but it’s not enough despite the incredible local efforts of the Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service.
“We know that the way we beat transmission is to get vaccinated, stay home, limit our movements and look after each other. However, the housing crisis in Western NSW makes it hard for our communities to isolate. And isolating families need practical support. That looks like specialised health care, accessible vaccine clinics and mobile vaccine hubs, housing support and income support.”
Launching a campaign on crowdfunding site GiveNow to help keep Walgett and other communities safe and well from COVID-19, DEG needs our help to ensure vaccination hubs, accessible clinics and specialised healthcare can continue in the area, as well as rapid at-home testing to reduce community transmission.
Pure Community is proud to make a donation of 2% revenue, or $4,205 this quarter, to support the Dharriwaa Elders Group Relief Appeal, and we encourage you to give what you can or share the campaign at the link below.
DEG Covid-related Work and Relief Appeal ↗︎
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed above, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by donating to them.
Image by Luke Currie-Richardson
Firesticks Alliance
The devastating bushfires along Australia’s East Coast at the end of 2019 and into 2020 might feel like a distant memory given how much has happened since. However, another hot Australian summer is almost on our doorstep, and we can’t afford to “wait years or months…we have to get in now and burn [these young invasive plants] straight away,” according to Adrian, a member of the Mudjingaalbaraga Firesticks team.
Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation is an Indigenous-led organisation that aims to re-invigorate the use of cultural burning by facilitating cultural learning pathways to fire and land management.
‘Cultural burning’ is described as burning practices developed by Aboriginal people to enhance the health of the land and its people. According to Firesticks Alliance, cultural burning can include the burning or prevention of burning of Country for the health of particular plants and animals and may involve patch burning to create different fire intervals across the landscape. Read more at: Firesticks – What is cultural burning?
Recently, members of the Mudjingaalbaraga Firesticks team revisited Bundanon to show the difference between Country that had Cultural Fire applied in 2018, with Country destroyed by wildfire in 2020. The difference was stark.
In the wake of the 2020 bushfires, Pure Community donated to Firesticks, so they could continue to provide Indigenous leadership, advocacy and action to protect Country through cultural fire and land management practices. In the past year, this incredible organisation has delivered mentoring and training programs in Tasmania, Victoria, NSW, and Queensland continuing to work with Indigenous communities in the National Indigenous Fire Network as well as wider Australian communities.
However, there is no better cure than prevention. And so, we are proud to again support Firesticks Alliance and heed their strong message for us to be united in taking responsibility for caring for this land by donating $2,103 this quarter, before it’s too late.
“Ensuring western fire science works together with Indigenous fire knowledge is crucial in order to create a knowledge system that understands not only what constitutes a healthy environment, but also the value that it provides to the wider communities.” - Uncle Nook (Noel Webster)
WATCH: Dharrawal-Yuin Ngurra, the Good Fire video showcase ↗︎
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed above, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by donating to them.
Lock the Gate
None of us would be able to be here, doing what we do, if it wasn’t for the planet that we all share. One of the organisations doing great work to make sure that we can all live in harmony with the planet for generations to come is Lock the Gate Alliance.
Formed in 2010, Lock the Gate Alliance is a grassroots organisation comprised of over 450 local groups and 120,000 supporters, concerned about the impact of coal mining, coal seam gas (CSG), and fracking. They are on a mission to ‘protect Australia’s natural, cultural and agricultural resources from inappropriate mining and to educate and empower all Australians to demand sustainable solutions to food and energy production.’
Coordinating community resistance to environmental vandalism across multiple fronts countrywide, the Lock the Gate Alliance is exactly the kind of cause we love to throw our support behind. We stand in solidarity with the community groups leading from the front.
This quarter, we have proudly donated $2,022.74 to Lock the Gate Alliance and you can show your support by signing their current petition to Environment Minister Sussan Ley MP, urging her to reject the Vickery coal mine extension here.
Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service
For decades, our industry has contributed to the continued dispossession and oppression of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and it’s far past time to make racial equality and justice a reality in this country. As part of our commitment to Pay the Rent, this quarter we have sent $2,022.74 the way of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) in recognition of the extraordinary and tireless work they do in the community.
Due to recent funding cuts, VALS has had to make the difficult decision to put a freeze on new client intakes to deal with their overwhelming demand for legal services. Established in 1973, VALS acts as a bridge between the legal system and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, providing education, research and advocacy around law reform and policy development.
Providing community-controlled and holistic services that promote justice and representation, VALS has had to fight for its rightful place in the legal landscape for far too long. While donations like ours cannot provide VALS with the ongoing stability it needs, every little bit counts and our donations help to support vital community engagement activities and fund human rights test cases.
Still, in 2021, one in four prisoners in this country is Indigenous - that’s 10x the make up of Australia’s population, and Indigenous women have the highest, fastest growing imprisonment rate. We can, and need to, do more. Find out more about how to support VALS’ groundbreaking work here, and if you have a few dollars to spare - this is a great place to start.
Environs Kimberley
If you’ve ever been lucky enough to visit The Kimberly region, you know how important it is to preserve and protect this sacred land. In fact, just a few weeks ago, this 17,300 year old Kimberly kangaroo was recognised as Australia’s oldest rock artwork.
The region is home to arguably the world’s most pristine tropical coastline and tropical woodlands that are part of the largest, most unspoilt savannah in the world. Its wetlands, rivers and rainforests are internationally significant and the north Kimberley is the only place in Australia to have experienced no mammal extinctions. Yet this area’s landscapes and ecosystems are under threat like never before.
It’s hard to think that anyone would want to destroy this land for their own gain. But given reports earlier this year that yet another resources company has made an application to frack on the Fitzroy River, it’s time to renew calls to protect this Heritage-listed river that provides water and livelihoods for thousands of people.
As the peak environmental NGO for the Kimberley region in far north-west Australia, Environs Kimberley is dedicated to looking after the health of the land and waters of the region. Through advocacy and on-ground cultural and natural resource management projects, they work at the local level with communities, landholders and land managers, especially Aboriginal traditional owners and their ranger groups, to tackle problems such as wildfire, weeds and feral animals, and to protect local plants and animals, and their habitats.
Every donation, no matter how small, supports the work they do, and so this quarter we’re proud to give $2,379 to help Environs Kimberley protect the region’s plant, animal, bird and marine species. You can also sign the petition to Protect the Fitzroy.
Black Rainbow
Black Rainbow is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, Sistergirl and Brotherboy (LGBQTI+SB) organisation that pursues positive health and wellbeing for these communities.
Originally focused on suicide prevention given the alarming rate of suicide and self-harm amongst these populations, Black Rainbow has recently begun to expand its horizons to include a range of community projects and initiatives that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBQTI+SB people.
One such initiative is ‘Contagion of Love’, a micro-grant program to invest in Indigenous LGBTIQ+SB individuals who are excelling in their field and require some additional support.
The 2021 Mardi Gras theme was ‘RISE’, perfectly capturing the challenges and hardships that 2020 presented, while calling on the community to rise again through love, compassion, respect and understanding.
"Representation and visibility of First Nations queer people is crucial for all the queer identifying mob who may be watching from home." - Jane Strang
Indigenous-owned and operated, we are proud to support Black Rainbow with a donation of $2,379 this quarter and encourage you to support their life-saving work in any way you can.
Yirra Yaakin
“We stand tall and are proud to produce a body of work unrivalled in innovation, excellence and cultural significance. Yirra Yaakin’s priority is to ensure Aboriginal theatre remains under Aboriginal control and provides opportunities for Aboriginal artists at all levels of theatre creation and production. Our education and community engagement programs support Indigenous trainees to be mentored, develop skills and work in the Australian theatre sector.” – Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company
As Australia’s first artists, there is no one better versed in the art of storytelling than our First Nations People. Their enduring culture (the oldest in the world) is rooted in the telling of stories, not just to entertain, but to also pass on important learnings about culture, values, people, animals and the environment.
Based in the heart of the Noongar Nation - a distinct Aboriginal cultural group from the south-west of Western Australia - Yirra Yaakin is Australia’s leading Aboriginal-led theatre company and exists to ensure the telling of Aboriginal stories remains under Aboriginal control.
Since the company’s humble beginnings in 1993, Yirra Yaakin (which means “Stand Tall” in Noongar language) has provided the Indigenous community with an artistic outlet for positive self-determination and has produced award-winning, world-class theatre, while sharing Aboriginal stories throughout Australia and the rest of the world.
In a year that was especially hard on the arts sector, it was our great pleasure to be able to support Yirra Yaakin with a donation of $2,132 as they continue their role as a respected cultural leader and artistic hub for Aboriginal people from across Australia and around the world.
You too can support the development of First Nations artists and work by donating to Yirra Yaakin here.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Australian Koala Foundation
Although Australia’s infamous ‘summer of bushfires’ has all but left the news cycle, the after effects are still being felt by both its human and animal victims. Wildlife experts have estimated over 1 billion animals were killed or displaced by the crisis. With their numbers in drastic decline even before the fires began, along with an estimated 30% of habitat destroyed in the blazes, koalas are arguably one of the worst affected species and are now on track to reach extinction in NSW by 2050 without urgent government intervention.
It’s heartbreaking to imagine a world without our koalas, so for the last quarter of 2020, we chose to donate $2,132 to the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF), Australia’s principal non-profit, non-government organisation dedicated to the conservation and effective management of the wild koala and its habitat.
A passionate advocate for the koala since 1986, the AKF have become a global organisation with a strong track record in strategic koala research, conservation and community education, with a large focus on mapping Australia’s koalas with their Koala Habitat Atlas. Importantly, The AKF is also completely self-funded and does not receive any of its income from the government. This affords them the ability to be politically neutral, unbiased and speak solely for the koala.
You can learn more about the Koala Protection Act and why we need it here (we highly recommend the read, it’s very eye-opening) and you can lend your support to the AKF by adopting a koala here, or making a donation here.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Wild Things
September 20, 2019, is a day forever etched in our minds as the moment that millions across the world came together to march for meaningful action on climate change, striking and committing not to business as usual. On its first anniversary launches a campaign to bring documentary film by one of Australia’s most experienced documentary filmmakers, Sally Ingleton, to life.
WILD THINGS follows a new generation of environmental activists that are mobilising against forces more powerful than themselves and saying: enough. Following a year in the footsteps of School Strike 4 Climate, Stop Adani and Save The Tarkine Campaigns, interwoven with past landmark environmental campaigns, this film is set to show that every action counts and individuals can make a difference.
Set to premiere in cinemas across Australia this November, the team is aiming to raise $35,000 to fund the film’s education and outreach strategy through online crowdfunding platform POZIBLE and we’re thrilled to be able to contribute $1,015 to the campaign.
To learn more or to follow the incredible journey of this new generation of environmental activists, you can follow them on Instagram @wildthingsdocumentary or Facebook (/wildthingsdocumentary).
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Change the Record
Just because it is no longer dominating the news cycle like it did, does not mean that we, as a society, have reached any semblance of racial justice or an end to rampant racial discrimination. That’s why we’re so passionate about the work of organisations like Change the Record who are on a mission to end the incarceration of, and family violence against, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Over the last 10 years there has been an 88% increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people being put in prison, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people now 13 times more likely to be imprisoned than non-Indigenous people. Furthermore, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – especially women and children – are experiencing increasing amounts of violence with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women 34 times more likely to be hospitalised as a result of family violence. This is devastating lives and communities and has reached a crisis point.
Change the Record is Australia’s only national Aboriginal-led justice coalition of legal, health and family violence prevention experts. Did you know that 437 Aboriginal people have died in police or prison cells, or after interactions with police? According to Change the Record, this is for two reasons: discriminatory policies and discriminatory policing. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can change the record.
By advocating for government closure of prisons, and instead investing in support and Aboriginal-led solutions and holistic approaches to justice – we can create greater accountability for injustice and redress systemic discrimination. Promoting Aboriginal self-determination; social justice, human rights and accountability; cultural strength and healing is all of our responsibility. That’s why we have chosen to donate $2,030 this quarter to Change the Record.
This organisation is doing crucial work right now to highlight the impacts of COVID-19 policies on First Nations communities and campaign for chronically ill and vulnerable people to be released from prisons. They are asking for support to get their work in front of decision-makers so they may help lead a culturally responsive and just COVID-19 recovery. You can do just that by making a donation to Change the Record, fundraising for change, and by reading their latest report: “Critical Condition” – the impact of Covid-19 policies on First Nations communities.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
The Bushfire Foundation
The Bushfire Foundation is a registered charity and volunteer-based organisation that works with families, individuals and communities both before and after bushfires. They do incredible work to provide cleaning and other recovery tasks on properties for those who have lost their homes due to bushfires or other disasters. They also provide temporary accommodation and small grants to help people who’ve lost their homes and property to get back on their feet. And, of course, they also help to save the thousands and thousands of animals whose lives and habitats are threatened by disasters.
This small but mighty organisation based in Bendigo, Victoria, are experts in vegetation management and bushfire preparedness to reduce the hazards and risks and to better prepare communities for the effects of a bushfire or other disasters. As a registered Landcare Group, they also help to re-establish native bush and plant species to encourage animals to re-habitat the land after disasters, as well as eradicating non-native bush and plant species that can increase the spread of bushfire.
Being in the business of helping people buy their own homes, we know how much these four walls can mean to people and what a difference the work of The Bushfire Foundation would make to communities recovering from the loss of their homes. We’re thrilled that, because of you, we could donate $1,015 to The Bushfire Foundation this quarter and support their vital work heading into fire season.
You, too, can support their work by heading to www.thebushfirefoundation.org and:
Donating or fundraising for their programs
Become a member or volunteer
Follow their guidelines to prepare your property ahead of the upcoming fire season.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
ASRC
While millions rally against the marginalisation and discrimination of Black, Indigenous and minority ethnic communities, Refugee Week took place around the country, examining issues of race and injustice in relation to the ‘refugee experience’. On June 20, we marked World Refugee Day, a day to honour, raise awareness and solicit support for the millions of people who find themselves displaced, seeking asylum, and living as refugees throughout the world.
This year’s theme was, fittingly, ‘Every action counts: Everyone can make a difference.’ So, that’s exactly what we did! Thanks to you, we were able to donate $2,400 to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), Australia’s leading human rights organisation providing support to people seeking asylum. From mobilising a community of compassion to create lasting social and policy change, we love the ASRC and what they stand for. The good news is that it’s not too late to contribute to the ASRC’s World Refugee Day Telethon! And if you didn’t yet get a chance, we highly recommend checking out the Refugee Council of Australia’s week-long storytelling and culture sharing extravaganza.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Protect Ningaloo
None of us would be able to be here, doing what we do, if it wasn’t for the planet that we all share. We are proud members of 1% for the Planet – a global movement inspiring businesses and individuals to make simple, effective and accessible commitments to taking care of the Earth. Unfortunately, there are some nasty people out there who seem intent on destroying it.
Right now, there is a proposal before the government to open the waters off Ningaloo Reef and Shark Bay for oil and gas exploration. This could prove catastrophic for the Reef and surrounding areas, not to mention the magnificent Whales and dugongs who call these waters ‘home’. So, we have joined together with thousands of other community members who want these proposals to be halted immediately, by donating $2400 to Protect Ningaloo – a grassroots initiative by self-proclaimed ‘ordinary people’ who are inspired by one of the world’s last great places and want to protect it.
This is where you come in – if you, too, feel passionately about stopping the government from approving a multinational oil and gas pipe assembly on one of Australia’s most beautiful places, then you have until June 29th, 2020, to have your voice heard. Have your say to Protect Ningaloo here, and donate to support the work of this far from ‘ordinary’ group of humans working to save Ningaloo Reef here.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
'Free Her' + Sisters Inside
“Every day, people consume food grown on Indigenous land or harvested from Indigenous seas; they drink water that flows across or under Indigenous land. Every day, business is conducted on this land for the benefit of non-Indigenous people. Every day, land belonging to Indigenous people is traded for profit.” - Pay The Rent
Our industry, the finance and mortgage industry, has contributed to the ongoing and continued dispossession and oppression of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It’s far past time to make racial equality and justice a reality in this country; it’s far past time to pay the rent. But words are not enough.
In May and June, and every month herein, we are committing to donating a percentage of monthly revenue to Aboriginal community-controlled organisations and First Nations causes. This is about us, as non-Indigenous people, honouring the Sovereignty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; as a somewhat more just way of living on this stolen land. To that end, we have chosen to support ‘Free Her’, a fundraiser for Sisters Inside with a donation of $2,400.
Currently in Western Australia, people with no criminal convictions are imprisoned if they do not have the capacity to pay a fine. These laws disproportionately impact Aboriginal women. You can support the release of Aboriginal women from prison, and help pay warrants and fines on their behalf so that they are not imprisoned by donating to ‘Free Her’. You can take further action by contacting the Attorney General to demand that these discriminatory laws be repealed as a matter of urgency. For more information, or to donate, please visit: https://au.gofundme.com/f/bfvnvt-freethepeople
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Greening Australia
‘People thrive when nature thrives’
No one needs reminding that the past few months have been some of the most challenging that we’ve ever experienced. However, one positive thing to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the dramatic reduction in carbon emissions the world over. From dolphin sightings in Venetian canals to sika deer in the streets in Japan, satellite images show dramatic improvements on pollution levels with up to a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in some places where restrictions have been most severe.
While it’s more than a little frustrating that we needed a global pandemic to make meaningful steps towards addressing climate change, perhaps this is our best chance to move towards the decarbonised, sustainable economy that environmental organisations like Greening Australia have been calling for, for decades.
Each month as part of our ongoing commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, Pure Finance donates 1% to the planet. Due to the impact of Coronavirus, we decided to pool the donation for the last couple of months in support of one of our favourite home-grown organisations helping to restore balance to the natural environment.
From restoring the waters of the Great Barrier Reef to protecting our most endangered species in Tasmania, Greening Australia is an environmental enterprise that tackles the big challenges facing Australia’s unique and diverse landscapes. In the aftermath of the devastating 2019/20 bushfire season, Greening Australia are also leading the development of a strategic program, Project Phoenix. The program aims to secure native seed and plant supply for landscape restoration, recovery and resilience in bushfire impacted areas and other vulnerable landscapes.
We love Greening Australia’s approach and simple philosophy, as well as their recent work to help Australians cope with the impact of COVID-19 through nature.
“There is an abundance of evidence to show the health benefits of spending time in nature. Mindfully tuning into nature can help you reap benefits for your physical and mental health at any time, but is proving particularly important during the COVID-19 situation.”
To find out more about the work of Greening Australia and to support their mission to help nature and communities thrive, visit: greeningaustralia.org.au
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Firesticks
‘Cultural burning brings community together- young and old, black and white to manage land for the long term.’ - Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation
For our first Pure Community donation in 2020, we’re pooling our funds for Jan + Feb and giving to Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation an Indigenous led organisation that aims to re-invigorate the use of cultural burning by facilitating cultural learning pathways to fire and land management.
Firesticks provides an opportunity for people to build on the knowledge they already have on Country and look for ways to make use of new technologies and understandings as a way to support cultural identity and practice. They are also facilitating training, implementing on-ground works and conducting scientific monitoring to establish a greater understanding of the ecological impact of cultural burning practices. Their program aims to work with fire to enhance ecosystem health by improving habitat condition and connectivity within culturally connected landscapes. Ultimately, Firesticks strives to empower Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities to work together towards healthy, functional and resilient landscapes.
Show your support for Firesticks, as they continue providing Indigenous leadership, advocacy and action to protect Country through cultural fire and land management practices, by donating here.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
The NSW Rural Fire Service
If the thick layer of smoke blanketing Sydney is anything to go by, the horrors of the recent NSW bushfires are far from over. There are around 1,300 firefighters battling more than 50 fires still burning across the state, with 28 of the fires listed as ‘uncontained’ and conditions set to worsen over the coming week.
Since the fires began, there have been 530 homes lost, 420 of those in the last fortnight alone. In the catastrophic fires that ravaged the Amazon rainforest earlier this year, 906,000 hectares of the forest was burned. So far in NSW, the count is at 1.6million hectares. It’s also estimated that up to 350 koalas have perished in the fires, with the death toll expected to climb in the aftermath, due to dehydration and lack of food. So far, six people have lost their lives.
In the face of such an unprecedented emergency for our state, Pure Community is pooling its donation funds for the remainder of the year, and donating to the NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) to provide desperately needed funding in support of those risking their lives to save the lives of so many others.
ABOUT THE NSW RFS
The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) is the world’s largest volunteer fire service and is the lead combat agency for bush fires in NSW. They are currently at the frontline of efforts to contain the flames that are burning across the state.
Working closely with other agencies they respond to a range of emergencies including structure fires, motor vehicle accidents and storms that occur within rural fire districts, with members providing fire and emergency services to approximately 95% of NSW.
The NSW RFS also aims to reduce the likelihood and consequence of fires occurring. This involves comprehensive risk management programs to reduce bush fire hazards, reduce fire ignitions and the development of regulations for bush fire prone areas.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
The fires that are currently sweeping across NSW are unprecedented in both timing and magnitude, and with inadequate government funding and support, several of our live-saving firefighting, charity and animal welfare groups are feeling the strain.
Many have made public pleas for financial assistance (as opposed to donated goods) which will help them best meet the varying needs of the volunteers and victims.
The NSW Rural Fire Service
The NSW RFS is facing an unparalleled fire season, with local brigades heavily reliant on volunteers and financial contributions to sustain their life and home saving efforts.
You can donate to the NSW RFS here.
Or, you can make a bank deposit to the NSW RFS directly:
Account Name: NSW Rural Fire Service
Bank: Westpac BSB: 032-001 Account No: 171051
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army’s Emergency Services (SAES) teams are still responding to the devastating bushfires in New South Wales and Queensland and are offering a range of services and assistance measures to help people who have been impacted including:
• Financial assistance
• Emotional wellbeing and support services
• Information, referrals and advice.
Salvation Army teams are also providing meals to evacuees and frontline responders and will continue to provide whatever support is needed as the situation continues.
You can donate to the Salvos here.
WIRES
WIRES (NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service) regularly receive 600-800 calls a day from the community needing wildlife rescue advice and assistance and this is before the additional stress of emergency events such as bushfires and extensive habitat loss, drought and dire food shortages. Many of WIRES volunteer rescuers and carers are inundated with animals and these events stretch already limited resources. WIRES is gratefully accepting donations to aid their efforts in supporting displaced and injured wildlife as a result of the fires.
You can donate to WIRES here.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
ACOSS
In 2018, a report by Credit Suisse positioned Australia at the top of the list of wealthiest countries in the world by median wealth.
But in ‘wealthy’ Australia, more than 1 in 8 people live in poverty and disturbingly, more than 1 in 6 are children.
Whilst many Australian’s (and indeed, the rest of the world) view Australia as a country of wealth, the manner in which this wealth is distributed is often left out of the conversation and despite their best ‘rose- tinted’ efforts, not even the ABS could hide the reality that in Australia, wealth inequality is worsening.
A snapshot of poverty in Australia
In 2015-16:
- The poverty line (50% of median income, before housing costs) for a single adult is $433 a week. For a couple with two children, it is $909 a week. *It is worth mentioning here that the current Newstart payment for a single adult is $279.50 a week.
- 3.05 million people (13.2% of the population - more than one in eight) are estimated to live below the poverty line, after taking account of their housing costs.
- 739,000 children under the age of 15 (17.3% of all children - more than one in six) and 410,000 youth between the ages of 15 and 24 (13.9%) live below the poverty line.
- Australia has the 14th highest poverty rate among 34 OECD countries, and is part of a group of English-speaking wealthy nations with above–average poverty levels.
*Source: Poverty in Australia, 2018 ACOSS/UNSW
So with worsening inequality, and a government that seems intrinsically apathetic to addressing it, Pure Community is getting behind the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) as they advocate for the needs of all Australians affected by poverty, disadvantage and inequality and aim to build a strong and sustainable community sector.
WHO IS ACOSS?
Established in 1956, the Australian Council of Social Service (or ACOSS) is a national advocate for action to reduce poverty and inequality in Australia and is the peak body for the community services sector. Theirs is a vision of a fair, inclusive and sustainable Australia, where all individuals and communities can participate in, and benefit from, social and economic life.
ACOSS aims to achieve this by:
Leading and supporting initiatives within the community services and welfare sector and acting as an independent non-party political voice By drawing on the direct experiences of people affected by poverty and inequality and the expertise of a diverse member base, ACOSS develops and promotes socially and economically responsible public policy and action by government, community and business.
ACOSS’ national membership network links a broad spectrum of community welfare services across Australia and is comprised of:
Eight state and territory Councils of Social Service which represent thousands of front-line community agencies National peak organisations of consumers and service providers National religious and secular welfare agencies Low income consumer groups
Many state and local organisations and individuals also support ACOSS’ work as Associate Members.
WHAT DOES ACOSS DO?
ACOSS produces effective and influential advocacy on issues affecting people experiencing poverty and disadvantage in Australia. They also provide policy advice and represent the views of their members and communities to Government and inform members about Government policies related to the community services sector.
Key Policy Areas
ACOSS leads policy development and advocacy within the community sector on the following issues:
· Income Support and Employment
· Economics and Tax
· Housing and Homelessness
· Community sector policy
· Poverty and Inequality
· Climate and Energy
· Health
Further policy interests
ACOSS also maintains an active interest in the following policy areas and supports initiatives to address the impacts of policy reform on people experiencing poverty and disadvantage.
Asylum Seekers and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities Justice Reinvestment Education Human rights and legal services Gender
Learn more about the work of ACOSS in the community sector here
RAISE THE RATE
In a submission to the Senate inquiry into welfare allowance payments earlier this month, accounting giant KPMG outlined that to avoid a ‘socially damaging state of affairs’ the government must raise the weekly Newstart payment by $100 a week, $25 more than what welfare groups themselves are recommending.
ACOSS’ campaign ‘Raise the Rate’ is key to reducing poverty and inequality in Australia. The goal of the campaign is for the Federal Government to immediately lift the single rate of Newstart, Youth Allowance and other related payments by at least $75 per week, and index Allowances to wages.
Currently, these payments are too low to help people get through tough times and into suitable employment. The rate of Newstart has not been increased for 25 years, while the cost of living, especially housing, has gone through the roof.
There is broad support for the campaign, including from community organisations, such as anti-poverty networks, not-for-profit organisations, unions, business groups, local governments, territory governments and a number of federal parliamentarians, with more than 70% of the community agreeing that the rate of Newstart should be increased (Essential Research 2019).
From a global perspective, Australia is indeed an incredibly wealthy country and as such, should take pride in, and act upon, its ability to treat all of its citizens with dignity and respect. The work of ACOSS ensures that our most vulnerable people, those experiencing poverty, disadvantage and inequality, are advocated for and that our community sector remains strong and importantly, sustainable.
You can support the work of ACOSS here and to learn more, you can visit them at www.acoss.org.au
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Amazon Watch
Last month, the world watched in horror as the earth’s largest and most biodiverse rainforest was ablaze with its worst fire season in almost a decade, with the fires largely believed to have been deliberately lit, to make way for agricultural and farming land.
Home to a tenth of all known species on Earth, the Amazon is also home to nearly 400 distinct indigenous peoples, who depend on the rainforest for their physical and cultural survival. The Amazon is also, crucially, the world’s largest terrestrial carbon sink, and absorbs a quarter of all carbon taken up by forests worldwide every year (a process on which the meeting of our Paris climate agreement targets are reliant).
Considering its vital role in maintaining the earth’s fragile balance, and the critical part it plays in regulating the earth’s climate, ensuring the survival and protection of the Amazon should be a global priority. Which is why for the month of September, Pure Community has chosen to give to Amazon Watch, a non-profit organisation founded to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin.
ABOUT AMAZON WATCH
Founded in 1996, Amazon Watch resist the destruction of the Amazon rainforest by partnering with indigenous and environmental organisations in campaigns for human rights, corporate accountability and the preservation of the Amazon's ecological systems.
Their important work helps to promote indigenous rights by challenging disastrous development projects and natural resource extraction and is focused on three main priorities:
Stop Amazon Destruction
Already, more than 20% of the Amazon has been deforested, and new fossil fuel extraction, mining, large-scale hydroelectric dams, and highways cause even greater deforestation and run roughshod over indigenous people's rights and territories. Amazon Watch protects millions of acres of rainforest every year by partnering with indigenous peoples – the best stewards of the forest – to directly challenge the corporate and government powers that threaten the Amazon and the climate.
Advance Indigenous Solutions
Amazon Watch promotes indigenous-led solutions, such as green development and autonomous solar power, and expands capacity for indigenous leaders, especially women, to maintain their autonomy and sovereignty for the stewardship of their ancestral territories.
Support Climate Justice
Addressing climate change and environmental destruction must also redress past harm, bring bad actors to justice, support activists who put their lives on the line, and build solidarity. Amazon Watch holds governments and corporations accountable, protects Earth Defenders against threats and attacks, holds open the doors of the international stage for indigenous partners, supports bonds of solidarity between indigenous peoples, and channels outside support for indigenous partners.
The summer of 2019 has seen the worst fires in the Amazon rainforest in almost a decade. In Brazil alone, nearly 3 million hectares – 11,500 square miles, or an area nearly as large as Belgium – have burned. Another 2 million hectares of Bolivia's forests have been lost.
Just last month, approximately 6 million people (Pure Finance included) took to the streets in a global movement, demanding that our governments declare a climate emergency, and commit to immediate and meaningful climate action. Considering its impact on our ability to stave off the worst of climate change, the Amazon’s survival, plays a crucial role in our own.
If you’d like to support the important work of Amazon Watch, you can make a donation here, and to learn more, head to: amazonwatch.org
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Wear it Purple
In 2010, after intense bullying and discrimination, several rainbow young people took their own lives in the US, sparking a global discussion around the damage being done to the mental health of rainbow youth around the world. These tragic events were a call to action for many, and saw the creation of a then small, grassroots campaign titled Wear it Purple (WIP) that was established to show raibow young people that there was hope, that there were people who did support and accept them, and that they have the right to be proud of who they are.
Fast forward 9 years and WIP has grown into an international movement. One that continues to foster supportive, safe, empowering and inclusive environments for rainbow youth across the globe.
Just in time for ‘Wear it Purple Day 2019’ (30th August) Pure Community is proud to be supporting WIP and doing our part to help build a future of equality and inclusivity for all rainbow young people and their communities.
About Wear it Purple
“We know young people change the world, so they are at the core of what we do!” – Wear it Purple
Founded in 2010 by Katherine Hudson and Scott Williams, WIP has four key focus areas:
1. Awareness – WIP provides support and resources for Schools, Universities, Gender & Sexuality Alliances (GSA’s) and Youth Organisations to assist them in creating inclusive experiences for rainbow young people. They act as a source of resources to support the effective delivery of Wear It Purple Day in Schools, Universities, Workplaces and the broader community.
2. Opportunity - WIP provides meaningful opportunities for rainbow young people to develop their skills, expand their network and contribute to the inclusivity of their communities.
3. Environment – WIP provide supportive & safe spaces (digital and physical) and contribute to a world where young rainbow people feel proud of who they are.
4. Collaboration – WIP collaborate and unite with other organisations to further the inclusion of rainbow young people. Through partnerships, they support the effective delivery of Wear It Purple Day in Schools, Universities, Workplaces and the broader community.
In their important and often lifesaving work, WIP is driven by the following principles:
· Advocate for and empower rainbow young people
· Celebrate and promote the value of diversity and inclusion in all community setting
· Raise awareness about sexuality, sex and gender identity and challenge harmful social cultures
· Champion rainbow role-models to help young people establish the confidence to be who they are.
Wear it Purple Day 2019
An inclusive nationwide event that began in 2010, Wear it Purple Day encourages all Australians to don their purple-y best in support of rainbow youth, and show their solidarity with rainbow young people at their school, university or workplace.
Held on the last Friday in August, the day experiences exponential growth each year, with increased levels of participation indicating a move to greater acceptance and inclusion.
Wearing purple on August 30, is an incredibly simple yet powerful way that we can make our support for rainbow young people visible. To show them that they are seen, they are valued and that they matter.
So, how else can you get involved in “Wear it Purple Day’ celebrations this year?
- Participate in Wear it Purple Day on August 30 and register your event at wearitpurple.org
- Purchase t-shirts, wristbands, shoelaces, and more from the Wear it Purple online store to help show your support visibly. All proceeds go back into the organisation and enable them to run more WIP Day events, as well as initiatives for rainbow young people throughout the year.
- Put up posters, decorate your work locations, or even your building in purple
- Broadcast your participation! When posting on social media, use the hashtag #wearitpurple and be a part of the nationwide celebrations
- Make a donation to support the important work of Wear it Purple here
At Pure Finance, we resolutely believe in a future of equality and diversity. One in which everybody, no matter who they are, has the right to feel seen, respected and valued.
It’s an honour to support Wear it Purple as they campaign to help empower our rainbow young people to be proud of who they are, and to know that exactly who they are is exactly enough.
If you too would like to show your support for Australia’s rainbow youth, you can donate to Wear it Purple here or head here for more info on Wear it Purple Day 2019.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
IndigenousX
Each year during the first full week of July, Australia celebrates NAIDOC Week. A week dedicated to observing and celebrating the history, culture and achievements of our First Nations People.
We are often reminded about the dismissiveness with which Aboriginal culture is treated, respected and indeed celebrated in Australia. Turning to very recent examples such as the WAM clothing flag dispute and the renewed influx of tourists rushing to climb Uluru against the wishes of traditional land owners, it is emphatically clear that there are still significant strides to be made towards a more widespread and wholistic respect and appreciation for one of the oldest and most enduring cultures that exists on this earth of ours.
As NAIDOC week draws to a close, Pure Community is getting behind IndigenousX, an Indigenous owned and run, independent online media platform with a vision to create a media landscape that shares the diversity of Aboriginal peoples, their knowledge, opinions and experiences.
ABOUT INDIGENOUSX
Founded in 2012 by Gamilaroi man Luke Pearson, IndigenousX was created to provide a platform for the indigenous voice and cut through a national dialogue that was characterised by a consistent lack of awareness, understanding and respect for Indigenous people.
The vision was to create a way for Indigenous people to share their knowledge, opinions and experiences with a wide audience, and in doing so, actively challenge stereotypes often placed on the Indigenous community. It is hailed as one of Australia’s leading online platforms featuring true representations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices.
Each week, the platform publishes stories from a range of indigenous hosts including actors, activists, authors, academics, politicians, teachers, doctors, and uni students. IndigenousX offers an incredible insight into the diverse perspectives and experiences of Indigenous Australians and if you haven’t already, spend some time there.
As we move towards closing the gap and bringing an Indigenous voice to parliament, it is so important that we take the time to stop and listen. Every human experience is valid.
GET INVOLVED
IndigenousX is predominately self-funded through outside fee for service work, but also from their Patreon base. You can help IndigenousX as they amplify the voices of our diverse First Nations people by becoming a Patreon-supporter here.
Alternatively, you can make a one-off, or monthly donation here.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
SEED
‘We are hurting in the face of unprecedented drought, extreme heat, environmental pollution and the destruction of country and culture. It’s time that we look to the leadership of Indigenous people who are building strong, sustainable, self-determining communities.’- SEED
Whilst climate change is an issue that affects everybody, its impacts are not evenly dispersed. Often, it’s those that contribute the least to the causes of climate change that are set to face its most severe consequences.
In Australia, people on low incomes, communities of colour, women, youth, and in particular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, are the communities that are often hit first and worst, not only by the impacts of climate change but also the impacts of extractive, polluting and wasteful industries.
To coincide with #reconciliationweek this month, Pure Community is donating to SEED, Australia’s first Indigenous youth climate network. Working alongside the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, SEED are committed to just solutions to the climate crisis, addressing systemic inequality and working in solidarity with those who are the most impacted. Their vision is for a just and sustainable future with strong cultures and communities, powered by renewable energy.
SEED’s Campaigns
Protect Country
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have lived sustainably off their land since time immemorial. Protection of country is at the very core of Indigenous culture and they have strong songlines across the country that connect them to each other, to their culture and to their land.
SEED are calling on the government to rule out any Federal Government investment, subsidies or royalty-free periods for any new coal or gas projects, that will devastate the country and further the negative effects of the climate crisis.
You can add your voice and support SEED as they fight to protect their land, culture and communities from fossil fuel extraction and global warming. Sign the petition here!
Don’t frack the NT
After an inquiry that ignored oil fracking risks last year, the Northern Territory Government reneged on their promise and scrapped the fracking ban in April. Since then, Origin Energy have doubled down on their efforts to begin drilling in the Beetaloo basin, 500 km south-east of Darwin. It is reported that the project could release four to five times as much greenhouse gas emissions as the proposed Adani Carmichael mine. Worse still, fracking can have catastrophic effects on people’s health and the environment.
In the US, fracking fluid, which can be contaminated with heavy metals like arsenic and other known human carcinogens, has found its way into local waterways and polluted the ground and drinking water. It is also reported that people who live near fracking wells have a heightened risk of developing cancer, asthma, and other serious ailments associated with inhaling or ingesting the toxic chemicals involved in the fracking process.
In fact, fracking is so dangerous, it has been banned in several countries due to its hazardous health and environmental effects.
It’s pretty clear that the concerns of traditional land owners and Indigenous communities in the NT are being ignored. They, along with SEED, have a hugely important battle on their hands, and they need as much support as possible.
You can pledge your support, and tell Origin Energy to ‘frack off’ by signing the petition here!
If Origin is your current energy provider and this doesn’t sit right with you, we encourage you to let them know! You can find Origin’s Facebook page here.
Indigenous Youth Declaration for Climate Justice
Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth are a part of the oldest continuing culture in the world. A culture and a people that have lived in harmony with the land for generations.
Right now, climate change is disproportionately affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with rising sea levels in the Torres Strait, loss of sacred country and diminishing food and water accessibility.
SEED’s vision is for a just and sustainable future with strong cultures and communities. They are calling for climate justice which means transitioning away from fossil fuels and moving towards safe, clean, renewable energy.
Will you stand in solidarity with SEED for a just and safe climate? Sign the Indigenous Youth Declaration for Climate Justice here!
It’s incredibly disheartening to see even now, how deep the roots of systemic inequality still run for Indigenous people in Australia. In all our country’s talk of climate change, our national debate on its legitimacy, as well as its looming disastrous effects, the magnified threat it represents for our indigenous peoples is rarely, if ever, factored in to the conversation.
SEED are fighting for a cause that they had no hand in the creation of, and for that, we ask that you please support them in any way you can.
You can donate to SEED here.
Or you can become a volunteer, here.
Mummy's Wish
Every day around Australia, 13 families have their lives turned upside down when they find out mum has cancer. For Mummy’s Wish founders Bernadette Vella and Gayle Richardson, it’s a feeling they know all too well. Just 14 weeks into her second pregnancy, Bernadette was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. For Gayle, her diagnosis came at a mere 12 weeks after the birth of her first child.
Surviving cancer treatment is difficult for anyone. As Bernadette and Gayle both now, trying to survive it as a mother to young children is nearly impossible, particularly without an extensive support network of family and friends. Driven by their own cancer journeys, the pair founded Mummy’s Wish, a non-profit organisation that delivers unique and critical support for mothers with cancer, refined and developed following their own personal experiences. The work they do allows mums undergoing treatment to cope with their illness and meet the physical and emotional needs of a young family.
Because a mum with cancer is still a mum.
How Mummy’s Wish can help
Over the past 10 years, Mummy’s Wish have supported more than 3000 Australian families by providing practical, immediate and non-means tested support while mum is receiving treatment for cancer. While they can’t change the outcome of a mum’s cancer journey, they can help to minimise the negative impact on the family unit.
What type of support and assistance do mums receive?
Once registration is completed (either from a health care professional or a self-referral) each mum is assigned a Support Coordinator who will work with them to navigate a practical pathway through their cancer treatment.
Mummy’s Wish understand that every family is different and the support and information provided will be tailored specifically to each mum’s needs, with consideration given to their diagnosis, existing support network, age of their children and, most importantly, what they feel comfortable with support-wise. This can include things like:
· a friendly chat with someone who understands the challenges that come with trying to juggle a young family and cancer treatment
· provide resources to help you talk to your kids about your illness and treatment
· housecleaning and housekeeping services
· arranging delivery of nutritious family meals during treatment
· hospital car parking vouchers
· referrals to other support agencies best suited to the family’s needs
· memory making tips for terminal mums
Each mum’s Support Coordinator will keep in touch with them throughout their treatment, checking in from time to time, to help minimise the distressing impact a cancer diagnosis can have on a family.
Dealing with Cancer: A guide for mums
Through their own comprehensive guide, Mummy’s Wish are able to provide mums with some of the basic information they need to know including how to cope with their diagnosis; tell their children about their cancer diagnosis and what it means; how to ask for help; and ways to enjoy time with their kids, even when they’re unwell. The guide is available for download here.
How you can help
Mummy’s Wish would not exist without the generous support of the community and there are many ways you can get involved and help them to continue their important work.
Their goal is to deliver their service to every single mum that receives a cancer diagnosis while caring for young children by the year 2025. That’s 5000 mums. Every year.
Find out how you can get involved here, or for more info, head to: www.mummyswish.org.au
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
The Australian Marine Conservation Society
“Hunting and gathering are in my blood. But I've lived long enough to witness a diminution in the seas, and to notice a fragility where once I saw - or assumed - an endless bounty.” - Tim Winton
As occupants of the largest island on earth, it’s hard to deny the love affair that exists between Australians and the ocean. From the powder-white shores of our West Coast, to the dazzling celebrity of our Eastern beauty Bondi, our oceans and the wildlife that inhabit them make up an undeniable part of our national identity.
Though not just a thing of beauty, our oceans and waterways are fundamental to the health and survival of our planet, and of us. Covering more than two thirds of the Earth’s surface, our they play a pivotal role in the regulation of our climate and absorption of carbon dioxide. They provide us with air to breathe and food to eat. They are critical in sustaining our everyday lives and now, more than ever, the protection of our marine ecosystems is vital.
Which is why for the month of April, Pure Community is donating to the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) and supporting them as they work tirelessly to protect Australia’s precious waterways and marine life.
About AMCS
AMCS is one of the oldest conservation groups in Australia, and the only conservation group dedicated solely to protecting Australia’s marine ecosystems and wildlife.
Back in 1965, a group of marine scientists and ocean conservationists came together to discuss their concerns about overfishing and coastal pollution, and to pledge a commitment to do something about it. Since then, AMCS has been advocating for real, evidence-based solutions, based on the best available science, to help combat the ever-growing list of threats affecting Australia’s oceans.
Currently, our oceans and waterways are under attack from the effects of climate change, with the heating of our oceans contributing to the killing of the coral homes of fish and turtles. Industrial scale fishing threatens the future of our fish stocks and is killing our threatened and endangered animals - including dolphins, turtles and sharks. Every single day, toxic plastic pollution flows into our oceans at ever-growing rates, choking our marine life.
Driven by passion, AMCS provides a voice for Australia’s oceans, and through tireless campaigning, has helped facilitate some truly incredible outcomes for our waterways across their inspirational 50-year history.
Key Achievements
Since 1965, AMCS has been unrelenting in their fight for the health and survival of our oceans and marine life. Here are just a few of their achievements…
· Prevented mining on the Great Barrier Reef
Known then as the Queensland Littoral Society, AMCS contested and defeated a proposal to mine limestone on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in the 1960s. They then went on to lead the public campaign to protect the Reef from mining and oil exploration.
· Sustainable Seafood revolution
Launching their highly successful Australia’s Sustainable Seafood Guide, AMCS revolutionised the way Australians view seafood and the fishing and fish farms that provide it. The guide is available in paperback, and as a dedicated consumer website and iPhone app which includes Greenpeace’s Canned Tuna Guide. More and more Australians are recognising their part in protecting our oceans by choosing their seafood responsibly.
· Secured the Great Barrier Reef as a marine park
AMCS led and built the campaign, which eventually involved numerous groups, and secured the Reef through the declaration of the Marine Park in 1974. It was later recognised as a World Heritage Area in 1982. Working alongside their conservation partners, AMCS secured the public support that led to full protection of 33.4% of the Reef in ‘green zones’ in 2004 and helped secure a profitable future for the Reef’s thriving ecotourism industry.
· Ningaloo Reef saved
Along with their Patron Tim Winton, AMCS and allies protected Ningaloo Reef, WA (Australia’s largest fringing coral reef) from a major marina development. With overwhelming support from the public, they further succeeded in securing 34% of the Ningaloo Marine Park in green zones, and most recently World Heritage listing in 2011.
· Moreton Bay protected
Their long track record of success in Moreton Bay includes stopping coral mining on Peel and Mud Island, banning sand mining on Moreton Island and advocating for its protection as a national park. More recently, AMCS worked with the community to increase the green zones from less than 1% to 16% protection in critical areas of coral, seagrass and rocky reefs.
· Marine Wildlife protected
AMCS have reduced the number of sharks that can be fished in the East Coast Inshore Finfish Fishery, protected all seahorses and relatives (33 species) in NSW waters, secured (endangered) grey nurse shark critical habitats in Queensland and saved turtles from fishing nets and crab pots. They have also worked with their partners to stop fisheries killing dolphins and sea lions off South Australia.
A full list of AMCS achievements can be found here.
AMCS are independent, and staffed by a committed group of scientists, educators and passionate advocates who have defended Australia’s oceans for over 50 years.
Their ability to undertake key projects, to raise awareness around marine conservation issues, and advocate for the marine environment is dependent on the financial support of the business community and individuals who are passionate about our oceans and want to help make a real difference.
Currently, AMCS are running a number of important campaigns to bring about positive and effective change for our marine life and ecosystems. You can find them here.
Alternatively, you can make a one-off or monthly donation to AMCS, which will go towards ensuring that Australia’s coasts and oceans remain healthy and free for tomorrow’s generations. Donate here.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
The Global Women's Project
Carrying on from International Women’s Day celebrations earlier this month, Pure Community is donating to The Global Women’s Project (GWP), a non-profit organisation whose vision is to create a world where every woman has choice, independence and the power to create change.
Around the world, women are still not equal members of the global community. They are frequently denied the chance to live the life they want. Their voices are suppressed, and their rights are denied.
GWP has one sole purpose - to give women around the world the tools and resources they need to build better lives for themselves, their families and communities. They provide women with access to:
- Information - so they can know their rights and how to access them
- Skills - so they can start and grow their own businesses or find jobs
- Resources - so they can grow their businesses
- Community - so they can lean on each other and have somewhere to go when they need support
For GWP, it comes down to equal opportunity. When women are given a chance at an education, to learn skills, to access resources to grow their businesses, to develop leadership qualities and be part of a support network, they are set up to thrive. And their communities will thrive too.
IMPACT
Since 2013, GWP have been working hard with limited resources to make the biggest impact for women that they can. In that time, they have:
- Helped 1,079 women develop skills, access information and business resources, and have provided assistance via their Women’s Hub resource centres
- Provided emergency relief to over 65,000 people after the Nepal earthquakes, including countless menstruation packs and shelter and care for 578 pregnant women, new mothers, their babies and family members
- Spent 265+ days working with partners in Cambodia and Nepal, along with four years providing remote support
- Sent 83% of funds raised directly to program partners. GWP work towards spending 70% revenue on programs, 18% on raising more funds, and 12% on their own operations
5 YEAR PLAN
Having helped better lives of over a thousand women so far, GWP plan to take that number to ten thousand women in five years. This inspirationally ambitious plan includes:
- Expanding their geographical reach and taking on four new grassroots partners across the world. One per year from 2019, reaching 10,000 women
- Connecting 60,000 women from their global support base to women impacted by their work, in order to scale programs that are changing lives, like their Women's Hubs Resource Centres in Nepal, and launching new ones
- Integrating a leadership component across all programs, fostering thousands of women to take on positions of power and lead change in their communities
- Exploring how technology can help build smarter, more effective, cutting-edge programs, including how it can better support women to access information, services and financial products all over the world.
- A commitment to learning and growing, keeping women's own needs, challenges and aspirations at the centre of everything they do
- A focus on forming collaborations and strategic partnerships to help get there
GWP is proudly independent and relies on generous donations to do their incredible work. A donation to GWP will go towards putting practical skills and resources in the hands of women around the world who need them most.
To donate, or for more info, head to: www.theglobalwomensproject.com.au
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Twenty10
As Sydney once again prepares to celebrate Mardis Gras this month, we thought it only fitting for Pure Community to acknowledge and support the incredible work of Twenty10, a Sydney based organisation that provides a range of specialised services for the LGBTIQA+ community, including: housing, mental health, counselling and social support.
With a vision for people of all sexualities, genders and intersex status to live in a society without oppression, persecution or violence, Twenty10 (working in conjunction with GLCS; Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service of NSW) are helping to ensure positive health outcomes for gender and sexuality diverse communities across Sydney and NSW through their range of support and training services which include:
Drop in
An unstructured social space, Drop In is designed for those aged 12-25 to have a safe space to hang out and socialise.
Out West
Based in Parramatta, Out West is a fortnightly social group for LGBTIQA+ young people aged between 12 – 25, where they can connect with new friends, have fun and access support and relevant information.
Men’s and Women’s Group Support
Twenty10 provide access to Men’s and Women’s social support groups, which are centered around an informal, confidential discussion and are a safe, non-confronting way for attendees to meet others with similar experiences. Ages 18+
Youth Housing
Twenty10 also provide stable, affordable, medium-term accommodation for young people who are struggling to find permanent accommodation and are ready to live more independently. The service can also include case management, which can help young people to develop living skills, get into an educational course, find employment, and address barriers that may be preventing them from moving forward in their lives.
TWENTY10 + QLIFE
Twenty10 also provides telephone and webchat support, as the NSW provider for the national QLife project. QLife provides anonymous, LGBTI peer support and referral for people wanting to talk about a range of issues including sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships.
QLife services are free and include both telephone and webchat support, delivered by trained LGBTI community members across the country and services are for LGBTI individuals, their friends and families, and health professionals. Both the phone and webchat services are available from 3pm-midnight every day.
INCLUSIVITY TRAINING
Twenty10 + GLCS also offer inclusivity training and consulting for organisations and service providers across most sectors, with an aim to assist other organisations in becoming more welcoming and inclusive. Their one-day practical workshop (PRISM) will aid organisations to:
- Unpack the LGBTIQA+ acronym and the differences between gender identity, sexual orientation, and intersex status
- Recognise ways people who are LGBTIQA+ experience marginalisation and its impact on their health and wellbeing
- Identify and proactively challenge low-level social violence including cisgenderism, heterosexism, heteronormativity, homophobia, transphobia, biphobia, intersexphobia and microaggressions.
- Identify strategies for building equity and cultural appropriateness into their work practices
- Identify resources and services to use with clients and workers
- Develop a plan to transform learnings into action
A donation to Twenty10 + GLCS will be used to directly improve the lives of vulnerable or marginalised LGBTIQA+ people and will ensure that this important organisation can continue its empowering, and sometimes life-saving, work.
You can donate to Twenty10 here, and for more info head to: www.twenty10.org.au
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
The Healing Foundation
With the new year well and truly in full-swing, Australia will once again prepare to celebrate its national day this month. But for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, January 26th is also a day that represents the start of violent conflict for their people, as well as the denigration of their culture and way of life. The effects of which are still being felt throughout Australia’s indigenous population today.
For the month of January, Pure Community is getting behind The Healing Foundation, a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation that partners with communities to address ongoing trauma caused by the disruption and mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the past 230 years. This includes actions like the forced removal of tens of thousands of children from their families, known as the Stolen Generations.
A report released in November 2018 by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) estimates that 17,150 members of the Stolen Generations are still alive today and that they experience higher levels of adversity in relation to almost all of 38 key health and welfare outcomes.
The Healing Foundation works closely with members of the Stolen Generations who have not had an opportunity to heal from ongoing distress and, through a collective healing approach, they are increasing their focus on reducing the impact of Intergenerational Trauma. The foundation focuses almost 40% of its investment on Stolen Generations, 30% on training and education, around 20% on key healing initiatives (including strategies to address intergenerational trauma and men’s healing) and just over 10% on its healing centres.
The Foundation is also leading the charge around research into Indigenous healing and are combining traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural healing tools with western practices, to achieve the best results. Key elements include: The reconnection with culture and identity, restoring safe and enduring relationships, and understanding the impact of trauma to find healing pathways.
Most importantly, the foundation works with communities to create a place of safety, providing an environment for Indigenous people and their families to speak for themselves, tell their own stories and be in charge of their own healing.
Measuring Impact
Since 2009 The Healing Foundation has:
- assisted more than 45,000 people in their healing journeys
- funded almost 170 community-based healing projects and forums
- provided nearly 500 organisations with grants for local commemorative events
- established an impressive body of evidence with over 30 evaluations and publications that show the impact of trauma and how to make healing work
- built the nation’s healing capacity through the release of specific training tools to build trauma knowledge amongst people who provide services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and create a framework for working with victims of sexual assault
- supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations to build healing centres and create more effective and integrated services
- helped to shape future policy through a range of forums, from federal and state health bodies to Royal Commissions
Through their incredible work, The Healing Foundation have seen advances at the individual, family and community level for indigenous Australians, proving that investment in the right healing programs will create change and reduce the burden on public funds.
If you’d also like to support the foundation and their important work, you can donate here and for more info, head to: www.healingfoundation.org.au
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
'Donate a Plate' + The Wayside Chapel
Each year, as December rolls around and brings with it that collective air of enthusiasm that only Christmas time can evoke, the world gears up for a festive season spent with family, friends and of course, food.
But for 37,715 homeless people in NSW (3,963 of which are children) Christmas is often a lonely and difficult time, which is why Pure Community has chosen Sydney’s Wayside Chapel and their ‘Donate a Plate’ program, as this months donation recipient.
Last year in December, around 800 homeless men, women and children walked through the doors at Wayside Chapel, in desperate need of food and support. Located in Potts Point, Wayside has been providing crucial support and services to Sydney’s homeless since 1964 and places dignity, respect and love at the heart of its approach. Their community services centres (they have another location in Bondi), outreach programs, cafes and shops provide support to all who visit them and see everyone as a person to be met and not a problem to be solved.
‘Donate a Plate’ this Christmas…
To keep their kitchens cooking over the Christmas period, Wayside are currently running their ‘Donate a Plate’ program, to help raise much needed funds so that they can continue to provide food, love and support for Sydney’s homeless community during the holidays.
In addition to their year-long programs, each December they provide a ‘Christmas Day Street Party’ for Sydney’s homeless which includes a free Christmas lunch (with all the trimmings), entertainment and dancing to ensure that no one doing it tough has to be alone at Christmas. This year, Wayside will host two free Christmas celebrations, and for the first time, will include a Christmas day BBQ at the Bondi Surf Life Saving Club, in addition to the celebrations in Potts Point.
For just $25, you can provide a meal with all the trimmings for a homeless person living on the streets. $50 will feed a couple, $100 will feed a family of four and for $250, you can provide a free, Christmas lunch for a table of 10 people doing it tough.
You can also make a donation on behalf of a friend, family member or colleague, which can be an excellent gift alternative to the old ‘socks and undies’ that are often given at Christmas time (because you couldn’t think of anything else…again.) Wayside will even post you a blank, paper plate ‘gift card’ to give to the recipient, and their name will be written on a plate at the Christmas Day Street Party in recognition of the support provided.
A donation to Wayside Chapel will not only provide a Christmas meal for people in need but will also provide a sense of belonging and inclusion, at a time when it is often needed the most for those doing it tough.
You can give to Wayside’s ‘Donate a Plate’ Christmas program here, and for those wanting to donate on someone’s behalf, be sure to head to the ‘perks’ section of the page. You can read more about the Wayside Chapel and the incredible work they do, both at Christmas time and all year round, here.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
RestoringVision
This month, Pure Community is switching its focus towards RestoringVision, who’s mission it is to empower lives by giving the gift of sight to millions of people in need.
According to RestoringVision, vision impairment is one of the World’s biggest but least known health issues (a fact that we only became aware of very recently). Approximately 2.5 billion people worldwide suffer from uncorrected vision impairment. 544 million of those affected only require something as simple as reading glasses to correct their vision impairment, but have limited or no access to such.
The positive benefits achieved though corrected vision not only impact the wellbeing of the person receiving the glasses, but also their family, community, and indeed the world at large (according to RestoringVision, the lack of access to glasses results in an annual loss of $202 billion to the global economy).
That said, you don’t need us to tell you how expansive the benefits of corrected vision can be. Instead, the message we’re trying to convey is simple:
The lack of access to glasses is the main obstacle preventing a huge number of people from correcting their vision.
That’s it. Contrary to many of the other causes we love and support, who often rely on nuanced and complex approaches to solve the issues they are facing, RestoringVision’s goal of helping 20 million people see clearly by the end of 2020 is easily achievable.
Having celebrated their 15th anniversary recently, RestoringVision have already made huge strides towards this goal, having supplied over 10 million pairs of glasses to people in 127 countries.
If you’re interested in joining us in contributing towards RestoringVision’s mission, you can donate to them directly here, where your donation will be converted into glasses and distributed to qualified clinics. To give you an idea of how far your donation goes, $50 can help to correct the vision of 67 people.
Alternatively, there are a number of great businesses who will match your purchase of their glasses with a donation to Restoring Vision. If you’re anything like us and spend a big part of the day behind a screen, we’d recommend checking out someone like Australian locals Baxter Blue, who’s glasses help alleviate digital eye strain (we’ve tried and tested this claim and can’t recommend them enough). In fact, it was their donation matching ‘Gift of Vision’ program that introduced us to the wonderful work of RestoringVision in the first place.
If you want to get involved and help support RestoringVision, you can find them, and information on their donation partners, here:
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Gifts for Manus & Nauru Incorporated
Earlier this week, international humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) was forced to terminate its provision of medical aid to refugees and asylum seekers on the island of Nauru.
There are approximately 900 asylum seekers and refugees to Australia currently awaiting processing on Nauru, an estimated 95 of whom are children. Experts from the Refugee Council of Australia have affirmed that these individuals are ‘some of the most traumatised people [they have] ever seen.’
In response, this month Pure Community is getting behind Gifts for Manus and Nauru Incorporated, a local organisation that works to promote the physical and mental wellbeing of those being held in offshore processing centres through the provision of essential services and material aid.
Gifts for Manus and Nauru Incorporated run a monthly crowdfund drive to raise the funds necessary to provide mobile phone credit for approximately 1,100 people on Manus and Nauru, the cost of which for October is estimated to be $37,000.
Access to mobile phone credit ‘provides vital support for physical and mental health by allowing regular contact with family, as well as allowing access to crisis and trauma counselling, access to education and language materials, entertainment, and contact with supportive friends who offer much needed emotional support and connection when it is most needed.’
In addition to mobile credit, Gifts for Manus and Nauru Incorporated also provide those in offshore processing centres with smart phones, care packages, access to medical and dental support, professional trauma counselling through their free service Therapy4Refugees, while also operating a referral program to other medical and legal aid groups.
Following MSF’s expulsion from Nauru and in light of an overwhelming number of calls to evacuate refugees from international bodies such as the UNHCR and Amnesty International, the services provided by Gifts for Manus and Nauru Incorporated are growing increasingly imperative.
We encourage you to join us in making a contribution towards Gifts for Manus and Nauru Incorporated in any way you can.
You can donate directly to Gifts for Manus and Nauru Incorporated, donate to the October mobile phone credit drive, send a care package, or sponsor the credit of an individual.
All of the organisations operational costs are covered by its committee, which means 100% of donations received are used for providing essential support.
To find out more head to giftsformanusandnauru.org.au, or give us a call on: 1300 664 603.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
WAGEC
Today in Australia, more than 45,813 women are homeless, with children making up 27% of the homeless population.
Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre (WAGEC) is a non-government, not-for-profit charitable organisation that delivers a range of crisis and early intervention accommodation and support services to women, transgender people, children and families who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness and/or domestic and family violence.
Operating across inner City Sydney and the inner west for 40 years, WAGEC are committed to helping end homelessness by working holistically with their clients to find creative housing and support solutions that meet their needs and empower them to take control of their own lives.
In collaboration with their partners, WAGEC provide the right kind of support when it is needed most, underscored by a strong commitment to core values of respect, support and partnership.
CORE SERVICES
Central support
Located in Redfern, the central support office is often the first point of contact for clients connecting to WAGEC and is overseen by experienced staff and case managers who provide a comprehensive assessment of the presenting client’s situation and determine which services and programs will best meet their housing and support needs.
Crisis accommodation
WAGEC operate three short term crisis accommodation facilities for women and families, providing a total of 90 crisis accommodation beds on any given night.
Access to safe and secure accommodation is paramount as the majority of the women and children residing at the refuges have experienced domestic and family violence.
Here clients are able to work with their case manager to obtain sustainable housing outcomes, link in with other support services, and re-build their self-esteem and capacity to live their lives to the full.
Supported Transitional Housing Program
WAGEC provides 34 transitional properties for families and a large ten-bed transitional property for single women, which offers women and families the stability of affordable housing before they transition to long term tenancies.
Clients living in these properties also benefit from ongoing support from their case manager, who assists them in setting goals for long term housing, employment and education, and to build connections within the community.
Being not for profit, WAGEC relies on generous donations to support its core services, and to continue to provide women and their families with the support they need.
Donations go towards:
Increasing the capacity of support services, as well as therapy and lifestyle classes
Specialised skills courses
Tutoring for children
Refurbishment of communal areas in crisis accommodation for client comfort and security
Purchase of critical equipment for clients, such as secure phones, common-use PCs and educational laptops for children
Along with financial donations, WAGEC benefit greatly from the donation of specific items, such as toiletries, clothing and household cleaning products. For a full list of items that are currently needed, click here.
To find out more about WAGEC, or to donate, head to: www.wagec.org.au
Or get in touch via: donations@wagec.org.au
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
The National Art School
We believe in supporting those who meaningfully contribute to our community.
This month we are getting behind the National Art School (NAS) as part of their annual fundraising drive.
Almost 175 years old, the National Art School, now located in the old Darlinghurst Gaol, has fostered the development of artists, and the promotion of the arts in Sydney and beyond for generations.
One of the most unique aspects of NAS’ approach is its focus on the teaching of artists by artists and is one of the few places left in the word where this antique practice remains. The school also promotes practical development by providing each of its students their own studio for a year at a time.
One in five winners of the esteemed Archibald Prize have been NAS alumni, which is a testament to the efficacy of the school’s approach to teaching.
A contribution to community
For almost 65,000 years, Art has helped us to open our minds to new perspectives and inform our understanding of the world around us. It is a unifying force that connects us to one another and indeed to something bigger than the collective us.
We see artists themselves as storytellers, whose work has the unique function of transcending culture, race, gender, class, sexuality, religion and nation, while at the same time acting as a vessel for transmitting ideas and encouraging conversation about all of these things. It inspires, enriches and enlightens.
NAS is currently running their annual fundraising appeal, seeking contributions that this year will go towards enhancing the studio spaces, contributing to the library and research centres, and the participation of students and alumni in professional development opportunities.
As Australia’s independent fine art school, NAS has historically benefited from the generosity of the community and continues to do so. If you would like to support them as they support our artists, you can contact the NAS development team on:
(02) 9339 8765
or via:
For more info, you can also visit their website:
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Common Ground
“Don’t keep history a mystery. Learn. Share. Grow.”
National Reconciliation Week took place earlier this month, coinciding with the 26th anniversary of the landmark Mabo decision, through which native title was first recognised in Australia by the High Court, and the unique connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples share with the land was acknowledged.
If you were educated in Australia the chances are you studied the Mabo decision at some point, but how much about it do you remember? In fact, how much can you comfortably say you know about the histories, cultures, perspectives and experiences of First Nations People?
According to Common Ground, this month’s Pure Community donation recipient, 85% of Australians believe it is important to know about the histories of our First Peoples, but only 42% believe they have a high-level knowledge of that history.
An aboriginal-led organisation working closely with First Nations People, Common Ground seeks to help Australians build a foundational level of knowledge about the diverse histories, perspectives, and experiences of the oldest living cultures on earth. They achieve this through storytelling and by providing online access to engaging and trusted educational content that allows all Australians to lean about, and connect with, our First Australians.
Common Ground’s work emphasises the importance of the role education plays in the building of genuine and respectful relationships with one’s local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. These relationships are key to promoting reconciliation and with governments legislating to create Aboriginal treaty frameworks, the type of education offered by Common Ground is as important now as it has ever been.
We also encourage you to check out ‘Deadly Questions’, a brilliant Victorian State Government educational initiative that promotes dialogue and provides the opportunity to learn about Aboriginal Victorians by asking anonymous questions. Here you will be able to ask or find the answers to questions you may have never asked for through embarrassment, fear of causing offense, or simply because you’ve never had the chance.
As we move closer to achieving self-determination and Treaty, we are grateful for the amazing resources available that allow us to expand our understanding of First Nations People, their histories and cultures, and the unique challenges they face upon this common ground we share.
For more, head to:
Common Ground
https://www.commonground.org.au/
Deadly Questions
https://deadlyquestions.vic.gov.au/
Reconciliation Australia
https://www.reconciliation.org.au/
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Foster Care Angels
To quote Dr. Seuss: “A person’s a person, no matter how small.”
This principal sits at the core of the philosophy of this month’s Pure Community donation recipient.
Foster Care Angels keep a watchful eye over the NSW Foster Care system, from the children entering through to the teenagers leaving, and even the carers themselves. And with over 20,000 children living in Foster Care across NSW, Foster Care Angels have their work cut out for them.
They are committed to ensuring that these children feel respected without discrimination, while promoting dignity and self-respect, especially in times that are often full of trauma and distress. This is achieved through a range of programs:
Care packages & Bed-in-a-bag
Foster Care Angels recognise that children entering Foster Care often do so with little or no possessions. So, to help with the transition they started packing and distributing a range of personal items which are designed to give these kids a sense of self-worth, belonging, ownership, and independence during their transition away from their biological parents or into a group home.
These Care Packages are backpacks which have been individually tailored for kids and contain essentials such as school supplies and toiletries, as well as toys, books and a comfort item. Similarly, the Bed-in-a-bag program was created to provide those being placed in a group home their own personal bedding which includes a quilt, towel, sheets, and pillows to help promote independence and a sense of self-worth.
Carer Support
After identifying a high-level of placement breakdowns, Foster Care Angels began to provide relief support and respite for the carers who work so hard to provide stability in the lives of these children.
Foster Care Angels arrange ‘Recharge Retreats’ for carers to help prevent them from burning out. These retreats provide carers with the opportunity to have a weekend away in holiday accommodation with other carers. This facilitates an opportunity for them to recharge and to also network with other carers, helping to reduce feelings of isolation.
Counselling & Education
Foster Care Angels understand the importance of positive mental health. For young people aged between 15 and 24 they operate the A-Maze-In Mind program which helps to develop and promote mental health and wellness skills.
For the bigger kids, Foster Care Angels offer a scholarship program through the University of Western Sydney. This is available to students facing financial hardship that have been, or are currently, in out-of-home care. If you know of anyone who could benefit from this, spread the word and encourage them to apply!
The amazing and deeply important work of Foster Care Angels doesn’t stop here. In order to help them keep it up, we encourage you to find out more and to please give if you can:
http://www.fostercareangels.org.au/
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Kiva.org II
We are expanding our commitment to Kiva!
This month Pure Community is increasing the pool of funds we lend through the microfinance platform Kiva.
Kiva is an international non-profit organisation with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Their platform facilitates microfunding, which allows anyone to provide small cash loans to low-income entrepreneurs and students in over 80 countries across the globe. Lenders can fund loans entirely themselves or pool their funds with other likeminded people in order to provide larger loans.
Generally, the recipients of Kiva loans don’t have access to the more traditional means of lending such as bank-funded loans and thus stand to benefit significantly from the generosity of others. Part of what makes Kiva unique is that unlike many other forms of goodwill it is structured in such a way that those who give can often expect to be repaid over time. This means that through Kiva you can give and give again with a single contribution!
To provide a snapshot of the ways in which Kiva loans can help, here are the stories of two people we are currently lending to:
Samson
Samson, a father of three, operates a retail business in Kitale, Kenya where the average annual individual income is $1,800 USD. He sought a loan of $150 to help expand his rurally-based business which is built around the purchase and distribution of milk from local farmers. Not only does the growth of Samson’s business have a direct positive effect on himself and his family, but it also stimulates the local economy.
Asma
Asma of Lahore, Pakistan applied for a loan on behalf of herself, her husband and their children. Prior to the funding Asma’s husband was labouring for a small firm for daily wages that barely covered their household expenses. Asma sought a loan of $275 to allow her husband to gain autonomy in his employment and start a distribution business for local produce, buying corn from local farmers and supplying it to retailers. Similarly to Samson, the positive effects made possible by Kiva loans such as this extend from an individual level, to the local community and beyond.
To date, Kiva has facilitated the lending of over $72 million in Kenya, $26 million in Pakistan and over $1 billion worldwide.
Improving the lives of others comprises the core of Kiva’s mission as they celebrate and support people looking to create a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.
We’re committed to continuously growing the amount we lend through Kiva and strongly encourage everyone to get involved. The power to directly and positively contribute to the lives of others has never been so easy.
If you’d like to support another through a Kiva loan you can get started at www.kiva.org, or, to talk to us about it, feel free to get in touch.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Fighting Chance
What if social enterprises could change the game for people with disability?
This is the question this month’s Pure Community donation recipient is asking and, helping to make a reality.
Fighting Chance is working to change the climate for people living with a disability by creating disability-specific small businesses that offer real employment opportunities. They offer work, training and skill development opportunities to young people with disability, which helps create a feeling of social justice and inclusion and also creates meaningful employment for young people who traditionally would not be able to find it – even with the help of existing disability specific services.
The Avenue
Created to harness the time, skills and abilities of people with disability, The Avenue is a retail distribution and marketing business, created by fighting chance, that brings social and ethical brands to the world. It was created to enable people with profound and severe disability to access work skills, with the support they need to achieve their goals, as well as support the employment of people with disabilities in developing countries like Nepal, Cambodia and India, who are highly skilled in crafting home wares, accessories and toys from natural and recycled materials. This places an emphasis on the importance of having access to vocational training and purposeful work, and creates a huge range of work for the people who need it most.
The enterprise sells unique, hand-crafted products made by artists with disabilities from Australia and all over the world and engages a diverse team of individuals with varying abilities to run the business, from administration through to sales and distribution. Products are available from the online store and community markets.
100% of proceeds are reinvested in their staff and everyone is remunerated for their contribution fairly and in a way that suits their circumstances.
Jigsaw
Another enterprise created by Fighting Chance, Jigsaw provides digitisation services to the corporate and government sectors in order to generate award-paying jobs training and pathways to mainstream employment for people with disability. It was developed in response to the high rates of unemployment faced by people with disability and specialises in outsourced data entry, document auditing, social media management and paperless office services. Proceeds from Jigsaw’s commercial activities are used to promote the interests of people with disability in Australia by a) perpetuating employment opportunities for a demographic group who are chronically under-employed and b) by contributing to Fighting Chance.
School Leavers Employment Support Program
The School Leavers Employment Support Program also runs out of Jigsaw, which is a specific learning program, designed to provide school leavers with real skills, working within a real business. The program usually takes people on for two years immediately after leaving school and provides the potential for ongoing employment upon completion. The program also assists recipients transition in to the mainstream workforce or onto further education and training.
Fighting Chance is currently seeking financial and non-financial support and partnerships to develop existing social enterprises. Both Jigsaw and The Avenue offer work experience opportunities and Fighting Chance also provides support for people trying to navigate the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). If you need any advice about what the NDIS means for you, how to prepare for the transition to NDIS or how to navigate the new system of funding once you have transitioned, they are available to share their experience with you, and offer support, which is free and accessible to everyone.
If you want to get involved and help support Fighting Chance, you can find them (and their social enterprises) here:
https://fightingchance.org.au/
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
ACON
This month Pure Community is celebrating Mardi Gras!
The last few months have been huge for LGBTI rights in Australia with the passing of the Marriage Amendment Act in December allowing same-sex couples to (finally) marry. We’re looking forward to the celebrations carrying over into this year’s Sydney Mardi Gras, which also happens to be turning 40 this year!
To show our support we are getting behind ACON, who do a significant amount to promote the health and wellbeing of the LGBTI community. ACON was established in 1985 as a response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and has continued to grow and increase its scope ever since.
ACON provides HIV support to over 12,000 people in NSW who live with HIV and is aiming to end HIV transmission by 2020. In addition to their focus on sexual and mental health, ACON promote the safety and inclusion of LGBTI people in the community, while also providing alcohol and drug support, and support for those who have experienced, domestic and family violence.
On top of this ACON plays an important role in researching HIV and LGBTI health related issues. By working with and educating legislators, policy makers and services providers, ACON promotes an understanding of the needs of LGBTI people and people with HIV, facilitating the circumstances in which these needs can be addressed in a meaningful way.
Donations to ACON contribute to a range of services, such as:
- the assembly and provision of safe sex packs,
- helping people seriously affected by HIV to live independently in their own homes by providing access to home-based care and transportation service,
- helping financially disadvantaged LGBTI people access counselling,
- providing access to therapeutic support groups for people with alcohol and drug issues
- keeping ACON’s Violence Report Line operational to provide support for survivors of homophobic, transphobic, domestic and family violence.
If you’re interested in getting involved, you can give to ACON financially or as a volunteer by visiting their website.
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is running from the 16th of February until the 4th of March. The full program is available online.
We’ll see you at the Parade on the 3rd of March!
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Two Good Co.
The idea is simple: you buy a wholesome, delicious lunch that gets delivered to your door and an identical meal is delivered to one of one of two soup kitchens and eight domestic-violence shelters around Sydney.
Simple, but brilliant!
This month’s Pure Community initiative saw the team order their lunch from the ‘buy-one, give-one’ food initiative that is the Two Good Co, based in Darlinghurst in Sydney.
Created in 2015 by Rob Caslick and Cathal Flaherty (who were working as engineers at the time) the company aims to provide those living in a refuge with food that is clean and nutritious, and that just happens to be created by some of Sydney’s top chefs. Neil Perry, Kylie Kwong, Peter Gilmore and Matt Moran have all created recipes for the company, and in fact next week, you can jump on the website and order a sesame egg noodle salad with tofu, tamarind & bok choy that’s been created by Moran himself. Delivered!
In addition to providing much needed food to victims of homelessness and domestic violence, the company also employs women from the refuges they serve.
“One of the most debilitating things about domestic violence is that it strips someone of their self worth” says Caslick.
“We made a commitment to do the absolute most we could to show the women that we believe they are worthy. We collaborated with the best chefs we could find, we worked on making the packaging as beautiful as possible. Every decision we make, we asked the question - how do we maximise our social impact”.
If you want to get behind Two Good (and we recommend that you do!) you can find them here:
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
AIME
One of our favourite local organisations, the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (or AIME) has recently announced its plans to launch its initiative across the globe. After 12 years of resounding success at a domestic level AIME has grown from its humble beginnings of 25 volunteers into the largest volunteer movement of university students in Australia.
AIME was conceived to address issues of structural inequality experienced by Indigenous Australian’s within the education system. By connecting university student mentors with Indigenous high school kids AIME empowers those who in the past may have been left behind.
Over its first 12 years AIME’s program has facilitated the empowerment of more than 10,000 kids over educational inequality whilst promoting Aboriginal identity. As far as what this looks like, organisations such as AIME have noticeably contributed to the closing of the gap between young Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, particularly when it comes to year 12 attainment rates and post-school education, training or employment.
AIME’s global model seeks to expand the organisation’s scope to kids of all backgrounds who experience educational inequality by using the two key economic levers of university and high school to build a bridge between the powerful and powerless.
Please join us in backing AIME and the launch of its international program, working to create fairer communities by empowering our kids.
To get behind AIME you can find them here:
We acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional custodians, ancestors and continuing cultural, spiritual and religious practices of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation upon whose ancestral land we work.
Featured artwork by Anna Petyarre.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Our Big Kitchen
If you’ve never heard of Our Big Kitchen, they are a community run, non-denominational, industrial kitchen based in Bondi, where meals are prepared for distribution to those in need across Sydney.
They use rescued food, donated to them by organisations such as SecondBite, who help redistribute surplus fresh food to community programs around Australia. This food is then repurposed by OBK into wholesome, nutritionally balanced, hot meals. So not only do they provide meals for those who need it most, but they are also contributing to the war on food waste, which sees Australia throw away $8 billion worth of edible food every year.
We had lots of fun getting hands on, and learning exactly how OBK helps make a difference in Sydney communities. They have several charities they support, however they also have a ‘no questions asked’ policy, and should anyone need food they can head to OBK and help will always be provided to them.
If you want to get on board, and help the legends at OBK, you can find them here:
Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Good Shepherd Microfinance
Good Shepherd are an Australian organisation that help to facilitate loans with very little or no interest for low income earning individuals and families, as part of their No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) and Low Interest Loan Scheme (LILS).
These loans are designed to provide safe, affordable, fair and dignified credit to low income earners who may be experiencing financial difficulty and need a helping hand, want to get a foot up, or simply seek to maintain their financial stability. Often, they are not for cash and instead go towards essential goods and services such as education costs, health aides and household items.
The NILS and LILS act as an alternative to expensive and risky payday loans which are often sought in desperate financial times and have an unfortunate history of creating more problems than they do solutions.
We’re all about helping people in the pursuit of their financial goals and love what Good Shepherd are doing to assist Australians in times of need. We can’t emphasise enough how important we believe the role Good Shepherd plays is in facilitating financial empowerment for individuals and families, helping them to lay the foundations for a secure future.
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
Kiva.org
“It was the idea that maybe we can’t change the world, but if we could change the life of just one person it would matter."
- Premal Shah, CEO and Kiva co-founder
Kiva is an international non-profit organisation, founded in 2005 and based in San Francisco, with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty.
It allows people to lend money to low-income entrepreneurs and students in over 80 countries. The loans are generally small, but they are enough to make an impact in the lives of people overlooked by traditional lenders around the world. For entrepreneurs in the U.S., 72% of respondents to a Kiva survey reported an increase in business revenue after getting a loan, and of those, 40% said revenue doubled. On top of this, an average of 1.2 jobs were created for every Kiva loan.
Improving the lives of individuals remains at the core of Kiva’s mission as they celebrate and support people looking to create a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.
If you'd like to support someone in need through a Kiva loan, you can find them here: www.kiva.org
*Pure Community and Pure Finance have no direct affiliation with the organisations and causes listed on this page, we simply appreciate the work that they do, and choose to show our appreciation by contributing to them.
