The Disability Trust maintains the regular and timely allocation of aids and equipment to children with disabilities in the Illawarra through our Kids Fund charity. The fund relies 100% on community donations and utilises an inter-organisational allocation committee to review, prioritise and approve all applications on a six monthly basis.
The Kids Fund Allocation Committee met in October 2016 and April 2017 with volunteer therapists from NSW Health and Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC) to assess each application.
Twenty four applications were approved totaling $61,003.29 of equipment. The largest areas of expenditure included $30,751 on wheelchairs and growth modifications for wheelchairs, $7119 on walkers and $6250 on seating systems. The most requested item with 9 applications was for wheelchairs and wheelchair components. The most expensive items were two manual wheelchairs valued at over $8000 each.
During the year a staggering $121,139 was raised across 15 fundraising events as well as donations from the community. The biggest event of them all was The Best of Broadway Gala Night at Wests Illawarra raising amount of $133,000 for The Disability Trust with $80,000 going directly to Kids Fund.
We would also like to thank the Figtree Lions Club for their donation of $13,300 from their annual Golf Day which we have been privileged to be a part of for a number of years now. A very special mention also to the team at PPM (Project Portfolio Management) who choose to make a donation to Kids Fund in lieu of purchasing Christmas hams for their key suppliers. When they told their team at the staff Christmas party everyone was so moved they donated a further $1300 totaling a $10,000 donation to Kids Fund.
Donations like these allow The Disability Trust to fill the gaps when it comes to equipment needs of children in the Illawarra and we would like to thank all our supporters for their generosity.