OPTUS GRANT SUPPORTS SYDNEY'S CHILDREN IN CARE

Optus funding has enabled Marrickville’s Stretch-A-Family organisation to purchase therapeutic tools for its 24 young residents, helping them make the move into foster care.

The tools, such as expression aids, have helped the children with special needs effectively communicate their emotions to staff, while simple remedies like weighted blankets and bed socks allow the children to feel safe sleeping in a domestic environment.

Supported by funding of $7,000 from this year’s Optus Community Grants program, Stretch-A-Family is a charitable organisation which provides accommodation and support services to local children in Marrickville. These children, some with intellectual and physical disabilities, are unable to live within foster care or may need assistance before entering the system.

Tracey Rowe, Chief Operations Officer at Stretch-A-Family, said, “We care for a variety of children who require special equipment to be able to communicate and feel safe and happy in a new environment. The Optus Community Grant allowed us to purchase the tools we need to help these children develop behavioural and emotional skills before entering a foster family.”

Helen Maisano, Associate Director Corporate Social Responsibility at Optus said, “We are delighted to have been able to use our Community Grants program to help Stretch-A-Family create a calming and nurturing environment for children with special needs.

“Optus sees a real community benefit by investing in the tools to help special needs children in Marrickville gain a level of self-confidence that will help them find happiness and safety at home that they may not have felt before.”

The annual Optus Community Grants program awards funding of up to $10,000 to not-for-profit organisations that provides a range of support services to its surrounding community. Over the past five years, Optus has donated almost 1.2 million dollars to more than 200 community organisations across Australia.

For more information on the ‘yes’ Optus Community Grants program please visit https://www.optus.com.au/shop/aboutoptus/communitygrants

Contact Details:

Fuel Communications: 02 8217 6500/ Optus@fuelcommunications.com.au