Making a difference through LMCF Youth in Philanthropy grant

Habitat for Humanity Victoria (HFHV) is delighted to have been chosen as a grant recipient for the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation Youth in Philanthropy program for the past few years, enabling us to provide housing support to a range of organisations and individuals in our local community.  

Participating in this program enables engagement with young philanthropists and provides an opportunity for HFHV to collaborate with a local school and help foster a culture of giving and community support. 

Key highlights of projects made possible through this funding in recent months has included:  

• Brush with Kindness project - National Volunteer Week 2024 

In late May 2024, to mark National Volunteer Week, a team of 24 volunteers and Habitat for Humanity Victoria staff joined forces to make significant improvements to the home of a Kilsyth single mother and her five children. Work completed included substantial interior renovations and property landscaping. 

• Brush with Kindness project - International Women’s Day 2024  

To mark International Women’s Day, held in March 2024, dozens of corporate volunteers rolled up their sleeves to provide practical support to women and children in need. This project, which involved the installation of a large shade sail over the sandpit, creation of a sensory garden, pathways, retaining walls and restoration of play equipment at Benwerren retreat, has had a significant impact on those seeking respite. 

HFHV is excited to have been shortlisted for the 2024 program. In mid-July we welcomed a group of school students from Lauriston Girls’ School to be provided with an overview of our operations and to undertake site tour of our ReStore social enterprise in Kilsyth South.   

Our Partnerships and Engagement Manager, Richard Irving, addressed the group, providing an overview of HFHV’s history and our home building and Brush with Kindness volunteer program, community partnerships and ReStore, our social enterprise.  

The students expressed a great deal of interest in learning more about our housing programs, the range of people we are able to support and the journey of our partner families towards home ownership.