SmartBar contributes to the Hills Holdings Charity Support Scheme which was established in 1999 to encourage and promote the support of worthwhile charities and improve the lives of those in need and within the communities in which we live and work.
Donations from participating employees are accumulated in a trust fund, and matched dollar-for-dollar by the company.
With 3,000 employees across the Hills Holdings Group, total contributions exceed an impressive $100,000 each year since its inception.
In July 2010 we distributed the funds for the previous 12 months as per the below;
Queensland
Flood Appeal - $45,968
The Kath Dickson Family Centre (KDFC) is a community centre in Toowoomba that serves, educates and protects children and their families, with particular emphasis on those at risk, the disabled and the disadvantaged. Currently the centre has in excess of 1200 families in 43 communities using their services. KDFC was badly affected by the floods - the playground was all but washed away and the two vehicles they had that enabled mobile services were lost in West Creek. Our donation will build a new sensory garden and playground for the centre that will encourage the children to interact with plants and garden features using all seven sensors, including the internal body sensors. $21,439
In addition we will support the purchase of a new vehicle that will be used daily to provide mobile services to communities across the Darling Downs and Lockyer Valley. $24,530
New South Wales
The Children’s Cancer Institute of Australia is in need of another ventilated fume hood, which will be purchased with our donation. This piece of safety equipment used in labs will be used all day every day and is critical to the health and safety of the researchers. It captures and contains aerosols and fumes from chemicals in the preparation of routine experiments such as working with tissue samples, diluting and decanting hazardous chemicals and generally working with unfriendly substances. $13,000
Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) is the largest provider of autism-specific services in Australia, including specialist schools and therapy
.
Their Aspect
Hunter School
is building a new centre of six classrooms that will have a sensory room, school hall, parent resource centre and an early intervention room for children under six. Our donation which will assist with the fit out of one of these classrooms. $7,850
Victoria
The Cancer Council of Victoria aims to launch a mobile cancer unit to enable them to travel to various community events and schools to educate and inspire people to fight back against cancer. Their main goal is to change the way people live their life to encourage healthier lifestyles and learn about prevention messages. Our donation will buy a Cancer Council Fight Back van so they can do their great work.
$25,500
South Australia
Our donation this year is supporting the training of Garnet, a beautiful black Labrador who is learning to assist children with autism. Guide Dogs SA launched this program last year and to date have placed four autism assistance dogs with South Australian families. Apart from the initial years training that all Guide Dogs receive, Garnet will undergo a further 15 weeks training before she is matched with a family. Garnet will be trained to stop the child from running away on outings, diffuse meltdowns and generally calm the child down, and when someone is at the front door, Garnet will block the door so the child can’t escape.
$16,500
Western Australia
This year’s donation finalises our two year commitment to Guide Dogs WA in the training of Hillsy. Hillsy continues to progress well through her puppy training phase. Each day she is practicing her skills within environments that she might later encounter when she graduates as a Guide Dog. $15,000