Community Champions Back Local Giving

Mackay Community Foundation has announced the appointment of three local ambassadors who will work with businesses across the region to promote its employee giving program – ‘Mackay, Give Where You Live’.

Local leaders Denise Phillips, Sally Richards and John Glanville will act as ambassadors for the Foundation, speaking with local employers about how the program works and how it can be implemented.

‘Mackay, Give Where You Live’ allows employees to opt in to donate $2 or more per week through payroll deductions, which are pooled and invested by the Mackay Community Foundation, with participation designed to be flexible, simple and sustainable.

The earnings from those investments are then distributed each year as community grants to local not-for-profit organisations.

Mackay Community Foundation Board Chair Melissa Green said ‘Mackay, Give Where You Live’ gives local businesses and their teams the opportunity to support a wide range of local causes in a coordinated way that creates lasting impact.

“Mackay Community Foundation exists to protect local generosity and make sure it continues to benefit our community year after year,” Ms Green said.

“By appointing ambassadors who are already trusted and well known in the business community, we’re able to have meaningful conversations about how small, regular contributions can add up to something truly powerful over time.”

Ms Green said ‘Mackay, Give Where You Live’ aligns with the Foundation’s broader goal of growing its investment base to support future generations.

“Our long-term focus is building a $10 million investment fund so we can distribute over $500,000 in grants every year. The employee giving program plays an important role in helping us get there, while giving businesses and their teams a simple way to give where they live.”

Ambassador Denise Phillips, owner of Gardian, said her business had been involved in employee giving for many years and had seen firsthand how small weekly contributions can grow into something significant.

“We’ve had an employee giving program for Mackay Community Foundation in place at Gardian for nearly 10 years, and those small amounts have added up to a meaningful contribution back into our local community,” Ms Phillips said.

“It’s an easy thing for employees to opt in to, and while employers can choose to match contributions, they don’t have to. The important part is that everyone is contributing in a way that works for them.”

Ms Phillips said she was passionate about encouraging more businesses to consider the program.

“Local businesses are asked to support causes all the time, and it’s not always possible to say yes.

“This program makes local giving simple, sustainable and more effective, by bringing contributions together so they can create greater impact than any one business could achieve on its own.”

Businesses interested in learning more about the ‘Mackay, Give Where You Live’ employee giving program are encouraged to contact the Mackay Community Foundation at admin@mackayfoundation.com.au.

Photo caption: L-R Mackay Community Foundation Chair Melissa Green with local leaders Denise Phillips, Sally Richards and John Glanville. Photo supplied

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