Givr Charity Program

Flowers Across Melbourne Givr for Charities: 2021 Update

Vibrant and welcoming, Melbourne is one of the best cities in which to live in the world. However, it also has its fair share of social issues that affect its residents at every level. As a proud and long-standing member of the community, Flowers Across Melbourne (FAM) is passionate about empowering charities. FAM also want to make a positive impact in neighbourhoods all across Melbourne.

As a way of giving back to the community, Flowers Across Melbourne donates 10% of all the sales of a specific bouquet of flowers each month. FAM selects charities in Victoria that are doing extraordinary work. Those that bring positive change to the lives and wellbeing of its people and animals. Flowers Across Melbourne does this by pairing a Victoria-based charity with one of our exquisite, hand-wrapped flower bouquets each month. Then subsequently donating 10% of the bouquet’s sales directly to the charity.

Photo by Bianka Csenki on Unsplash

In 2021, Flowers Across Melbourne was honoured to donate $4,900 to various charities in Victoria through the Givr program. Which is a 4.5% increase from 2020. Below is a little bit of information about the charities to which we donated in 2021. 

Charity Donations in 2021

With many charities undertaking remarkable work all across Victoria, it’s always a challenge coming up with just one each month. In 2021, we are proud to donate to the following charities:

Second Chance Animal Rescue

Founded to rescue and rehome cats and dogs whose owners can no longer care for them. Second Chance Animal Rescue seeks to give as many unwanted animals as possible a second chance at life. It houses a community animal hospital, shelter, a boarding facility for cats. It is also an education centre that teaches the public about responsible pet ownership.

Based in Melbourne, Second Chance Animal Rescue has a network of over 100 pet foster homes. Located across the city that look after pets in need of homes. It works to successfully match families with unwanted pets through either fostering or a new forever home. The overall objective is to rescue cats and dogs from being euthanized at pounds and shelters.

Second Chance Animal Rescue’s outreach program provides resources and support to underprivileged pet owners and organises community initiatives. Such as pet first aid workshops and market days for pet items. Additionally, they run a pantry that provides donated pet food for free to pet owners that cannot afford to feed their pets. To date, Second Chance Animal Rescue has rescued and successfully rehomed over 10,000 animals. 

Photo by Krista Mangulsone on Unsplash

Project Underdog Rescue

Reducing the number of animals unnecessarily euthanised in Australia is Project Underdog Rescue’s number one goal. PUR does more than rescuing and rehoming all animals regardless of their behavioural and health challenges. Project Underdog Rescue also undertakes outreach programs, education, and advocacy work to ensure their welfare.

Project Underdog Rescue believes that home settings provide the best environment for tailored care and rehabilitation of animals. Especially those with special needs; therefore, it opts to place all of the animals they rescue in foster homes instead of a shelter or pound. The ultimate objective though is for all the animals to eventually transition to a forever home.

Endeavouring to keep pets with their owners as much as possible. Project Underdog Rescue offers an outreach program called Companion Carers. This is for people who are temporarily unable to care for their pets. Under this program, Project Underdog Rescue provides a wide range of services. Including animal feeding and watering, grooming, and transporting to the vet as well as the administration of medicine if needed. 

The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre

Providing free counselling and support to victims of sexual assault and family violence. The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre has been operating in the Western Melbourne areas of Victoria since 1978. Its goal is for sexual abuse and family violence to be eliminated from society. As well as the principles of gender equality, social justice, and human rights to be upheld.

The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre’s wide range of services. Include early intervention treatment services for sexually abusive behaviours, therapy for adults who have experienced sexual assault and women impacted by family violence. As well as outreach to young people who experience or engage in violence against family members. The Centre also provides 24-hour crisis care and support to victims of recent sexual assault. As well as training to prevent family violence.

Photo by John Tuesday on Unsplash

The Period Project 

Operating in most Australian states, including the Northern Territory,. The Period Project provides sanitary products to homeless women and those at risk of being homeless, as well as women exiting prison. The Period Project is run by the National Homeless Collective charity. Which deals with a variety of intersecting issues that arise from homelessness, domestic violence, and other social crises.

The Period Project also provides employment to domestic abuse survivors and homeless women in its op shop and other programs that it runs with its partners. Additionally, it works to address women’s gynaecological health issues. By organising awareness-raising sessions about the impact of period poverty on women and also the importance of cervical screening in low-income communities.

To date, the Period Project provides support to around 60 organisations and over 50,000 people in Australia.

Cancer Support Angels

Committed to providing all-encompassing support to cancer patients during and after treatment. Cancer Support Angels is a not-for-profit organisation that was founded in 2019 in Cranbourne, Victoria. It aims to make the lives of cancer patients and their carers easier and stress-free. This is by assisting them with their most urgent needs during the difficult time after a diagnosis.

Cancer Support Angels supports patients financially by paying their bills, such as rent, utilities, food, and medication. As well as providing home help assistance in the form of cleaning, laundry, cooking, and yard work, among other things. It also provides emotional assistance through support groups, annual Christmas Giveaways, delivery of free care packages called Angel Packs to patients and carers, and sharing of educational information online via their website. 

Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre

Taking multipronged action against domestic and family violence, the Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre focuses on providing comprehensive support to women, children, and young people all across Victoria who are experiencing or afraid of family violence. Its services include crisis response, risk assessment, safety planning, provision of crisis accommodation and referral, and trauma counselling.

The Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre operates a 24-hour crisis phone line that supports and provides information to people at risk of, or experiencing, family violence on the steps they can take to find safety. The phone lines also have provisions in place to assist people with disabilities and non-English speakers.

In addition to providing legal assistance and support packages, the Centre also helps at-risk victims and survivors of domestic or family violence to establish a safety plan and it provides access to tools and essential material support. Safe Steps believes that information is key and so not only does it engage in advocacy work against domestic and family violence, but it also shares a lot of useful information on its website. 

AWARE Wildlife Rescue

The Australian Wildlife Assistance Rescue and Education (AWARE) organisation is dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating sick, injured, or orphaned local wildlife in Frankston, Victoria and the surrounding suburbs. They deal with wild animals as varied as koalas, birds, and ducks to seals and penguins.

AWARE operates a 24-hour rescue hotline run by volunteers where people can report found injured or orphaned wildlife. They also conduct educational initiatives, such as school visits and creating free downloadable flyers, through which they provide information about protecting and preserving local wildlife.

In addition to engaging in advocacy with the government, AWARE also holds workshops, presentations, and events aimed to expand the public’s awareness and knowledge about wildlife care. One of the objectives of their educational efforts is to also increase the number of carers and rescuers volunteering to protect and rehabilitate the wildlife. 

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Plans for 2022

Flowers Across Melbourne looks forward to continuing to provide its support to even more local charities in 2022. Please feel free to share with us the names and links to your favourite charity on our Instagram and Facebook pages @flowersacrosssydney and on Twitter @FlowersAcrossAu.

With giving integral to what we do here at Flowers Across Melbourne, we are also excited to continue to grow our Givr platform, which is purely dedicated to giving to others. You can support the work of a different charity each month by visiting the Charity Givr website and purchasing that month’s earmarked bouquet. Or, if you want to surprise someone special, head over to the Givr website and with just a few clicks you can nominate them for a free gift. And, of course, you may also do both.

Conclusion

We are grateful for all the hard work and commitment of charities in Victoria that are dedicated to improving the wellbeing of our communities and we are excited to support their activities by all means possible. We believe that we will be able to provide even more support in 2022 and we encourage you to share with us the names of any charity that we can feature in our Charity Givr program.

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