Community Fundraising Drive 2019

Supporting our local community is one of the core values at Motorama. With our Community Fundraising Drive, we donated $100,000 that we decided to divide over four local charities that all do wonderful things within our community. Everybody that purchased a car from Motorama Pre-Owned could vote to nominate one of our four local charities. Choosing just one charity for us to contribute to is most guests hardest decision. At the end of the year the votes were counted and this was the result:

Starlight: 52%

White Cloud Foundation: 17%

McGrath Foundation: 16%

Foodbank: 15%

They will split the $100,000 between them, each receiving their share.

STARLIGHT CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION

The Starlight Children's Foundation - with Motorama being a founding partner of the Starlight Express Room at the Queensland's Children's Hospital - aims to help brighten the lives of seriously ill children, teenagers and their families. Starlight helps sick kids forget their illness, turning pain, fear and stress into fun, joy and laughter.

Tracey Tomlin, State Partnerships Manager of the Starlight Children’s Foundation, received the cheque from Motorama Group Training Manager, Damian Woelders:

"The sad reality is, that every minute of every day a child is admitted to a hospital in Australia. Hospital and treatment can be scary. And when a child gets really sick, the fun, play and laughter of childhood often seems to disappear. What happens in childhood lasts a lifetime and happiness matters, especially when it coms to improving health outcomes. Starlight exists to brighten the lives of seriously ill and hospitalized children and young people, replacing the fear, loneliness and isolation of illness with fun, joy and laughter.

There is a Starlight Express Room in every children’s hospital in Australia. These bright, medical free havens run by Captain Starlight, are filled with fun, music, games and arts and crafts. While doctors treat a child’s illness, our super hero Captain Starlight entertains the children with an essential dose of laughter, play and creativity.

Just because you’re sick doesn’t mean you stop being a kid, and it shouldn’t mean missing out on all the fun of childhood. Starlight helps sick kids simply be kids. We replace pain, fear and stress with fun, joy and laugher. Because happiness matters.

Starlight knows there is more to treating an illness than just medicine, that is why they work hand in hand with health professionals. Play, art, games and creativity are all important to a child’s wellbeing and that helps overall health too. Starlight disrupts the relentless cycle of pain, stress and trauma and offers a welcome break so that kids can simply be kids.

When a once-bright life becomes dulled by needles, hospital visits and painful treatments, Starlight helps sick kids forget their illness and re-discover the joy of childhood."

WHITE CLOUD FOUNDATION

White Cloud Foundation provides practical support to people at risk of, or experiencing depression. In Brisbane, their Meals for Mums Program provides nutritious home delivered meals to Mum's at risk of perinatal depression. CEO Adam Scott smiled while Damian handed him the cheque:

"White Cloud Foundation is truly grateful to Motorama for its ongoing support, and we would particularly like to thank those Motorama customers who voted for White Cloud to benefit from its fundraising efforts in 2019. With the $17,000 that has been donated, White Cloud will be able to expand on its Meals for Mums program. The money will buy 10 meals each for 274 mums suffering from either post-natal depression or depression during their pregnancy in 2020.

These meals are just one of the ways White Cloud provides practical support for people suffering depression in Queensland. Donations, such as this generous one from Motorama and its customers, will also enable White Cloud to develop its tele-mental health service called STRATUS which has the potential to make a major difference to people suffering from depression and anxiety in rural and remote areas such as farmers affected by drought, and many of those who have been affected by the recent bushfires."

FOODBANK QUEENSLAND

Hunger in our local community is a very real problem. Last year, Foodbank helped provide enough food for over 22 million meals, with every dollar providing five meals to people in need. But they want to do so much more, explains Head of Fundraising of Foodbank Australia Lorelle Silveira :

"Foodbank Queensland is grateful for the support of Motorama customers donating $15,000. At the moment, there is a significant need to get food and groceries to people impacted by natural disaster and bushfires in Queensland.

Queensland has been ravaged by natural disaster – both drought and bushfire – and financial support allows us to be flexible, timely and cost efficient with relief. Because of the relationships we have with food growers, food producers, manufacturer and food and grocery, we a $1 donation into $6 worth of food and groceries. Donations like this one also give us the flexibility and agility to be able to specifically help communities and charities with the exact support they need, and when they need it.

The donation will have such an impact, as In a normal month, we assist over 200,000 people who would otherwise go without, and a further 6,939 people who ask for help are turned away empty handed because demand outstrips supply. With such a large number of additional people now requesting help, we will do our best to ensure everyone who needs assistance will receive it."

MCGRATH FOUNDATION

Last but not least, the McGrath Foundation. They raise money to place specialist McGrath Breast Care Nurses wherever they're needed right across Australia and seek to increase breast health understanding.

MOTORAMA CHARITY FOUNDATION

"On behalf of the Motorama Charity Foundation, I'd like to thank our Pre-Owned teams and customers for helping choose how we supported our four charities", says Damian Woelders. "We are very proud to donate this money to these special causes and will continue to do the same in 2020."