QBE Foundation - Funding Local Communities
Border Trust is pleased to announce that it has been awarded funding totalling $10,000 from the QBE Foundation Local Grants Program.
The funding will be directed to two major local initiatives: Border Trust's Back To School Gift Voucher Program and the Flying Fruit Fly Circus Indigenous Circus Program.
The opportunity to apply for this funding came through the local QBE branch in Albury. The identified projects met QBE Foundations aims of supporting education initiatives or work readiness programs.
The decision by QBE Foundation to provide $5000 towards the Border Trust "Back to School Program" means an additional allocation of 100 x $50 Target vouchers will be available to local families in readiness for the start of the 2012 school year. Through this program, Border Trust distributed vouchers totalling more than $29,500 in 2011 and believe that the QBE Foundation's contribution to the program this year will provide a welcome boost to families who struggle to meet the requirements of a new school year.
The second QBE Foundation local grant of $5000, is to the Flying Fruit Fly Circus's Indigenous Circus Program which commenced in 2008. Running weekly, this program offers 15 young indigenous students a 35 week course to develop acrobatic, juggling, balancing and other circus skills with the aim being to keep disengaged indigenous 9-17 year olds at primary and secondary school.
QBE Albury Branch Manager, Paul Bocquet, identified Border Trust as the ideal way for the QBE Foundation to contribute to the local community.
"As a company, we receive frequent requests for financial assistance and whilst we try to accommodate all, the reality is we are not able to. I would suggest there are many businesses in the same situation. The Border Trust enables businesses to still make a contribution to their local community in a way that is efficient and relevant and we are really pleased to have been able to contribute – especially in this year of'the Border Trust "challenge grant".
The relationship between corporate organisations such as QBE and Border Trust is a mutually beneficial one, and, as the local Community Foundation for the region, Border Trust has an established mechanism to attract this significant funding and provide a mechanism for corporate entities to contribute to worthwhile community initiatives.
Border Trust thanks QBE FOUNDATION for its generous contribution to these valuable local projects.