The 2023 Westfield Miranda and Hurstville Local Heroes community recognition and grants program winners have been announced.
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Celebrating its sixth year, the program rewards the successful hero at each Westfield centre a $20,000 grant for the group or organisation they represent, with the remaining two finalists each receiving a $5000 grant for their group or organisation.
Established in 2018, Scentre Group's Westfield Local Heroes program celebrates community role models whose work benefits others across a broad range of sectors including emergency services, registered community groups, sporting clubs, not-for-profit, schools, and the environment.
The program has supported more than 600 community organisations, investing a total of $6.14 million in community grants, with a further $1.26 million awarded this year.
In February, communities across Australia and New Zealand were invited to nominate role models making a positive impact in their community or environment, before being put to a public vote in August resulting in 70,000 votes being cast.
The $20,000 winner at Westfield Hurstville was Nellie Doueihi, who delivers tech-support to older people in the community.
"To be given the opportunity to help others and have meaningful purpose by helping older, vulnerable people lead their best lives fulfils my vision in supporting their dignity, independence and belonging," she said.
Westfield Miranda's major $20,000 winner was Adam Blatch, who runs a charity that assist families after the loss of a loved one.
"Although it's my name, it's the organisation I'm representing," he said. "The recognition means so much to so many people who know us and potentially resonates with those who don't know us. It costs us about $1500 for a child to go to one of our programs as we get no government support and we don't charge our families. Roughly about 13 kids can now come to a program next year."
HURSTVILLE
Recipient of the $20,000 grant:
- Nellie Doueihi of St Declan's Catholic Church, Penshurst, is a devoted coordinator of the church, where she provides 130 volunteers with an opportunity to have a meaningful effect on 300 elderly people. In addition to her past work, one of her standout initiatives is Tech Savvy Seniors, in which school students help elderly people connect with technology.
Recipient of the $5000 grant:
- Andrew Paschalidis, Heartbeat of Football Foundation, has saved lives with his relentless campaign to prevent and treat on-field cardiac arrest. He is the founder and Chief Executive of the Heartbeat of Football Foundation, which offers simple screening checks for players, advocates for defibrillators for all sports fields and provides first aid education.
- Lala Noronha is the General Manager at the Kogarah Storehouse, where she helps hundreds of people a month with emergency food parcels, financial aid and life-enhancing programs. Since starting her role in 2015, she has led The Kogarah Storehouse through unprecedented growth, with a three-fold increase in people seeking and receiving help.
MIRANDA
Recipient of the $20,000 grant:
- Adam Blatch is the Chief Executive of Feel the Magic, a charity that helps families after the loss of a parent, sibling or guardian. It provides evidence-based resources and offers free camps for 500 children a year. The camps are developed by clinical psychologists and are a starting point for children to talk about their grief.
Recipient of the $5000 grant:
- Kellie Stubbs of Gotcha4Life Foundation, puts her heart and soul into helping people in Sutherland Shire build mental fitness to improve their wellbeing and prevent suicide. She is a community and ambassador liaison at Gotcha4Life Foundation, where she helps prevent suicide by giving people tools to seek help, build healthy relationships and feel comfortable with vulnerability.
- Jeanette Cabrera, Civic Disability Services, has devoted 30 years to supporting thousands of Sutherland Shire people with disabilities. As a tireless support worker at Civic Disability Services Community Hubs, Janette has notched up many achievements. One of her standout projects is a literacy program, where participants are proud to learn to write their name and recite the alphabet.
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