It's that time again to nominate a deserving community 'hero' who goes above and beyond in their line of work.
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Westfield's Local Heroes program has launched for 2024, and is seeking nominations from the St George and Sutherland Shire community.
A Hurstville recipient of last year's funding program, Nellie Doueihi of St Declan's Catholic Church Penshurst, has been able to expand her work thanks to the $20,000 she received, and has grown her dedicated efforts in continuing to assist people through positive change.
Nellie, a devoted coordinator of the church, 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.
The Westfield Local Heroes program celebrates the community's positive role models by shining a spotlight on them and their cause. Offering $20,000 and $5000 grants, totalling $1.26 million annually, to provide vital support to community organisations and the work they do.
As the program enters its seventh consecutive year, its alumni have continued to benefit the community with contributions of $7.395 million in grants to more than 700 community organisations since its inception in 2018. Westfield Local Heroes alumni represent a variety of fields, including family and youth support, health and wellbeing, inclusion and equity, community resilience, and environmental sustainability.
Selected by a panel of Westfield team members and local community partners, the program sees a shortlist of three finalists selected for each Westfield centre, which will then be put to the community to vote for their local hero for 2024.
A community vote will be held between August 20 and September 9 to determine the Westfield Local Heroes at each centre, with the grant recipients announced on October 15.
Nominations close on March 18.
