Help & support
During November and December 2021, CommBank donated over $350,000 to organisations within local communities across Australia. Every CommBank branch and customer-facing team was given $500 to donate to an organisation of their choice. Here are some of our 2021 recipients and the amazing work they do.
Team Cupcake is a group of volunteers dedicated to giving practical support to people with cancer, and their families. Team Cupcake started out with a couple of friends and family raising money to pay for a beloved friend’s secondary cancer treatment.
Along their journey they discovered that there were many others in the local Ipswich community that needed a helping hand and sometimes just needed to know that someone was thinking of them and cared. Team Cupcake became an incorporation so that they could help to ease the burdens of other people and leave a legacy for their beloved friend.
Bonnie Support Services is a community group that provides support and/or accommodation to women and their children who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or escaping domestic and family violence.
Bonnie Support Services was voted in by customers of the South West Area branches - Wetherill Park, Cabramatta, Lidcombe and Sydney Markets.
The South West team was so encouraged by the work that Bonnies do for the community, they wanted to give more than just a donation. As an area, all branches collected and put together three car loads of donations to support women and their children in need. Some staff donated clothing, household goods, sanitary items, handbags and even hand-knitted blankets.
Blind Sports and Recreation Victoria offers over 20 fun, social sport and recreation programs for those who are blind or have low vision of all ages and fitness levels.
The Malvern branch selected them as during the latest lockdown in Victoria the team thought it was important that all Victorians continued to engage in physical activity to help support their wellbeing. Like all businesses, Blind Sports and Recreation adapted to the challenges and started running online fitness classes that offered participants the chance to take part in an Energy Balance Class, Zoom Fitness or even a walking group.
During 2021, there was an increase in drownings in Victoria potentially related to kids not being able to attend swimming lessons. This has meant that Lifesaving Victoria are extending the patrol months on Victorian beaches.
The donation is being used to extend their Nippers program and local training to ensure they have enough volunteers to cover the patrols as well as education and equipment to protect local community and the influx of expected Christmas visitors.
Backpacks for SA Kids is a charity that provides backpacks to children to relieve some of the stress and anxiety children face when they are removed from their family, often in traumatic situations and without the opportunity to take any personal belongings with them.
The backpacks provided contain age appropriate emergency clothing, toiletries and other necessary supplies (such as nappies, bottles and cuddle toys) for children aged 0-16 years who are taken into care as a result of neglect or abuse, or who need to quickly leave their homes due to family violence, or who are experiencing homelessness.
Dress for Success Perth is a charity that is part of a global movement of change, empowering women to obtain economic independence by providing them with work-appropriate attire, job support mentoring, access to career development workshops and a supportive network to enable them to move forward and achieve self-sufficiency through gainful employment.
The Subiaco Branch were delighted to present their donation which will be put towards supporting job interview preparation, career counselling and providing job interview attire.
The ladies at Moombahlene said they would be using the donation to go towards Aboriginal artwork fabric to make lamp shades and pots which they will then sell within the community.
They also have a native bush nursery in town to sell the pots.
The proceeds from selling the pots and lamp shades will benefit not only the Moombahlene community but the artist who designs the artwork on the fabric.
