$20,000 Commonwealth Bank Staff Foundation grant gives Community at 3 a helping hand

LOCAL charity Community at 3 has received a $20,000 donation from the Commonwealth Bank Community Grants Program, providing a significant boost to the organisation as it prepares to relocate to a new home.

The funding comes as Community at 3 approaches its tenth anniversary and undertakes a series of changes aimed at strengthening its services and supporting more people across the Camden Haven.

Commonwealth Bank Home Lending Specialist Pauline Hoad nominated the organisation for funding through the bank’s Staff Foundation, which is supported by contributions from Commonwealth Bank employees.

Ms Hoad explained that staff members could nominate community organisations to be considered for grants, with successful recipients selected from nominations across Australia.

“Our Community Staff Foundation is actually a staff foundation, so it’s the staff that contribute,” Ms Hoad said.

“From that, we’re able to nominate recipients each year.”

Ms Hoad said she was delighted to see a local organisation receive the $20,000 contribution.

“It’s awesome that we were able to get someone local to get the $20,000, for such a worthy cause too,” she said.

Community at 3 Co-Chair Theo Hazelgrove said the donation had arrived at an ideal time, with the organisation preparing to relocate from the Kew Country Club to facilities offered by the local Anglican Church.

Having operated from the Laurieton United Services Club for nine years before moving to the Kew Country Club approximately 12 months ago, the organisation is now preparing for another chapter in its history.

“This money came just at the right time for us,” Mr Hazelgrove said.

“This is our tenth year, and we’re refreshing Community at 3.”

Mr Hazelgrove said the organisation had accepted an invitation to use the Anglican Church facilities, describing them as an excellent opportunity to expand its operations.

“The Commonwealth Bank are contributing $20,000 of that to help us move there, which has just come at the right time,” he said.

The relocation remains subject to final Council approval, with the organisation hopeful of completing the move before Christmas.

Mr Hazelgrove said the new location would provide an opportunity to reach more people, particularly those living in Kew, Kendall, Herons Creek and surrounding communities.

The move also forms part of a broader effort to refresh the organisation’s operations in response to changing community needs.

“We’ve made a lot of changes to meet the common challenges of the day,” he said.

“We’ll be able to service a lot more people from the church.”

While Community at 3 primarily supports people throughout the Camden Haven, Mr Hazelgrove said its assistance also extends to people travelling from areas including Taree and Port Macquarie.

He acknowledged the important role community support has played in sustaining the organisation throughout its first decade.

“We’re able to do what we do because of the incredible support of the community,” Mr Hazelgrove said.

“We’re so grateful to the Commonwealth Bank for nominating us, and for Pauline, who drove this.”

With its tenth anniversary approaching, the organisation is looking ahead to a new chapter, with the substantial donation helping make its planned relocation possible.

By Luke HADFIELD