Not-for-profit Little Wings which provides free flights and ground transport for seriously ill children, has been announced as the recipient of a Jemena Community Grant, to help deliver specialist clinics in regional NSW.
Little Wings will receive $10,000 to run clinics in Tamworth and Armidale, as well as Moree, Dubbo, Brewarrina, Forbes and Parkes, providing children with free, close-to-home access to health services. It is one of 21 community projects and organisations which have received a total of about $170,000 in community grants from energy infrastructure company Jemena.
Jemena has announced it will provide about $170,000 to community organisations in NSW, where it delivers gas to more than 1.5 million customers through its New South Wales gas distribution network, and in north-west Melbourne, where it delivers electricity to more than 380,000 homes and businesses.
Jemena's General Manager of Corporate Affairs Ian Israelsohn noted that the company was pleased to deliver its largest-ever grants program to a wide range of incredible initiatives.
"What's important to our customers and their communities is important to us – we know people are continuing to navigate the impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and mounting cost-of-living pressures," Mr Israelsohn said.
"The last few years have made it really tough for a lot of community programs to continue, and many people are seeking help to ensure others in their communities can stay socially connected, have access to the essentials they need, and have meaningful activities or opportunities to look forward to.
"Through our 2022 grants program, we are delighted to put our support behind some incredible initiatives – from school reconciliation projects to care programs for the elderly, pop up health clinics, free haircuts for people experiencing homelessness, and training and work opportunities for those who may otherwise miss out.
"We're very proud this is not only our largest investment in community grants, but also the largest number of programs we've been able to fund through Jemena Community Grants."
Little Wings CEO Clare Pearson said: "The Jemena grants program plays such an important role in helping support regional communities, and specifically assisting us at Little Wings, in taking proactive steps to really have a meaningful impact on healthcare across the regions."
"The support from Jemena will allow us to assist over 350 children living in regional and remote NSW and diagnosed with a serious medical condition. We are truly grateful and looking forward to sharing the journey and the impact of this partnership."
Since the program's launch in 2019, Jemena has proudly awarded over $500,000 in local grants to 51 groups, supporting critical emergency relief, mental and physical health, education and other benefits for thousands of Australians.
Jemena also provides support to community members who may need additional help navigating the energy sector and taking control of their energy bills through its Uniting Energy Assist program. This program has helped participants save around $650 on their energy bills on average.
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