By CASEY NEILL
The new Macpherson Kelley Foundation will funnel philanthropic funds into the community.
Dandenong Civic Centre hosted the law firm’s launch for the initiative on Wednesday 18 May.
Macpherson Kelley foundation, philanthropy and community engagement special counsel Jo Hastings will head up the national project.
“The foundation has been brewing for quite a while but has finally come to fruition,” she said.
“I’ve been passionate about the whole area of philanthropy.
“Every job I’ve ever done has been leading to this point.”
The foundation is a public ancillary fund through which Macpherson Kelley’s clients can support charities.
Individuals, families or companies can also create a sub-fund under the foundation and Ms Hastings will work with them to find their best-fit charities.
“One of the other aspects is a sub-fund which is the workplace-giving program,” she said.
“That’s what our employees are invited to contribute to.
“The charities that will be selected will be based on the results of a survey that I undertook with all our employees a couple of months ago.”
STREAT chairwoman Dawn O’Neil officially launched the fund.
“She spoke about the growing need for people to become aware and involved in their local community in a meaningful and sustainable way,” Ms Hastings said.
“STREAT do a lot of work with training unemployed and disadvantaged youth in the hospitality industry.
“We actually used the services of STREAT for the function.”
The Pyjama Foundation’s Victorian project manager Shannon O’Brien spoke “briefly but right to the point about some of the needs of the most vulnerable in our community, which are foster children”.
“Its particular area of focus is having volunteers called pyjama angels read to children in foster care,” Ms Hastings said.
