philanthropyOz Blog

A first for Sydney: The Sydney Women’s Fund

Sydney, 6 March 2007: Ahead of celebrations for International Women’s Day, the Sydney Women’s Fund has been introduced as part of the Sydney Community Foundation (SCF). The fund aims to raise $1 million over the next two years to reinvest in helping Sydney women.

The Sydney Women’s Fund will support programs for women in greater Sydney. The Fund will focus on four key areas: improved access to education; improved personal safety; preventive health-care; and participation in sport.

The SCF Chair, Wendy McCarthy AO, will introduce the Fund to leading women from the Sydney business community at a lunch at the Sydney Town Hall. Ms McCarthy said: “From Elizabeth Macquarie, Caroline Chisholm, Maybanke Anderson and Jessie Street, Sydney women have a strong heritage of helping Sydney women.

“The Sydney Women’s Fund provides Sydney with an opportunity to continue the work of the early pioneers and ensure the cycle of education, help, and reinvestment continues,” Ms McCarthy said.

In a modern world-class city like Sydney there are women who are not safe in their homes and communities; who do not have access to adequate health and dental care, and who are not receiving the level of education they deserve.

As part SCF, the Sydney Women’s Fund will support women to overcome these disadvantages. Typically the fund could support literacy programs, culturally appropriate community sporting initiatives, sexual health programs and work to keep women safe in their homes.

SCF will seek funding through donations, endowments, bequests, corporate sponsorship and partnerships. The Foundation will be encouraging Sydneysiders to also establish named funds to recognise important women in their own lives, such as grandmothers, mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, wives, partners or friends.

More information regarding the Sydney Women’s Fund can be obtained by contacting Ingrid Aitken on 02 9202 9132 or via email on enquiries@sydneycommunityfoundation.org.au.