When you read definitions of philanthropy, you’ll often see references to “love of humankind” as well as Time, Treasure and Talent.

Our discussions with philanthropists and those aspiring to give tend to focus on the ‘Treasure’ – that is, dollars and cents.

But just as important are other contributions philanthropists can make:

• Time: Is there a non-financial contribution you can make? Would volunteering your time allow you to connect with the for-purpose organisation you support in a different way? Would it give you a greater understanding of their work and their impact?
• Talent: Would beneficiaries benefit from your expertise, networks or influence?

According to the Support Report1, the financial value of volunteering to the sector is 1.7 times that of donations and bequests. Giving Australia 2016 reported 932 million hours of volunteering across a 12-month period.

Equity Trustees is proud of the impact we‘re making in the community by delivering on our responsibility as a leading provider of charitable funds in Australia, as well as through our partnerships with the for-purpose sector. We aim to nurture true partnerships and this includes providing our own employees time to volunteer, experience and understand the grassroots impact our social sector partners are generating through volunteerism.

Over the past 12 months, members of the Equity Trustees Philanthropy team, along with colleagues from the wider business, have been out and about supporting different for-purpose organisations. Not only are we offering much-needed volunteering hours, but through that volunteering we gain a genuine appreciation of the impact each for-purpose organisation is creating.

Examples of recent volunteering activities:

• FareShare: Members of our Superannuation Trustee Office (STO) and Advice teams helped out at FareShare’s Melbourne kitchen, putting together nutritious meals made from quality surplus food rescued from supermarkets, farmers and other businesses. FareShare provide more than 5,500 meals a day to other for-purpose organisations for distribution across Melbourne.
• Good360: Denise from our Philanthropy team joined members of the STO to offer a helping hand to Good360, who support Australians in need by connecting businesses’ brand-new goods to needy charities.
• Foodbank: Members of our Finance and Operations team helped out at Foodbank, organising and packing food that’s then delivered to other charities to feed people in need.
• EatUp: Our Marketing team recently made 250 sandwiches that EatUp distribute to Victorian schoolchildren who would otherwise go without their lunch.
• Two Good Co: A social enterprise supporting women fleeing domestic violence, our Philanthropy Team supported their Melbourne kitchen crew to make quality meals for their clients, working along side women in the kitchen.

If you’d like to find out more about volunteering opportunities or would like to organise a site tour of any of the above for-purpose organisations, please contact your Relationship Manager.