Immediate release – January 2022

The Honda Foundation raises funds for national charities two years in a row

• The Honda Foundation 2021 community initiative helped raise more than $87,000 for Australian not for profit organisations
• Three not for profits chosen –The Leukaemia Foundation; headspace; Camp Quality
• Money will be used by Leukaemia Foundation for improving accommodation quality
• headspace will expand services in Brisbane to support more youth
• Camp Quality will use the money to help fund the Camp Quality Puppet Programs, providing children facing cancer with joy and laughter
• More than $13million raised by The Honda Foundation since inception in 1992.

After the success of The Honda Foundation’s 2020 end of year community initiative which raised almost $100,000 for three important and national organisations, the 2021 community initiative partnered with the Leukaemia Foundation, headspace and Camp Quality. The goal was to raise funds for the programs and equipment that help so many people involved with these national organisations.

The Honda Foundation once again called upon Honda vehicle owners and asked them to select the organisation of their preference to receive funds from The Honda Foundation – Leukaemia Foundation, headspace or Camp Quality.

The Leukaemia Foundation
The Leukaemia Foundation helps people who live with many types of blood cancers. In total, The Honda Foundation donated $34,120 to support their accommodation program for people undergoing treatment. People who are diagnosed with blood cancer and live in regional, rural or remote areas of Australia often need to travel to a major city hospital at short notice to begin medical treatment. For many people, this could mean weeks or even months away from home and additional financial pressures.

The funding from The Honda Foundation has gone towards to purchasing High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) grade air purifiers in apartments and reception areas of Leukaemia Foundation patient accommodation facilities. HEPA Air Purifiers are an affordable way to reduce the risk of unmitigated COVID-19 spread, enhancing the well-being and safety of people living with blood cancer who are staying at Leukaemia Foundation Accommodation whilst receiving life-saving treatment. Patients living with blood cancer are already immune-compromised and vulnerable to infection and COVID-19 presents a very serious additional threat to these patients.

“We are extremely grateful to the Honda Foundation and Honda owners who so generously nominated the Leukaemia Foundation to help fund medical grade air purifiers for our accommodation facilities for Australians undergoing treatment for blood cancer.”

“Those with weakened immune systems such as blood cancer patients, are more likely to contract COVID-19, and sadly have a 34 per cent higher chance of losing their life to the virus. These air purifiers will provide greater protection for blood cancer patients and their carers, and enable the Leukaemia Foundation to continue to do everything we possibly can to protect those we support.”
– Chris Tanti
CEO, Leukaemia Foundation

headspace
headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12–25-year-olds. headspace can help young people with mental health, physical health (including sexual health) alcohol and other drug services, and work and study support.

The Honda Foundation community initiative contributed $29,190 towards headspace’s eheadspace program which supports young people going through a difficult time. The program is a national online and phone support service, staffed by experienced youth mental health professionals. It provides 12–25-year-olds, and their family and friends, a safe, secure and anonymous place to talk to a professional –whenever they need, wherever they are. Since eheadspace’s inception in 2011, it has grown in popularity with young people across Australia.

The program expansion will go towards helping youth in Brisbane. By expanding in this region, this will equate to an approximately 13,500 additional occasions of service to 4,000 young people and families provided from eheadspace annually. This will directly translate to more young people receiving support from eheadspace.

“We are blown away by the incredible result from this year’s end of year initiative. We would like to extend a huge thank you to the team at The Honda Foundation and Honda customers for supporting youth mental health, and the expansion of headspaces’ online services.”
– Amy Coote
Head of Corporate Partnerships and Fundraising, headspace

Camp Quality
Camp Quality gives kids facing cancer the chance to be kids again. Camp Quality’s services and programs are created specifically to support children aged up to 15 years, who are dealing with their own cancer diagnosis, or the diagnosis of someone they love, like a brother, sister, mum, dad or carer.

Camp Quality provides kids, their siblings, and parents, with fun experiences, education, specialised cancer care, counselling and a supportive community; in-hospital, online, at school and away from it all on camps and at their retreats.

The Honda Foundation community initiative donated $24,025 to Camp Quality to help fund their Camp Quality Puppet Programs. The puppets provide fun and distraction for kids at their hospital bedsides, which boosts their mental wellbeing. The Camp Quality Puppets play a key role in delivering in hospital visits, Puppet Digital Playdates and the Primary School Cancer Education Program.

During hospital visits the puppets bring much needed laughter, distraction and relief to the kids and families whilst they undergo a cancer diagnosis and treatment. The Puppet Digital Playdates are delivered via video conferencing, to brighten up the days of children who have been impacted and isolated by cancer, in a tailored interaction with one of the puppets.

The Camp Quality Primary School Cancer Education Program is an educational puppet show busting myths about cancer, providing practical tools and resources and to educate kids, teachers and parents on how to create an inclusive environment.

The Camp Quality Puppets also represent Camp Quality across many events and initiatives as the faces of their cause, facilitating conversations about cancer in an age-appropriate manner to educate and empower kids, families, teachers and communities when facing cancer.

Deborah Thomas, Chief Executive Officer at Camp Quality says funding from the Honda Foundation’s 2021 End of Year community initiative will help the children’s cancer charity support more children across Australia.

“Camp Quality greatly appreciates this donation, which will help fund the creation of our new, expanded family of Camp Quality Puppets,” Ms Thomas says.

“Our Camp Quality Puppet Programs provide positivity and support to children impacted by cancer within-hospital visits, online with Puppet Digital Playdates and at preschools and primary schools across Australia with our Cancer Education Program. Thank you to the Honda Foundation for helping us change the cancer story for children and their families impacted by cancer.”

– Deborah Thomas
Chief Executive Officer, Camp Quality

In total, The Honda Foundation donated $87,335 to these three amazing and deserving Australian organisations with major help from Honda vehicle owners. The Honda Foundation aims to assist Australian organisations that help communities and provide life enhancing programs and facilities for them. For every new Honda vehicle sold in Australia, the Honda Centre donates $10, and Honda Australia donates $20, combined to a total donation of $30.

“We are very happy with the support we have received from Honda owners in 2021 through this community initiative, in what has been a difficult year for many people and businesses across Australia. We hope that this small contribution from The Honda Foundation can make a big difference to the quality of life for the many deserving Australians that need it in 2022”.
– Stephen Collins
Chairman, The Honda Foundation

Since 1992, more than $13million has been donated to hundreds of worthy causes and local charities, so that they can continue their good work and provide support and relief to people in need.

[ENDS]

Honda Australia Public Relations contact:
Justin Lacy
Public Relations Lead, Honda Australia
0488203 203
[email protected]

Ben Familton
Head of Brand & Communications, Honda Australia
0429 304 714
[email protected]

If you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. Remember, we’re always here to help every step of the way. For general inquiries, please email media@leukaemia.org.au.

Contact our media team:
Kim Loudon, Media Manager – VIC, ACT, SA, NT 0460 000 536 [email protected]

Prue Cripps, Media Manager – QLD, WA, NSW, TAS 0427 251 452 [email protected]

Yulia Zaytseva, Media Coordinator 0427 923 553 [email protected]

Cassandra Sananes, Ambassador Engagement Lead 0466 584 566 [email protected]