What your donation helps to achieve with The Smith Family

Thank you. Your support is helping disadvantaged Australian children to keep up at school, stay engaged in their education and access opportunities for their study and/or career paths.

Download our 2011/12 Annual Report to see how just how some of your donations contributed in the last year.

Every dollar makes a difference!

In the last year our work reached more than 106,000 disadvantaged children and their families in 97 communities across Australia:

• Children and their parents = 57,987
• Students on sponsorship: primary years = 15,794
• Students on sponsorship: secondary years = 16,665
• Students on sponsorship: tertiary years = 1,901
• Students who participated in programs (not on sponsorship) = 7,035
• Parents, carers and teachers = 6,679

We rely on caring Australians to help us fund our Learning for Life program which supports disadvantaged children and young people all the way through their education, from pre-school and primary school, to senior school and on to tertiary studies if they choose. Our holistic, long term support gives young Australians the assistance they need to develop vital life skills, stay engaged in their education and have the best chance to realise their potential. Last year our work was made possible by the generous support of more than 73,600 donors and 20,600 sponsors, 7,840 volunteers contributing more than 343,000 hours of service, and 19,600 VIEW Club members in 357 clubs.

For every $1 we fundraised (from individual supporters, corporate partners, trusts and foundations and through the support we receive from the government and bequests), $0.83 was spent directly on our community programs (Learning for Life and Communities for Children) helping disadvantaged Aussie kids.

The profits from our clothing Recycling Operation, and other investment income continue to offset our administration costs, ensuring that donations are spent where they are needed most - supporting disadvantaged kids and their families.

Thank you for your support!

In the 2011/12 financial year, our supporters' donations have helped to achieve wonderful things, for example:

• 34,360 students received sponsorship, a 3.5% increase over the previous year
  * 6.5% of our students receiving sponsorship are of Aboriginal or Torres Straight Island background
  * 60% of the families we support with sponsorship are lone parent families
• 27,827 children and their parents in 66 communities across Australia took part in Let's Read
• 13,610 chidren and 14,198 parents participated in Communities for Children programs and activities
• 2,517 students attended one of our 146 Learning Clubs 
• 1,309 disadvantaged students particiated in student2student (paired with another 1,309 student volunteers)
• 1,157 students received the support of a mentor 
• 690 disadvataged students and families received a Tech Pack
• 1,987 students, parents and carers joined Saver Plus
• 97 communities around Australia were strengthened through the support provided to community members via The Smith Family's Learning for Life program

Thank you for helping to make Australia a better place for all Australian children by supporting The Smith Family. We couldn't do it without you!