Stop poverty limiting a child’s potential.

Right now 8,238 children are urgently waiting for sponsors.

Sponsor now

Our Programs
- Literacy programs
  Providing resources and support to help children living with disadvantage achieve the required reading standard.
- Technology programs
  Providing children and young people living with disadvantage with the critical skills, access, and equipment they need.
- Numeracy programs
  We support early years educators and community professionals in building foundational math skills in children under their care.
- Learning for Life
  Learning for Life is an innovative, evidence-based program that supports students throughout their education to achieve positive long-term outcomes for young people experiencing disadvantage.
- Mentoring programs
  Mentoring programs for students living with disadvantage that provide the encouragement they need to build aspirations for their future.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs
  Our work engages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in learning through education, life skills and role models, promoting culturally responsive practice.
Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
View all programs
Get Involved
- Ways to fundraise
  Learn about fundraising and give back to the community with The Smith Family.
- Volunteer with us
  Share your skills to help Australian children in need transform their lives through education.
- Corporate partnerships
  Corporate partnerships give young Australians in need the chance to change their futures through educational support. Discover how you can join forces with The Smith Family to create a mutually-beneficial, impactful partnership.
- Careers
  We aim to provide a working environment where staff and volunteers have the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.
- Events
  Participate in events and activities that support young Australians experiencing disadvantage.
- VIEW Clubs of Australia
  Learn about VIEW, a leading women’s volunteer organisation and support network with over 13,000 members, across Australia.
Ways to Give
- Sponsor a child
  Through child sponsorship, you will be matched to an Australian child in need, helping to support the cost of their school essentials.
- A gift in your will
  Ensure that future generations of Australian children have the support they need to make the most of their education.
- Monthly donation
  Become a monthly donor and provide continual support throughout all stages of a child’s education.
- Philanthropic giving
  Through your philanthropy, you can ensure that young Australians impacted by poverty get the education that all children deserve.
- Single donation
  Your donation will help young Australians in need by providing access to our Learning for Life education support programs.
- Workplace giving
  Making small, regular donations to The Smith Family through Workplace Giving is an easy way to help change the lives of young Australians living in poverty.
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Child Sponsorship
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How poverty holds Australians back

1.2 million

Australian children and young people are living in poverty today.¹

30% lower

Year 12 completion rate when students experience disadvantage.²

2+ years behind

in reading and maths by Year 9.³

Break the cycle of disadvantage.

Donate now

Poverty can take so much, including a child’s self-belief.

Tom is a curious 8-year-old who dreams of becoming an engineer. But when his dad became too ill to care for him and his brother, poverty forced Tom’s family into a new reality. Moving in with his grandmother meant starting over at a new school and facing the daily challenges of poverty.

Like 1 in 6 Australian children living with poverty⁴, Tom has struggled all year at school, and now he’s ending the year behind his classmates.

Poverty steals more than school opportunities - it erodes a child’s self-belief and puts their future at risk.

Your gift can change that.

Donate now

Boy and grandma standing in front of brick wall at school — Tom’s grandma does everything she can to help him succeed—but extra support makes all the difference.

School boy in library choosing a book — Children like Tom strive to keep up in class, but poverty often means vital learning support is out of reach.

I’d really like to make things when I’m bigger – I think it’s called an engineer. But you need to be really smart to do that. And I don’t think I’ll ever be smart enough.

Tom, aged 8

With the right learning support, Tom and thousands of children like him can catch up at school, rebuild their confidence, and build themselves a better future.

Donate now

Your support gives more Australian children like Tom what they need to succeed.

As a donor, you'll help:

Increase access to tutoring and mentoring, helping students develop confidence and skills to thrive in school.
Support evidence-based programs proven to build strong reading and numeracy skills, especially in early childhood and primary years.
Engage students in out-of-school Learning Clubs and peer-supported reading programs, keeping them motivated and connected to their schoolwork.

Donate now

Primary school students sitting at desks in a classroom, with one student raising a hand to answer a question. — With the right resources, every student has the chance to succeed.

How your donation will help a student

Your donation will help Australian children access the life-changing extra learning support they need to catch up, keep up, and achieve everything they're capable of.

90%

of children who participated in student2student reading program improved their reading skills and confidence.⁵

82%

of students say that attending after-school Learning Clubs helped them to achieve more in class by building their motivation and engagement.⁶

79%

of students increased their understanding of what to expect at high school.⁷

Find out more about donating to our Christmas Appeal

How prevalent is disadvantage among young people in Australia, and what effects does it have on their education?

How much of my donation directly supports The Smith Family programs?

What is the best way to help children through The Smith Family’s programs?

Why should I choose The Smith Family when donating to help children in need?

* Names have been changed to protect the family’s privacy.

¹The Smith Family (2022), Pulse Survey.

²Parliament of Australia. The Extent and Nature of Poverty in Australia report. Chapter 4 – Child poverty.

³ Hunter, J., Stobart, A., and Haywood, A. (2023)The Reading Guarantee: How to give every child the best chance of success. Grattan Institute.

⁴Lamb et al. (2020). Educational opportunity in Australia 2020: Who succeeds and who misses out. Centre for International Research on Education Systems, Victoria University, for the Mitchell Institute.

⁵The Smith Family student2student program outcomes report 2024

⁶The Smith Family Learning Clubs program outcomes report 2024

⁷The Smith Family Passport to Success program outcomes report 2024.