Right now, 458 children are urgently waiting for sponsors.

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.
Login
Child Sponsorship
Donate now

One remarkable gift. 1,300 brighter futures.

Person seated in an armchair, posing for a portrait in an indoor setting with red artwork on the wall behind.

As a cardiovascular physician, researcher, and scientist Dr Karen Duggan dedicated her life to helping others. Now, through a generous gift in her Will, her impact will continue for generations to come.

Karen believed everyone deserved a fair go and that education had the power to open doors and create opportunities. That's why she chose to leave her home to The Smith Family in her Will. It’s a gift that will help make every tomorrow better for Australian children in need.

Karen’s beautiful family home in Clovelly was sold at auction for $10.4 million. The proceeds from this extraordinary gift will support nearly 1,300 students through The Smith Family's Learning for Life program over the next five years.

Karen believed education changes lives. Sara’s story shows how.

Learning for Life alumni, Sara, knows first-hand the difference educational support can make through Karen's legacy. After arriving in Australia before her fifth birthday, Sara faced many challenges. When her family moved to Melbourne at age nine, she knew no one. Through school, she joined a Learning Club and found a place where she felt supported.

"It was such a great community to be a part of when we didn't know anyone," she said.

With support from The Smith Family, Sara embraced every opportunity. She is now studying medicine and pursuing her dream of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon. Knowing Karen worked in medicine makes her gift even more meaningful.

It’s so inspiring to see someone who worked in the same field helping students like me

Sara

Today, Karen's generosity will help many more students like Sara stay engaged in their education and pursue their aspirations. Through the power of education, her legacy will continue to make every tomorrow better.

While Dr Duggan's gift is the largest gift in a Will The Smith Family has ever received, every gift can make a meaningful difference. Even a small percentage of your estate, once you've taken care of your loved ones, can help future generations of Australian children build brighter futures.

To find out more about leaving a gift in your Will, contact our team on 02 9085 7118 or gifts-in-wills@thesmithfamily.com.au.

Read more student and family stories in our Spring 2026 edition of Your Support, Real Impact.

Popular Searches

One remarkable gift. 1,300 brighter futures.

Karen believed education changes lives. Sara’s story shows how.

Gift in Will: support children in need beyond your lifetime

Leaving a legacy: Tabitha’s gift to The Smith Family

One word sums up why Lynette’s stayed a sponsor for 20 years