First Step is joining the Global GivingTuesday Movement to launch its Inaugural Fundraising Campaign for the 2019 giving season. We aim to raise funds for an additional consulting room at First Step, enabling a further 30 consultations each week, or around 1500 extra consultations over the course of a year.
December 3rd 2019 is Giving Tuesday. A global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage giving and to celebrate generosity worldwide. Every year, on Giving Tuesday, millions of people around the world mobilize to show up and give back in a quest to change their communities for the better. The goal is to create a wave of generosity and a sense of goodwill that will linger well beyond December 3rd touching the heart of every person on the planet.
At First Step, we are proud of the difference that we make to the more than 2500 people suffering from mental ill-health and addiction, who seek support each year from our collaborative team care treatment model. We are also acutely aware that much more needs to be done.
“At First Step, we believe that everybody deserves every chance to turn their lives around. Chronic mental ill-health and addiction are often the results of significant childhood neglect and abuse, and the timely treatment of these conditions benefits not only our patients but their families and the communities in which we all live.” – Patrick Lawrence, CEO First Step
We invite you to join with us this Giving Tuesday to help break the cycle of intergenerational disadvantage and to support our community members in their quest to get better.
Help us to combat the increasingly tenacious trend of mental ill-health in our communities. Help us to get people healthy and out of the hospital, happy in their relationships with family and friends and engaged in meaningful work. www.firststep.org.au/donate
Founded in 2012, GivingTuesday has inspired millions of people to give back and support the causes they believe in. In just seven years, GivingTuesday has radically changed how we think about generosity and has shown just how much power individuals and communities have to create change.
“Giving Tuesday is a global celebration of generosity: a dedicated day of the year when people donate their time, goods, or dollars, or the power of their voice to charities, causes and community groups,” said GivingTuesday director Cathy Truong.
“Since it began in the United States seven years ago, Giving Tuesday has reached more than 50 countries, from Liberia to Mexico. In 2019, China, Germany and Somalia will join in for the first time, and Australia is gearing up for its biggest ever celebrations nationwide.”
Ms Truong said Giving Tuesday had generated more than AU$1.25 billion globally in donations since its inception and millions of volunteer hours.
“Research shows Giving Tuesday does more than just move donations from one day of the year to another – it brings in money that wouldn’t otherwise have been donated,” she said.
“No one owns this movement and organisations across the world have used the day to experiment with a new idea for fundraising. We hope to see a bit of creativity here as well.”
Those who are interested in joining First Step’s GivingTuesday initiative can visit www.firststep.org.au/donate
First Step was first created in 2000 at the height of the heroin epidemic in Victoria. At that time prominent businessmen Peter White OAM, Dr Simon Rose and Rev Tim Costello AO joined forces to establish the clinic in response to what they perceived to be a critical need for low-cost & effective treatment for heroin addiction. Determined to treat people at their point of need, First Step rejected the industry dogma at the time that resulted in most other treatment facilities excluding people suffering from both addiction & mental ill-health. Over the ensuing 20 years, First Step has continued to evolve, it’s driving mission: the delivery of compassionate and non-judgmental treatment of mental ill-health and substance use disorders. Today First Step is well recognized for its ability to manage sub-acute, highly complex clients using its truly collaborative team care model of treatment. This model leverages the collective expertise of addiction medicine GP’s, mental health nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, criminal & family violence lawyers, case coordinators and peer workers to achieve the most optimal outcome for each individual, all free of charge. As governments, health experts and others increasingly advocate for multi-disciplinary hubs, First Step stands proudly as the pioneer mental health hub in Australia.
Website: www.firststep.org.au/donate
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheFirstStepProgram
Twitter: www.twitter.com/FirstStepTweets
To learn more about GivingTuesday participants and activities or to join the celebration of giving, please visit:
Website: www.givingtuesday.org.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GivingTuesdayAUS
Twitter: www.twitter.com/GivingTuesAUS
