The Flight Centre Foundation has donated $75,000 to five charities as part of its Giving Grants program.
The charities – Meals with Impact, Steps Pathway College, Brainwave Australia, For Change Co and Zoe Support Australia – will receive an equal share of the funds, which were provided by Flight Centre Travel Group staff.
The recipient organisations help disadvantaged community groups – such as refugees and those without homes – find jobs through skills training including cooking, bike repair work, and skills relating to retail and transportation work.
“Our Flight Centre Travel Group employees, through our grants program, are thrilled to help people experiencing barriers to mainstream employment,” said Flight Centre Head of People & Culture Allisa O’Connell.
“What’s extra rewarding is that many of these charities have a dual purpose, such as helping the circular economy through saving bikes from landfill and repairing them, and providing food for other people in need.”
How it works
Not-for-profit organisations that met employment pathways criteria were encouraged to apply for the grants, with FCTG’s 4,900 employees invited to vote for their preferred charity.
“The Giving Grants are only made possible through the commitment of our people to generously support Australian charities through workplace giving so we want them to have the final say in how their contributions will make the biggest impact,” O’Connell said.
“The Flight Centre Foundation has been a much-loved initiative of our people for many years, and this is the second year of the Giving Grants Program, which we plan to continue in 2023 and beyond.”
The Foundation has donated over $20 million internationally since 2008, with $15 million coming from Australia alone. FCTG matches employees’ donations dollar for dollar.
“Flight Centre Travel Group also provides our people an annual volunteer day every year, where they can help a charity of their own choosing,” remarked O’Connell.
“They’ve spent their volunteer leave doing everything from planting trees, cooking up meals, writing Christmas cards for kids in foster care, helping clean and care for animals and much more.”
Check out Flight Centre asking kids the big questions in a hilarious video series.
