Coles’ Curing Homesickness fundraising appeal has raised over $1.3 million in two weeks to support sick children and babies in hospital.
The money was raised through donation cards, customer donations, store fundraising, and 50 cents of every jar of Mum’s Sause pasta and pizza sauces, taking the total funds raised for the appeal to nearly $5 million since 2019.
Nicola Stokes, Director of Curing Homesickness, thanked customers and team members for their support.
“Our children’s hospitals are extremely grateful that Coles customers and store teams across Australia have embraced the cause with so much enthusiasm, and we would like to thank them for their ongoing commitment to helping get kids home from hospital sooner.”
Matt Swindells, COO of Coles, said Coles was proud of how customers and members got behind the appeal.
“Our fundraising appeal has continued to go from strength to strength since Curing Homesickness began three years ago, and we’re delighted to be able to help fund vital equipment and services to help sick children in children’s hospitals across Australia.”
The campaign will help children’s hospital foundations and paediatric services across the country fund vital new projects, research, and equipment for sick kids and their families.
“Once again our customers and team members have gone above and beyond in their support of our partnerships with children’s hospitals across Australia, and we can’t thank them enough for their efforts in helping to get sick kids home from hospital sooner,” said Swindells.
Money raised will
Money raised from NSW will see includes $400,000 to support the virtualKIDS service at Sydney’s Children’s Hospitals Network and $261,000 to enable John Hunter Children’s Hospital in Newcastle to pilot an early transfer home service for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit patients.
Across other states, $223,000 will go towards helping Victoria’s Monash Children’s Hospital purchase technology to deliver its stem cell program for premature babies. In Queensland, $181,000 will help fund a pilot program at The Prince Charles Hospital children’s services.
In Western Australia, $127,000 will go to the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation, in South Australia and the Norther Territory $80,000 will help fund Smileyscope virtual reality goggle at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, while in ACT $36,000 will go to the Canberra Hospital Foundation.
Money will continue to be raised for the Curing Homesickness program with 50 cents from every jar of Mum’s Sause pasta and pizza sauce going towards the program.