Last week the Geelong Football Club recognised Peace of Mind, Our Village and Ocean Mind for the substantial impact they have had on the local community.
Representatives and volunteers from the three organisations had the opportunity to attend Thursday's match against Adelaide, sitting in the GMHBA Community Bay.
The GMHBA Community Bay has been established to provide local community groups, families and individuals the opportunity to attend a Geelong Cats home game.
During Thursday's match, the organisations were also recognised at quarter time with an on-field introduction, along with a video explaining the fantastic work they do.
Peace of Mind
Peace of Mind Foundation is Australia’s leading specialist brain cancer support charity, with the belief that no family should ever have to face brain cancer alone.
Each year, the Foundation supports thousands of families across the country, providing personalised, one-on-one support from diagnosis through to bereavement.
Brain cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers in Australia, with limited treatment options and some of the poorest survival outcomes. Families are often left navigating overwhelming medical, financial, emotional and practical challenges.
Peace of Mind Foundation advocates for patients and their loved ones, helping them access the programs and services they need. They also create connection through meaningful community events, in-home support, and specialised advocacy services.
They show up at every touch point of the brain cancer journey, walking beside families when it is needed most.
Ocean Mind
Ocean Mind is a community-based charity located on the Surf Coast of Victoria. They facilitate therapeutic surf programs for young people aged 8-18 years experiencing challenges in their lives including mental health conditions, social isolation and disabilities.
Their free community programs provide much needed support for young people and families across the Surf Coast, Bellarine Peninsula, Greater Geelong and Mornington Peninsula regions. Ocean Mind's mission is to enrich young people’s mental health, relationships and potential through surfing.
The Ocean Mind surf therapy program uses an evidence-based model founded on a simple formula of surf, mentoring and fun to create a long-lasting impact in young people's lives. Each young person is matched with a trained volunteer mentor who supports their journey through the programs that focus on developing surf skills, building social trust and confidence, developing communication skills and fostering a sense of purpose and belonging.
Since commencing in November 2016, Ocean Mind have formed an amazing network and community of young people, families, mentors and supporters who help them achieve incredible impacts in the regions.
Our Village
Our Village, the exciting new chapter in the story of Geelong Mums, St Kilda Mums and Eureka Mums, is a grassroots charity working on a state-wide scale.
Our Village collects people's donated pre-loved nursery and children's items, things like cots, car seats, prams, clothes, books and toys. They partner with social workers and maternal and child health nurses to re-home them to vulnerable babies and children in need.
Their concept is simple: they take people's pre-loved nursery and baby items, have over 600 volunteers sort, clean, refurbish and safety check every item, then partner with health professionals to re-home these essentials to vulnerable babies and children across Victoria.
Instead of being discarded into landfill, good quality, safe items can now provide many more families with years of use. They are turning pre-loved into re-loved, so every child thrives.
