WA growers donate record amount to local charities
The CBH Group and Western Australian growers have continued their strong support of local charities with a record $520,000 donation from grain voluntarily forfeited in the 2022/23 record harvest.
Funds generated from the sale of forfeited grain through the Harvest Mass Management Scheme (HMMS) has been distributed among nine charities that support grain growers and their communities in Western Australia.
Some of the key charitable causes that received funding this year include lifesaving, emergency support, mental health programs, and cancer services supporting people in the regions.
The HMMS, developed by CBH and Main Roads WA, aims to reduce the occurrence of overloaded grain trucks during harvest. Growers have the option to forfeit grain from overloaded trucks, which is then sold, and the proceeds are donated to WA charities nominated by growers and CBH employees.
The record 2022/23 harvest season - with a delivery of 22.8 million tonnes of grain to CBH - saw 1,264 tonnes voluntarily forfeited. When combined with high grain prices, this year’s scheme contributed the single largest annual donation to local charities since HMMS’ inception in 2012.
CBH Chair Simon Stead said the donation will provide valuable support to the selected charities, allowing them to continue their important work in helping grain growers and their communities in WA.
“It's wonderful to see that since the scheme’s inception, more than $2.6 million has been donated to a range of charitable organisations, who do important work to support regional communities,” Mr Stead said.
“The HMMS has proven to be an effective deterrent to the overloading of grain trucks during harvest, addressing safety concerns and promoting responsible practices. Simultaneously, the scheme allows growers to give back to their communities.”
The successful charities will be presented with cheques at the CBH Regional Member Forums during August and September.
At the Mingenew Member Forum held on 15 August 2023, two charities - Midwest Charity Begins at Home and St John WA – were presented with their cheques.
CBH Geraldton Plant Operator Hayden Ralph nominated Midwest Charity Begins at Home and was pleased to present the charity with a $22,000 cheque as part of the program.
“I nominated Midwest Charity Begins at Home because they support Midwest families faced with a serious illness,” Mr Ralph said.
“I have been involved with the charity through helping with their fund raisers, annual gala ball and donating auction items.
“Knowing that the funds raised go towards helping those with serious illness within the Midwest region is really special.”
The remainder of recipients will attend the sundowners at the CBH Regional Member Forum events in Dalwallinu, Corrigin, Esperance and Katanning over the coming weeks.
Details of the nine charities receiving funding are below:
| Recipient | Amount | Purpose |
| Alzheimer's WA | $40,000 | Alzheimer’s WA advocates, educates, supports and engages the 48,000 Western Australians living with all types of dementia. Funds will be used to support our Albany and Avon based offices along with the individual services, which promote independence in the home by providing specialist, person-centred care, our day respite facilities as well as our training college. The donation will also be significant in our promotion of dementia-friendly communities, Memory Cafe's and First Nations Yarning Groups, where people living with dementia and their carers are able to meet other carers on a similar journey.
|
| Breast Cancer Care WA | $40,000 | Since 2000, Breast Cancer Care WA has provided specialist breast care nursing, counselling, and financial support to women and men living in Western Australia affected by breast cancer. Funds will be used to continue to provide the best breast cancer support and education to people affected by breast cancer as well partners and families, throughout the WA community, completely free-of-charge. |
| Cancer Council of WA | $60,000 | Cancer Council WA is Western Australia’s leading cancer charity, working across every aspect of every cancer. Funds will be used to support two rooms at their Crawford Lodge, which offers a home-away-from-home for regional cancer patients and their carers while accessing critical cancer treatment in Perth. In addition, funds will be used to support the Cancer Council WA Regional Education Officers deliver education and support in Albany, Esperance, Geraldton and Northam regions. |
| Country Women’s Association of WA | $60,000 |
The CWA of WA’s purpose is unite women ad strengthen communities through friendship, education, service and advocacy. |
| Midwest Charity Begins at Home | $22,000 | A local Midwest charity based in Geraldton, Midwest Charity Begins at Homes has been operating for 16 years, assisting 330 Midwest families. Midwest Charity Begins at Home Inc will use the funds to offer financial relief for Midwest residents in need due to serious illness. |
| Regional Mens Health Initiative | $70,000 | The funds will go toward supporting and delivering the Regional Men’s Health Initiative, including the ‘Working with Warriors’ and “Talk to a Mate’ Program in grain growing communities along with assisting to produce and purchase both online and printed education materials to support additional services. |
| Ronald McDonald House of Charities WA | $60,000 | Funds will be utilised to assist with costs associated with accommodation, learning programs to keep children engaged with and support their ongoing education, as well as wellbeing programs to help maintain the resilience of the family during one of the toughest times of their lives.
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| Royal Flying Doctor Service WA | $100,000 |
The RFDS WA ensures people who live, work and travel in regional WA have access to primary health care and 24-hour emergency service. |
| St John WA | $70,000 | St John WA is a charitable, non-profit, humanitarian organisation, delivering the State's ambulance service along with providing first aid training to the community. An additional 36 Automated External Defibrillators and cabinets will be installed in grain growing regions. In total the HMMS program has enabled St John WA to install 134 across WA grain growing regions. |