Lifeline Gets a Funding Lifeline
30 May 2013 at 5:15 pm
Crisis Not for Profit Lifeline has secured ongoing funding from MLC Community Foundation to keep its new Online Crisis Support Chat service operating.
The MLC Community Foundation has renewed its partnership with Lifeline for a further two years, extending its five-year relationship, having supported Lifeline’s Online Crisis Support Chat as the founding partner and largest single source of private funding.
Described as an Australian first when it launched in May 2012, the Crisis Support Chat service operates from 8pm to 12am AEST, 7 days a week, and offers users a one-to-one online session with a trained crisis supporter.
MLC Community Foundation Chair Andrew Howard said the foundation had provided Lifeline with almost $2.25 million to date, with a further $450,000 per annum committed for the next two years.
Lifeline Australia Chairman John Brogden welcomed the new commitment and the ongoing partnership with the MLC Community Foundation which provides for critical online chat services to Australians in crisis.
“A year ago, Lifeline launched Online Crisis Support Chat, which filled a gap for Australians who have a preference for seeking help online,” Brogden said.
“It will be a great comfort to the thousands of Australians who have already benefited from an online chat that this service has been assured for the next two years.
“One of the great benefits of Online Crisis Support Chat is that we have been able to connect with previously not catered for groups of help seekers including young people, indigenous Australians and people living in remote areas.
“With the ongoing commitment from the MLC Community Foundation, this service can continue to support a minimum of 25,000 help-seekers every year.
“The new support will also allow for further research and evaluate the social impact of helping Australians in crisis by helping to break the trajectory of a suicidal death,” he said.
The MLC Community Foundation was established in 2008 to assist Australian communities by investing in key areas of need, including support for various Not for Profit organisations.
Last year national news website, news.com.au, also partnered with Lifeline Online to raise money for the crisis chat service.
The Buy Time for Lifeline fundraising campaign saw the news website’s readers encouraged to make a donation to help fund Lifeline’s new permanent online crisis support chat service.
John Brogden said at the time that every day there was a growing need for support online, as more Australians seeked support through a medium that is familiar to them.
“Lifeline’s capacity to sustain and enhance the new Crisis Support Chat service will be dependent on securing $750,000 in additional donations each year."
