New Family Foundation Pledges $7M to Charities
![Kennards Hire Foundation director Kirsty Kovacs announces launch of foundation](https://b2474340.smushcdn.com/2474340/wp-content/plugins/lazy-load/images/1x1.trans.gif?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
26 June 2018 at 4:47 pm
Australian equipment hire business Kennards Hire has launched a new foundation, pledging to donate $7 million to charities over the next five years.
The foundation, launched at a gala event to celebrate the family-owned organisation’s 70th anniversary, aims to improve the ability of disadvantaged young children to be independent, self-sufficient contributors to society.
In conjunction, the Kennards Hire Foundation will fund conservation projects to support a vision “of a better world for future generations”.
Kennards Hire Foundation director Kirsty Kovacs said the foundation was created as a formal structure to give back to organisations they believed could “provide real change”.
“Whilst the Kennards Hire business has been giving to charities for over 20 years, we wanted to celebrate and formalise our philanthropy,” Kovacs said.
Stepping Stone House, the Smith Family Learning for Life Program, Kids Xpress, BackTrack, and Nawarddeken Academy will be the first recipients in Australia, with KidsCan and the Springboard Trust in New Zealand.
The foundation will also support Taronga Zoo, Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) and Bush Heritage.
It builds on the business’ previous philanthropic commitments.
In 2017, Kennards Hire donated more than $1.2 million to community groups across Australia and New Zealand, including doubling its commitment to The Smith Family.
The Kennards Hire branch network will continue to support and contribute to local charities, schools, sporting and community groups.
For more information see the website.