Our Timeline

29 years of support for our community

The following provides an overview of some of the community programs and initiatives we have supported over the past 29 years.

Education & Employment
Social Welfare
Health
General

1991 1991

1990The Snow Foundation is created

George and Terry Snow, the founders. Read more

1991RAW Potential, formerly YouthCare

Outreach worker for vulnerable youth
The only service in Canberra providing a dedicated outreach worker. Promotes self worth and connects youth to housing, education, legal services. Recently appointed second worker. Provided $380,000 over 25 years.

Visit RAW Potential

1991Barnardos

Programs for vulnerable families and children
Up until year 2000, supported the Transition Program, teaching living skills for disadvantaged young people. From 2000 to present, contributed to the Kids in Sport program, enabling access to sporting activities for disadvantaged families. Visit Barnardos

1992Food Programs

9 food programs

Breakfast Club at Ainslie Primary School introduced in 1991 through St Johns Care. Stacia’s Soup Kitchen in 2007 and ongoing. OzHarvest in 2006, via seed funding OzHarvest’s feasibility study and later operational support. In 2008, Early Morning Centre in the City. St Phillips Anglican Church in O’Connor in 2009. In 2012, Gungahlin Community Centre Food Pantry, and Canberra High School Breakfast Club.

1992Canberra Schools

Educational equipment, and programs
Started in 1992, with a donation to Malkara Special School. Over time, supported other special schools: Black Mountain, Cranleigh, Harrison and Woden. Additional schools: Canberra College Cares, Queanbeyan High School, Melba Copland School, Richardson Primary School, Wanniassa School, Wilcannia School, Galilee School, Mulwaree High School Goulburn. Read more

1995Mental Health programs

Youth mental health programs
First supported Lifeline in 1995. Followed by others from 2003 including Mental Health Foundation, Messengers Program, Boys to Men in Cooma (YMCA), Menslink, Mental Illness Education ACT and Uplifting Australia.

1995Friends of Brain Injured Children (FBIC)

Therapies for children with a brain injury
Therapy treatments for over 40 children annually with cerebral palsy and brain injuries, plus contribution towards employment of family liaison officer. Over 19 years, $540,000 benefiting over 1000 families through services offered by FBIC.

2002Karinya House

Caseworker for women and babies
Support for an outreach worker. Karinya annually assists 92 residential and 509 outreach clients. To date, provided $384,000 over 17 years.

2002Lanyon Community Centre

Mini Bus
Provided to Centre for use by community groups, now managed by YWCA.

2003Billabong Aboriginal Corporation

Machinery
Purchased a bobcat for at risk indigenous youth for use in a commercial nursery at Holt, ACT. First time the Foundation was public about giving.

2005Brindabella Gardens

Elderly care
Construction of a Palliative Care Unity at Brindabella Gardens in 2005. Provided $173,000.

2007Whole Family Involved

Terry hands over CEO role to his daughter Georgina Byron. Corpus doubled in size increasing our capacity to help people in need. Commenced closer engagement with community. Read more

2007Educational Scholarships

Queanbeyan High School Scholarship Presentation 091014 - 6

Tertiary education
Scholarships commenced in 2007 with Queanbeyan High School, totaling 40 scholarships over 12 years. Country Education Foundation in 2010, with 60 awarded over 9 years. Royal Agricultural Society in 2013, 20 awarded over 6 years. The Pinnacle Foundation commenced in ACT in 2014, with the inaugural winner. Companion House, 5 scholarships for 3 years for Canberra based asylum seekers. Read more

2007HOME in Queanbeyan

A loving supportive home for 20 people with chronic mental illness
A genuine partnership and strong friendship were formed working closely with HOME to get it built and running. 600 people attended the official opening. At the time, our largest grant yet, $400,000 over 4 years, which helped catalyse further community and government funding. Continued our support of an additional $187,000 over eight years

2008Newpin, New Parents Information Network program

An intensive parent-child program that breaks the destructive cycle
Following a powerful Newpin event in Sydney, The Snow Foundation sought to link up with Uniting Care Kippax, and together with the ACT Government brought this life-changing program to Canberra. It provides generational change for vulnerable Canberra families, so far 30 families. A $563,000 commitment over the past 11 years, with a further three commitment for a program coordinator.

2009Medical Research at Macquarie University

Motor Neurone Disease
Research to cure or prevent Motor Neurone Disease by generating zebrafish models of the disease. A commitment of over $2 million over 12 years.

2009Social enterprises - Canberra

Cafe Inc Loka Chanmi Cafe Ink 020915, 2nd birthday celebrations

Jobs for people who are marginalised
5 year commitment to establish the ACT Social Enterprise Hub to assist marginalised people gain jobs. Founding partner with SVA, Government, PriceWaterHouseCoopers. Since 2008, the Hub supported 24 social enterprises, created 114 jobs. The
Foundation also directly assisted White Nile Ladies, Tribal Gardens, Narmana T-shirts, No Sweat Fashion,
Paperworks and Cafe Ink.

2010Kids Under Cover

Build of two portable studios to support youth homelessness
New to Canberra providing unique accommodation in response to young people at risk of becoming homeless due to extreme conflict or overcrowding within the family home.

2010Sydney Women's Fund

Education/employment programs for women and girls in Western Sydney
In Liverpool: 10 Women Leaders program and Aboriginal Women Against Violence. In Warwick Farm: Peppers Coffee Cart, Staying Home Leaving Violence program. In Fairfield: Warakirri College and the African Sewing Circle social enterprise. In Claymore: Whitelion’s Alternative Learning Centres.

2010Common Ground Canberra

Supportive housing for people who are homeless
Permanent supportive housing model for 40 residents, half of whom are homeless, half on low-income. A first to Canberra. Provided $10,000 for a feasibility study in 2010 followed by a $500,000 commitment over five years which helped catalyse Government funding in 2013. The late Liz Dawson was instrumental in establishing Common Ground.

2011Film Documentaries

Education and awareness of social issues, and minority groups
2011: ‘Beautiful’, an inclusive film about love starring people with a disability. ‘20 Years: 20 Stories’ films to celebrate the Disability Discrimination Act. 2012: ‘Gayby Baby’ children living with same-sex parents. 2014: ‘10 Stories of Single Mothers’; ‘Take Heart –
Rheumatic Heart Disease’. 2015: ‘Hunting Ground’, harassment in Universities; ‘Happy Sad Man’, mental illness; ‘Silence Kills’, domestic violence. 2016: ‘Ghosthunter’, childhood trauma; ‘Big Bad Love’, 2017: ‘Beautiful Minds’, inspiring women in leadership: ‘In My Blood It Runs’, through the eyes of children living in the NT: ‘Guilty’, death penalty: ‘2040’ environment. 2019: ‘The Final Quarter’, Adam Goodes: ‘Firestarter’, Bangarra.

2011One Disease at a Time

Elimination of crusted scabies
Helped establish an on the ground team in Yirrkarla, East Arhnem land in 2011, as their first funder. Increased funding as One Disease expanded to 28 new communities across the Northern Territory. Empathetic approach, providing healthy skincare. First time giving outside the Canberra region. An eight-year commitment of $750,000.

2012Canberra Community Law Centre

Legal and social work to vulnerable families
The Canberra Community Law Centre delivers an innovative model of early intervention legal work together with social work for vulnerable individuals and families. Partnership with Canberra Community Law, The Snow Foundation, Clayton Utz Foundation and ACT Government.

2012Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME)

Mentors for indigenous students
AIME’s program mentors indigenous students with the goal of increasing the year 12 completion. Helped bring AIME to Canberra by funding a feasibility study in 2012. Extended support to operations following launch in 2014 with partners the Australian National University and Canberra University who offer 80+ mentors to 100+ indigenous students. $360,000 over six years. Read more

2012Domestic Violence programs

Support to survivors and perpetrators of domestic violence
Commenced with support to Beryl’s Refuge in 2012, with others following in more recent years; Toora Women, Women’s Community Shelters, Everyman Australia, Tara Costigan Foundation and the Silence Kills documentary.

In June 2016 launched the Assistance Beyond Crisis loan program for local Canberra women (and men) who have escaped from domestic violence and need urgent financial assistance, but are ineligible for low-income government support. The Snow Foundation was one of several local organisations that pooled together $250,000 to help launch the initiative which won an ACT Violence Prevention Award in November 2017. Read more

2012Homes for Homes

Raises new funds for social and affordable housing
Seed funding of $300,000 to further develop this initiative. Within the Snow family business, Capital Airport Group, Homes for Homes is being implemented across Denman Prospect, the first entire Canberra suburb, projected to contribute $500,000 to the initiative.

In 2017 the first cheque for $126,103 was presented to Homes for Homes, followed by $120,960 in 2018 from the Capital Airport Group and The Snow Foundation.

2013Social Impact Invesments

Zambrero (food for developing countries), Social Enterprise Finance Australia (SEFA), Social Ventures Australia Impact Fund, Foresters Social Enterprise Finance Fund, Project Independence (home for people with disabilities). The Foundation has grown its investment in 3rd Link Growth Fund since 2009 and in 2015, made an investment in the Future Generation Investment Fund. Both fund managers give their management fees to the non-profit sector.

Snow Centre for Education in the Asian Century
Built the Snow Centre, along with a complete Asian Studies experience to develop excellence in Chinese and Asian Studies for the next
generation of future leaders in Australia.

2013Global Sisters

Enabling financial independence to women
Offers a complete package of business support enabling women excluded from mainstream work to establish their own business. Founding funder of trial website in 2013. Now a seven-year commitment of $623,500. Visit Global Sisters

2014Good360

Connects excess products from corporates to charities

Good360 enables charities to receive excess new products in bulk from businesses via an online platform. The Foundation contributed to the IT platform, and operational costs for 3 years. Led a philanthropic collaboration to secure $1.5 million dollars over 3 years with 8 funders. Now a seven-year commitment of $1,021,725.

2015Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD)

Take Heart_Brooklyn post-op_Darwin Australia_Moonshine Movies

Documentaries, awareness, on-the-ground action, medical research and political awareness
Australia has some of the highest rates of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in the world, even though this preventable disease was virtually eradicated in most of the country decades ago. It is found in Indigenous and remote Australian communities, and in children as young as two.

The foundation began supporting the fight against RHD by funding documentary filmmakers. We contribute to awareness campaigns to educate communities about RHD, using local languages and metaphors. We also support active-case finding and teaching Aboriginal health workers to scan the hearts of local children. Several lives have been saved through these efforts and children have begun to self-identify symptoms that can lead to RHD. We support medical research into a vaccine and we have worked to raise political awareness of the disease among politicians.

2016Project Independence

Home for people with a disability
A social housing development for people with an intellectual disability. Contribution of $480,000, inclusive of a $100,000 loan to the third Project Independence home in Phillip, due for completion in 2020.

2016Inaugural The Funding Network Event

The Snow Foundation with Hands Across Canberra, Deloitte, Canberra Airport and the Aspen Foundation introduced The Funding Network to Canberra in June. The Funding Network hosts crowd-funding events where social entrepreneurs pitch for funding. The four pitching were Malpa, Paperworks, Global Sisters and Abundant Water and raised over $86,000 on the night. Read more

2016The Snow Foundation Celebrating 25 Years

In October The Snow Foundation celebrated 25 years of providing positive change with over 200 people from organisations and the community attending. Read more

2016CareerTrackers Indigenous Internship Program

Providing internship opportunities for Indigenous university students, currently supporting 1,354 Indigenous university students and 485 Alumni across Australia. The Snow Foundation has supported the expansion of the Career Trackers program into Canberra and supported over three-years with $80,000.

2016Uplifting Australia

First time offered in Canberra at Charnwood Dunlop School, this evidenced-based social-emotional educational program is for parents, teachers and children aged 6 to 12 years. Now operating in three schools across Canberra, we have committed $190,000 over four-years.

Visit Uplifting Australia

2017'Conversations'

‘Conversations’ are a series of short films that explores the lived experience of caring for someone who is dying. The Snow Foundation supported LifeCircle Australia to prepare the films that were launched in March in partnership with Calvary Palliative Care, Clare Holland House and Palliative Care ACT. A commitment of $539,000 over five-years.

2017Stress Better

In May the Mental Illness Education ACT re-launched the Stress Better Program to help students learn how to stress better. The program is being rolled out in the ACT and NSW which involves volunteers sharing their experiences of living with mental health issues.

2017Educating school-aged children about homelessness and disadvantage

Since The Big Issue Classroom launched in Canberra in July, 26 school groups have had their eyes opened to homelessness and disadvantage. Three Big Issue street vendors have been employed as guest speakers, teaching children empathy as well as focusing on early intervention. With schools from all over the country visiting Canberra, The Big Issue Classroom has been able to reach schools as far away as Manjimup Senior High School, located 300kms south of Perth.

2017The Funding Network

In September 140 guests attended the second The Funding Network event and together raised $79,200 for GG’s Flowers, Women’s Centre for Health Matters, and Mental Illness Education ACT. In addition to this, hundreds of thousands of dollars of pro bono work was also pledged. Incredible generosity from individuals and businesses all round!

2017Marriage Equality

The Snow Foundation believes in humanity and equality and that all couples should have the right to marry. These values run deeply within the Snow family, The Snow Foundation and the family business, Capital Airport Group. This is why both The Snow Foundation and Canberra Airport backed the Marriage Equality campaign from the very beginning. The Foundation pledged a $1 million donation to the campaign.

2018Orange Sky Australia

In February ‘Frosty’ the new hybrid Orange Sky laundry/shower van was introduced to the community, volunteers and funders.
This is Orange Sky’s third-ever laundry/shower van in Australia out of their fleet of 26 vans offering mobile laundry cleaning. The Snow Foundation is thrilled to be co-funders together with The Independent Property Group Foundation and Icon Water.

2018Vital Signs Canberra

The Snow Foundation in partnership with Hands Across Canberra held the first Vital Signs Canberra stakeholder workshop in May. The team was full of passionate Canberrans working across housing, health, learning and belonging. Vital Signs is a global community research initiative that captures information and assists with longer-term planning for both foundations. The Vital Signs Canberra publication was officially launched by Chief Minister Andrew Barr at the annual Hands Across Canberra lunch in October. Read more

2018Clare Holland House

The Snow Foundation announced that they will donate $2 million in addition to the Australian Government’s pledge of $4 million to increase the number of specialist in-patient, palliative-care beds with facilities that will allow families to stay with patients on-site. The expansion will also include other improvements and the development of administration and clinical space.

2018END RHD Parliament House

In October we hosted a landmark breakfast with partners END RHD, a coalition of organisations working to address Rheumatic Heart Disease. Local and national Aboriginal leaders, researchers and representatives from Maningrida(NT) directly addressed our political leaders and other key stakeholders at Parliament House. At the event, both political parties committed to ending RHD. In November, community-led, active-case-finding using hand-held equipment screened 620 children in Maningrida, NT, the community with the highest rates of RHD in the world. 32 cases were found and three children needed emergency, open-heart surgery. In December, we participated in the National Conference of the Australian Labor Party where a resolution was passed supporting Indigenous leadership, governance and action to prevent and aim to eliminate RHD.

2018Raise the Rate

The Snow Foundation joined a group of philanthropists to support RaisetheRate, a grass-roots campaign led by Australian Council of Social Service aimed at raising the rate of Newstart which hasn’t been increased in real terms for 25 years.

2019Strep A vaccine

In February, the Hon. Ken Wyatt AM MP announced the Morrison Government is investing $35 million over 3 years in the development of a Strep A vaccine. RHD starts with a Strep A infection.

2019Project Independence, turning of the sod, Phillip site

The beginning of the third Project Independence site in Canberra, offering a new model of homeownership for people with an intellectual disability. Read more

2019

In July 2019, Good360 reached a huge milestone with $100 million (RRP) in goods donated from businesses, 10 million items connected to people in need, more than $72 million in donations to schools and not-for-profits, 3 million items picked up from local stores to help more than 1200 nfps and schools. Read more

2019Uluru Statement from the Heart

The Snow Foundation joined more than 60 Australian philanthropic partners to sign a collective response of support to the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

2019The Funding Network

In September The Funding Network raised $82,150 for three local not-for-profits, Bus Stop Films, The Farm and Stella Bella Little Stars Foundation. Read more

2021 2021

Visit Latest News for updates on current initiatives and programs