OUR SHORT STORY

Only 8 years young in 2024, with many challenges met, and now gaining real traction.

Gerry Garard, a National Service 2nd Lieutenant and Vietnam Veteran, who spent most of his working life in Corporate Management, and his wife Renita, dual Olympic Gold Medalist and Principal of Aspire 2 Thrive, a Taxation, Accounting & Business Advisory company, established the 4 Aussie Heroes Foundation with the express purpose of aiding and supporting military and first responder personnel, past and present, who are suffering and struggling with PTSD and related mental health issues as a result of serving our Communities and our Nation.

The initial years of 2017 through to 2021 were taken up with:

  • the development “from scratch” of Australia’s first holistic short term, live-in Program for military and first responder personnel with PTSD and related mental health issues, and which includes partners / support persons for part of the time
  • gathering a top Board of Directors,
  • much research,
  • the development of numerous policy documents and guidelines,
  • successfully applying for DGR1 concessional tax status,
  • forging relationships with key people and organisations,
  • the delivery of 6 sets of our own innovative, shot-term live-in “Triumph over Trauma” and related “Refresh” Programs since 2019, to great acclaim,
  • engaging our first full time Manager-Program Services employee,
  • serious fundraising,
  • incredibly generous financial support committed to the Foundation’s Program activities by the John T Reid Charitable Trusts, Coopers Foundation, The Funding Network, The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, ICAP, The Mental Awareness Foundation, The Kevin & Thelma Driscoll Foundation, RSL (QLD), the James Frizelle Charitable Foundation, and Hand Heat Pocket – The Charity of Freemasons Queensland,
  • a successful MID (Ministerial Infrastructure Designation) approval in 2021 for the establishment of the full “Camp Courage” Retreat development in the Scenic Rim Region of South East Queensland,
  • much voluntary work at the “Camp Courage” site, by way of regular working bees, in “cleaning up” virgin scrub ready for our capital development,
  • the James Frizelle Charitable Foundation paying an incredibly generous sum for Naming Rights of “Camp Courage”,
  • incredibly generous donations in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, towards “Camp Courage” construction costs, by Marcus & Caroline Blackmore, Rob & Pamela Robson and the Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation,
  • Many successful “Pedals ‘n Medals” Bike Rides, “Shambolic Golfaholic” Golf Days, and a “Horses 4 Courses” Race Day.

2022 & 2023 saw:

  • Seven more sets of our successful “Triumph over Trauma” and their related “Refresh” Programs conducted at The Outlook, Boonah, which consolidated the Foundation’s existence as an innovative organisation not only filling a gap in the rehabilitation process for the demographic it exists to serve but achieving incredibly worthwhile results. Such results are depicted by formal measurement against National Scales (p11), and supported by many complimentary and heartfelt written testimonials (p9 & 10),
  • the Gifting of a magnificent 32 acre rural block of land from the Founders, Renita and Gerry Garard, upon which “Camp Courage” will be constructed and then deliver the Foundation’s live-in Programs,
  • completion and adoption of formal Theory of Change and Impact Assessment Framework documentation, made possible by a grant from Hand Heat Pocket - The Charity of Freemasons Queensland,
  • receipt of specifically designated funding and funding commitments, to allow for the employment of a General Manager, to replace Gerry the ageing Director, Co-Founder and fulltime Volunteer,
  • some limited progress with the construction of the internal roadways and a start to the reticulation of power and water, at “Camp Courage”,
  • a successful application to DVA resulting in partial (12%) capital funding for “Camp Courage”.

We look forward to a 2024 which brings us:

  • continuing successful, and adequately funded, “Triumph over Trauma” and “Refresh” Programs,
  • further success in our targeted capital fundraising campaign to get to the $6.7 million estimated capital cost of “Camp Courage”,
  • 80% completion of the “Camp “Courage” Retreat development,
  • the appointment of a General Manager employee to the Foundation,
  • State Government financial support,
  • the reintroduction of our “Mabel’s Tables” home dining fundraising activity,
  • more first responder and military personnel who have a much better quality of life due to participation in our Programs.
© 2024 4 Aussie Heroes Foundation Limited. ACN: 611 681 648
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