Kiama-based Australian Aboriginal Child and Family Services will be able to deliver even more services to the community after receiving a $20,000 grant. 

AACAFS chair John Simon, a professional rugby league player who represented NSW and Australia in the 1990s, told The Bugle about his appreciation of the recognition by the CommBank Staff Foundation Community Grants Program.

“We are very appreciative of the Commonwealth Bank and the support we receive from them,” Simon said.

Simon, who is a Biripi [Mid North Coast Aboriginal Country] man, worked for the NSW Department of Communities and Justice from 2007 until 2022 and says that being a small organisation can be difficult when competing for grants.

“Being successful with this grant is a real proud moment for us as an organisation,” he said.

“To redirect that [grant money] into developing our systems and resources for giving the kids the best opportunity they can.

“Being an Aboriginal agency, we tend not to be successful in those applications because we are only a small organisation and represent only a small part of the population. Nationally, we [Aboriginal people] represent about 3% of the population.”

AACAFS is one of 180 community organisations nationally who received part of $4.2 million in funding through the CommBank Staff Foundation Community Grants Program.

CommBank Dapto branch manager Michelle Madruga explained to The Bugle that the Foundation was part of an initiative where staff can volunteer to put money in each week.

“We as staff pay into the staff foundation and then can nominate community [organisations] that we feel could do with a boost for a grant,” Madruga said.

“I met John and Kerry [Crawford, John’s wife] four or five years ago when they first came into the bank to ask for some help.

“Over the years we have built our relationship up and obviously being the bank manager is an important point of call, not just for general bank users, but also businesses.”

Madruga, who has been with CommBank for over 24 years and a branch manager for the past decade, has seen how John and Kerry’s endeavours with AACAFS help the community.

“They’re both really committed to keeping the children connected to their culture and their communities,” Madruga said.

AACAFS delivers a range of integrated and intensive family services and out-of-home care for Aboriginal children, young people, and families whilst leaning on culture, kinship, connection, belonging and empowerment.

“It is really important as an Aboriginal person to know who you are [and] where your family are,” Simon said.

“Obviously we want to work with Aboriginal children because we’re an Aboriginal agency and give them some self-determination around what their future looks like.

“By doing that, you’re obviously making sure they are in a safe living environment if they can’t be placed with family.

“But also, just to make sure that they are still connected with their culture because a big part of anyone’s safety is being connected with their culture.

“That gives you a good sense of identity and provides opportunity to get better outcomes than what a lot of the [Aboriginal] kids have had historically.”