Almost exactly one year since the Fire Fight Australia concert, Sony Foundation Australia has announced nearly $770,000 has been donated to beneficiaries to help young people in communities affected by last year's bushfires.
A major grant of $450,000 has been donated to community based not-for-profit organisation BackTrack Youth Works, while an additional $200,000 was donated to the Foundation for Regional & Rural Renewal for projects in Mallacoota, Victoria, and Ulladulla.
“With a lack of social activities, employment opportunities and places to call their own, young people are often left behind in the recovery process,” Sony Foundation Australia CEO Sophie Ryan said.
“Sony Foundation has a track record of creating safe and supportive spaces for youth facing some of the toughest adversity. These are places where youth can go, make positive social networks and build resilience.
"It is the basics for what every young Australian should have so they can have the best start in life.”
$530,000 of the funds raised came from the Fire Fight Australia soundtrack which debuted at #1 on the ARIA Albums chart last March and featured acts like Alice Cooper, Queen + Adam Lambert, kd lang, John Farnham, Amy Shark and Peking Duk.
“After the TV crews left, we wanted to make sure we were still supporting young people so terribly affected by the bushfires," Peking Duk's Reuben Styles said with bandmate Adam Hyde adding, “It is incredible to think that music has the power to inspire such generosity to fund youth hubs that will last long after the ash is gone.”
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