Welcome

 

On behalf of the Directors of the Mazda Foundation, it is my pleasure to welcome you and thank you for your involvement and generous support. Once again we gather for an evening of entertainment, fellowship and fine food to support the important charity work of the Mazda Foundation. 

Created in 1990, the Mazda Foundation assists Australian organisations involved in employment skills development, the advancement of education, technology and research, support for the environment and addressing pressing community needs.

I am delighted to report that total surplus from fundraising towards the Mazda Foundation’s work in the year to 30 June 2025 was $1,251,900. On behalf of the Mazda Foundation, I wish to extend profound appreciation to all our supporters.

On the other hand, demand for services supported by our Foundation continues to increase and over the same period nearly $1.9m was gifted, taking our cumulative community support since inception to over $21.3m.

It is with great pleasure that I recount some examples of Mazda Foundation’s recent assistance:

Armidale Family Support Service - $110,000
Funding for a Rural Support Worker

Cool Australia - $65,000
Funding for the Building Bright Beginnings project

Learning Links
Two projects:
$98,900: Funding for Reading for Life and Counting for Life programs
$68,640: Funding for remedial literacy and numeracy support for Aboriginal children in Liverpool, Western Sydney

Outback Futures
Two projects:
$52,440: Funding for speech pathologist support for primary school-aged children in remote areas of QLD
$65,000: Funding for the Gather the Girls program

Soils for Life - $114,850
Funding for supporting farmers in severely drought-affected regions in SA

The Shepherd Centre - $50,000
Funding for the Literacy Group Program 8-12 in Tasmania with hearing loss

Wesley Mission - $104,500
Funding for Literacy Learning Packs to Indigenous children in Cairns

 

Tonight we will hear from our featured charity, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Qld Section), which we have gifted $721,920 since 2021 for the mobile dental service to central west and north west Queensland communities.

These programs are typical of the many practical, effective and efficient ways in which you can make a difference to people’s lives through your support for the Mazda Foundation tonight.

On a personal note, I would like to recognise my fellow Mazda Foundation Directors. I sincerely thank them for their expertise and professionalism in managing the business of the Foundation and their diligence and compassion in reviewing the many grant submissions received. Through ongoing donations of their time and expertise, many disadvantaged people across Australia have substantially benefited.

For the immediate future, the Mazda Foundation has two priority areas of focus:

• Community-based organisations with projects to strengthen and build resilience in primary producer communities.
• Programs addressing literacy and numeracy issues amongst primary school-aged children, especially remedial programs for children from disadvantaged areas.
  
  

If you are aware of organisations that meet the Foundation’s current priority areas, please refer them to our website www.mazdafoundation.org.au

Finally, on behalf of the Directors, we are delighted to be your hosts tonight. To our guests at previous dinners, thank you for your continued support. To our first-time guests, it will be our aim to entice you to return next year.

So please relax, enjoy our hospitality and let the show begin.

Vinesh Bhindi
Chairman

mazdafoundation.org.au