Dealers, industry asked to give with no ROI

The Australian Automotive Dealer Association and Automotive Holdings Group have been getting behind charity work in recent weeks.

AHG is asking the industry to donate to the Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre which it supports and recently held its annual charity walk for in Perth, while the AADA is calling on dealers, consumers, businesses or governments to donate cars to the Cathy Freeman Foundation.

Not only did Cathy Freeman win gold for Australia at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, her charity has been a major force for educational change with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children by delivering education programmes to the remotest communities.

The AADA is asking the automotive industry to contribute cars to the organisation so their staff can perform their life-changing work teaching Australia’s indigenous population, most of whom live in poor socio-economic circumstances.

Chief executive James Voortman says it was actually his predecessor who began the partnership.

“The AADA developed a relationship with the Cathy Freeman Foundation through our previous CEO David Blackhall,” he tells AutoTalk.  

“The Cathy Freeman Foundation is looking to replace their existing fleet of cars in order to continue their important work in helping Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander children and their families recognise the power of education and achieve their goals”.

Voortman says you don’t need to be an AADA member to help out.

“The AADA has reached out to our members to see if anyone is able to donate a new or used car to the foundation,” he says.

 “The AADA encourages companies, organisations or individuals in the wider automotive industry to also consider donating to the Cathy Freeman foundation,” Voortman adds.

AHG’s 400-strong charity walk was held between Burswood Park and a five-kilometre walk along the Swan River, past Optus Stadium and over the Matagarup suspension bridge.

AHG has raised $63,000 with this year’s event, eclipsing the $50,000 goal and blitzing the $40,000 raise din 2018, and AHG asks the automotive industry to continue to contribute to the charity by donating here.