Communities for Communities began around a table at a local swimming pool…

In 2002, a group of friends gathered at the Drummoyne Swimming Pool to discuss how they could volunteer their time to help other communities in need. After a long day of talking they had come away with their big idea: to organise a national trivia event that would raise $500,000 in just one night.

Whilst our first fundraiser ended up only being a local event that raised $34,000, our volunteers were amazed by the powerful sense of community that existed around them. All the money raised would be donated directly to an Education Project for young Burmese refugees living along the Thai border.

Determined to maintain the energy and momentum created at that very first event, the group of volunteers decided to form a community group based on four pillars:

  • We build, experience and celebrate community
  • We reach out and help other communities to meet their needs
  • We raise awareness and understanding of the needs of each other
  • We challenge and encourage other communities to set up their own Communities for Communities model

From little things big things grow…

Communities for Communities as a volunteer organisation has evolved into a network of relationships. We have hosted over 130 different community events and created unique immersion experiences in Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and Australia. Most of all, we have been able to bring people together to support communities in need.

With almost $3 million raised since 2002, the success of our 100% volunteer organisation is a tribute to the outstanding partnerships and connections each one of our volunteers have made.

To see what inspired Communities for Communities beginning, watch Lance’s Story

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Communities for Communities is proud to be a member of the Centre for Volunteering, the peak body in NSW promoting and supporting volunteering and community participation. As a 100% volunteer-based organisation, we are part of over 2,000 members of the Centre, and share with 6 million plus Australians who are the lifeblood of communities in making an extraordinary contribution to our society as volunteers.