3 Gold Coast Charities We Should All Back

By Larissa Klerck

The Gold Coast is in incredible place! We are blessed with kilometres of stunning beaches, modern architecture, hundreds of cool restaurants and cafés and a strong community bond. Whilst we live in this wonderful place where great things are happening every day, there are still issues that need to be addressed and they need to be addressed ASAP.

There are countless charities and non-for-profit organisations currently operating throughout the Gold Coast region and it can often be overwhelming when we see how many people really need our help. Although every charity serves an important purpose, we’ve listed three local organisations that we believe the GC community should be rooting for at this point in time.

RSPCA Op Shops

Helping Animals, Enlightening People, Changing Lives. That is what the Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Queensland (RSPCA) is all about. The Gold Coast is a highly pet friendly and pet loving community. Every time I go for a walk it’s like I’m playing ‘spot the human’ because everywhere I look there is a dog! But hey, I’m not complaining, I love me some cute frenchie ears. The RSPCA has a string of op shops along the Coast where you can donate your pre-loved goods or pick up a bargain for yourself. This is a great way to support an important cause without having to do too much. So next time you’re spring cleaning your home, take those bags full of goodies to your local RSPCA op shop and help the fluff balls of the GC have a better life. Click here to find a store near you!

https://www.rspcaqld.org.au/rspca-op-shops

Livin

By now, you’ve heard of Livin and if you haven’t you’ve been livin in a hole. It’s talked about on TV and the radio, spread across our social media newsfeeds and branded on clothing worn by GC locals and even some celebs including our fave legend, Chris Hemsworth! Livin is a not-for-profit organisation that’s purpose is to remove the stigma associated with mental illness and raise awareness for suicide prevention.

The program was founded in honour of a great Gold Coast man named Dwayne Lally who like many others took his life after suffering a silent battle with mental illness. Statistics show that 1 in 4 people suffer from mental illness in their lifetime. Knowing this, the team at Livin have made it their mission to unite men and women worldwide to make a change and stop this issue from crippling society. The group at Livin have embraced modern culture and therefore, their charity is all about having fun and living life to its full potential! These guys are constantly hosting social events and taking part in cool projects. They’ve recently featured in a film documentary called ‘The Ripple Effect’ which will be released in Spring 2017. So, how can we help? Firstly, by spreading the word! And secondly, by donating. Donations over $2 are tax deductible so there’s no reason why we can’t reach into our pockets to back the team at Livin and back our brothers and sisters who may be suffering.

Australian Anti Ice Campaign

The AAIC are educating and raising awareness of the dangers associated with the drug ‘ice’, which is currently a growing epidemic in our nation and within our local community. This is something I personally never knew too much about, but after hearing in the news this week that a toddler has consumed the drug whilst in his own mother’s care – I’ve decided it’s time to take some action. It’s time we started hearing about positive things on the 6 o’clock news and not how many people are dying or going to jail because of this epidemic. As individuals with this in mind, we can contribute by booking an AAIC program, volunteering or simply donating.

So there you have it, 3 local charities that we think we should all be backing. And brick by brick, the world will become a better place!