Vinnies' Compeer Program Presented with 2007 NAB Volunteer Awards NSW
[4 October 2007 | St Vincent de Paul Society]
The power of friendship was celebrated on Wednesday, 3 October when the St Vincent de Paul Society's Compeer Program was presented with a $10,000 cheque by their local NAB Team in recognition of their first class volunteer practice.
Compeer Sydney (Lewisham, Sydney, Blacktown and Chatswood) recently won the 2007 National Australia Bank (NAB) Volunteer Awards in the small to medium category in NSW and is now in the running for the National Awards.
Compeer, a Special Work of the St Vincent de Paul Society aims to reduce the isolation and loneliness faced by people with a mental illness by matching them up with a caring volunteer. Together they enjoy simple social activities such as having a cup of coffee, seeing a movie or going for a walk. For most of us, these activities are part of everyday life, but for someone living with a mental illness these events are a reason to get out of bed.
Adopted from the United States of America in 1995, this very special program has continued to expand across Australia with programs now running in Lewisham, Blacktown, Chatswood, Campbelltown, Illawarra, Wyong, Gosford, Albury, Griffith as well as in Victoria and South Australia.
NAB Marrickville in association with the Centre for Volunteering hosted a special afternoon tea for Compeer volunteers and staff to celebrate their win. This was followed by a cheque presentation by Tony Rizzo, Regional Executive Retail for Sydney's Inner South West NAB.
For further information please contact:
Julie McDonald
Manager, Community & Corporate Relations
02 9568 0225 / 0406 335 348