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| Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale, Salvation Army Major Paul Moulds, Sony Chairman & CEO Australia Denis Handlin and Karl Stefanovic, Channel 9 Today Program |
The Salvation Army and Sony Foundation Australia has announced a significant partnership to provide long term support to the flood-devastated community of Goodna in the City of Ipswich, Queensland, with Sony Foundation donating $2 million to establish a community hub.
Sony Foundation Australia has donated the profits from Sony Music’s “FLOOD RELIEF – Artists for the Flood Appeal” CD to The Salvation Army to make a long term investment in a community devastated by the floods.
Australians rallied to the cause and propelled the Sony ‘Flood Relief’ album to number one in the charts earlier this year, generating $2 million. The organisation is donating that money to The Salvation Army Flood Appeal to establish ‘The Salvation Army and Sony Foundation Youth and Community Centre’.
The centre will be located in Goodna, a suburb of Ipswich 20 kilometres from Brisbane’s CBD. It was one of the communities in Qld hardest hit by the floods – 400 homes were lost and thousands of lives impacted.
“We hope our donation will go a long way in assisting the communities affected by the floods, particularly the young people in these areas,” said Denis Handlin AM, Chairman & CEO, Sony Music Entertainment Australia & New Zealand and President, South East Asia & Korea.
“Working with The Salvation Army we’re in there for the long term – providing support for young people affected by the floods to help get them back on track.”
“Our thanks go to all the artists, songwriters and media partners who generously donated their tracks royalty free. We also thank Sony DADC Australia for kindly donating the CD manufacturing. Without this support the album and the subsequent donation would not be possible.”
The Salvation Army’s Flood Relief Coordinator, Major Paul Moulds, welcomed the donation: “The Salvation Army recognises it will take many Queenslanders years to recover from the enormity of the natural disasters that hit the state earlier this year.
“This means long term support is needed and today’s generous donation from Sony Foundation Australia will enable us to continue our presence in the flood affected community of Goodna and the region of Ipswich for many years to come.”
The planned Youth and Community Centre will offer a range of services that staff will tailor to meet local needs. It is planned that it will be a hub of community and youth services, including a community space and a cafe. The community will have access to youth camps, community events, school holiday activities, after school education, creative courses, counselling, training, financial counselling, a No Interest Loan Scheme, Salvos Legal Service and a Building and Housing Assistance Scheme.
“The Salvation Army recognises that disaster response is not just about helping people to rebuild their homes, it’s about rebuilding lives,” said Major Paul Moulds. “The centre will be a beacon of hope where staff will journey with locals during their recovery – providing practical and emotional support for people’s individual challenges.”
In thanking Sony Foundation Australia, Paul Moulds said: “We are so grateful to corporations like Sony Music and to Australians who have trusted us with the resources to respond to the huge needs that are still being faced by many Queenslanders. We will not let you down.”
