“Their Future in Our Hands”
VACD Australia June 2022 Newsletter
“When we give alms with our hearts, we give well”
Dear friends, colleagues, supporters, and collaborative partners,
Greetings to you, your families, loved ones, and colleagues from all of us at VACD.
Food Aid Relief for our VACD Families:
In response to an urgent appeal from our VACD Sri colleagues for food aid relief for our VACD families, we facilitated donations of approximately 15 kilograms of food items in two packs that included 5-kilos of rice and other essential dry and fresh food to each family that had a child attending our Sir Robert Clark Centre for Children with Disabilities in Bandarawela, Dora Jeanne Centre for children with Disabilities in Badulla and families of children registered with us living in the Welimada/Uva Paranagama area.
Our Sri Lanka leadership team are now arranging for this program to be extended to a considerable number of families who have children with disabilities registered with VACD but do not attend our centres regularly because they live in remote areas of the Uva province or are unable to attend our centres due to poor health or severe physical infirmities.
Food Distribution at the Sir Robert Clark Centre – Bandarawela:
Food Distribution at the Dora Jeanne Centre – Badulla:
Food Distribution in Welimada/Uva Paranagama:
New Parents’ Committees at VACD and VACD Org Chart:
New Parents’ Education & Training, Health & Nutrition, Sports & Culture and Family Budgeting & Finance committees were formed at our Bandarawela and Badulla centres and will be introduced at our Welimada centre once established. The VACD Org Chart below illustrates the important role our VACD parents play in the administration and operational aspects of our voluntary organisation.
ACNC and VACD’s Governance and Compliance Framework:
The Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission (ACNC) recently apprised us of their governance and compliance guidance that can be viewed on the following hyperlink: Governance Hub | ACNC
We are delighted that we have operated under a strict governance and compliance regime that guarantees transparency and accountability, since our inception. Our existing policies can be viewed on dropdown menu “Policies” via the following hyperlink: https://www.vacd.org.au/
In order to further strengthen our existing governance, compliance, and reporting framework, the VACD Australia Board appointed our VACD Australia Director, Mrs. Shanti Manamperi (Veteran commercial banker and risk manager) as our “Governance & Compliance Director – VACD Australia.”
Likewise, the VACD Sri Lanka Board have appointed Mr. J M Kapila Jayasekara VACD Sri Lanka Board Director (Retired Secretary State Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs) as the “Governance & Compliance Director – VACD Sri Lanka”
VACD’s Projects & Programs for 2022/23
Please visit our VACD Webpage to find features of our projects and programs for 2022/23 via the hyperlink: https://www.vacd.org.au/ongoing-projects/
This information is also available on the Good Company donation webpage via the hyperlink:
https://www.goodcompany.com.au/au/charities?i[0]=charitygifts-v2&q=vacd , (type VACD in the search bar) and the Benevity Causes Donation Portal: https://mygoodness.benevity.org/community/search?query=vacd&country=036
Multiple donation options to support our mission – Thank you:
The following hyperlink will enable you to find all donation options that are available to you on our webpage: https://www.vacd.org.au/donate/
Multicurrency Benevity Causes Portal for International Donations:
International donors who wish to support our mission can do so through the Benevity Causes portal via the hyperlink below for all your multi-currency donation options:
https://mygoodness.benevity.org/community/search?query=vacd&country=036
Donations by Australian taxpayers are tax deductible. Australian donors/ taxpayers who wish to make your regular annual tax efficient 2021/22 fiscal year donations or ad hoc tax efficient donations to our mission can do so by using any of the donation options found on our webpage: https://www.vacd.org.au/donate/
A big “Thank You” to all of you…
Our journey is bound to be long and challenging. The official and unofficial number of children and families who need our love, support, compassion, and care are sizeable. We look forward to your continued generosity, active support for our undertaking and you being partners with us in this most fulfilling and noble 10+ year journey that we traverse together.
Please visit us at: https://www.vacd.org.au/ and reach out to us at: fstephen@bigpond.net.au should you choose to support our mission. Please also do share this newsletter with your family, friends, loved ones and work colleagues. We can make a difference in the lives of children with disabilities, one by one!!!
Many thanks, best wishes, and warmest regards…. Felix
Felix Stephen
Chairman of the Board of Directors – VACD Ltd. Sydney – Australia – https://www.vacd.org.au/
Member of the Advisory Board – VACD Sri Lanka
Member of the Advisory Board – Two leaves Foundation Sri Lanka
Senior Associate – Cognoscenti Group – Sydney – Australia- http://www.cognoscenti.global/
Member of Investment Committee – Arrive Wealth Management – Brisbane – Australia – https://www.arrivewealthmanagement.com.au/
