Locals in Melbourne's west will connect through more sporting and community programs, thanks to a fourth quarter burst for the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation made possible by the Andrews Labor Government.
Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence was joined by Member for Footscray Katie Hall yesterday to announce funding of $3.2 million over the next four years in the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation - ramping up programs that are making a real difference to people and communities in Melbourne's west, using the power of sport.
The Western Bulldogs Community Foundation is the club's community arm that delivers life-changing initiatives reaching out to more than 20,000 community members in Melbourne's west each year.
The funding boost will help the Foundation expand its programs to support community health and wellbeing, youth leadership, cultural diversity, social inclusion and community advocacy. These programs see local health experts, community organisations and Bulldogs players come together to make a positive difference for locals.
This funding will enable more people in the western suburbs of Melbourne and western region of Victoria to access a range of programs like GOAL, Sons and Daughters of the West, and the Bulldogs Youth Program that provide valuable tools to succeed and thrive within communities.
The boost will also allow the Foundation to deliver community programs to more locations in Melbourne's West, showcasing the role that sport can play to help change lives.
The Labor Government has also invested more than $46 million in the Stage 2 redevelopment of Whitten Oval.
The project includes new dedicated spaces at Whitten Oval for the Bulldogs' Community Foundation to host more programs as well as upgrades to change rooms, elite training facilities, oval improvements, a new EJ Whitten Stand and more. It is expected to be complete in 2024.
For more information visit westernbulldogs.com.au/foundation.
As stated by Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence
"The work of the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation has not only inspired footy fans, it has helped change the lives and fortunes of the many people who have participated in the Foundation's programs."
"We're proud to support these programs that make a real difference, giving people the skills and the confidence they need to tackle what life throws at them."
As stated by Member for Footscray Katie Hall
"The Western Bulldogs are the heart and soul of the west. This boost will help deliver more targeted programs that help community members overcome the challenges of day-to-day life."
As stated by Western Bulldogs General Manager Kashif Bouns
"We're incredibly grateful to the Victorian State Government for their budget commitment to the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation and our life changing capacity building initiatives. This important investment will allow us to sustain our real and meaningful impact for thousands of people across the west of Melbourne and Victoria."
