Over 80 groups from the Dubbo community benefited from more than $126,000 given by the Regional Australia Bank in its 10^th year of the program. 

“We’re hugely proud of our ability to deliver social and environmental returns to our regional communities,” Regional Australia Bank Area Leading and Support Manager Brenda Moon said. 

“We are passionate about giving back to our community and empowering our customers to support local community groups they feel strongly about.”

The Community Partnership Program allows new bank customers to open a transaction account and at the same time pledge their support for a group or organization close to their heart.

Regional Australia Bank then calculates the average annual balance of all supporters’ accounts and donates one per cent of the total to the cause on the customers’ behalf; all without costing them a cent.

With more and more people getting on board, the Community Partnership Program has continued to grow at over 30 per cent per year and provides invaluable donations to various local grass roots clubs and community groups.

During a celebration evening in Dubbo recently the Regional Australia Bank awarded $126,762.51 to the local community. 

The bank highlighted three organisations including the Groovy Booby Bus, The Dubbo and District Deaf Club and The Westhaven Association. 

In awarding the grants they said the funds given to the Groovy Booby Bus would go towards petrol and site fees to allow Donna Falconer to continue her work. 

“Donna aka “the lady in the Pink Van” found out about the Community Partnership Program a few years ago from one of the girls at Pink Angels. But this is the first year she has actually enrolled. With the money she receives, Donna intends to pay for petrol and site fees so she can continue her amazing work throughout Australia,” a statement, following the announcement, said. 

Funds provided to the Dubbo and District Deaf Club will go towards further upskilling and training of teachers and sending 25 hearing-impaired children on the trip of their lives with the Dubbo Deaf Community Camp at the Gold Coast.

The Westhaven Association have been part of the program for the past five years, and said they had used their donations over that time for a variety of needs. 

These include helping disabled people with everyday purchases they can’t afford on their own, providing funding to help people go interstate for family funerals etc, and sending disabled people, who have never left Dubbo before, on a holiday or to a sporting event like State of Origin.

 “We are extremely fortunate to be associated with a bank that is strongly bedded in the community and extremely supportive of local businesses. We enjoy a fabulous relationship with Regional Australia Bank that goes well beyond partnership,” The Westhaven Association CEO Christian Grieves said.