The importance of giving back – Keryn and Stephen’s Story

Stephen has lived in the area since 1989 and has always known about SHM’s work. Keryn also had connections to the St Kilda area, with her grandmother attending Sacred Heart Primary School and her dad growing up in and playing in bands in the area.

When the couple moved to Clyde Street, St Kilda, over 20 years ago, they’d just had their first child. As new parents, they thought it important to look and see what was happening in their backyard. “We wanted to be part of the community and show our children the importance of supporting the community and teaching them to give back as they grew up”, says Keryn.

Keryn and Stephen became supporters, and being neighbours of the Dining Hall meant they could see Sacred Heart Mission’s work firsthand.

“We’ve been there for the opening of the Dining Hall, the launch of J2SI – an incredible program we could understand, see the benefits of, and the potential of it as a program and the change it could bring nationally – and now the Campus of Care. All these programs have academic rigour around them and are clever and targeted,” says Keryn.

Having been a donor for many years, Keryn began looking for other ways to give back. “I wanted to volunteer when my children were younger, but as a working mum with my own business, I didn’t have a lot of spare time. That’s when Steve suggested I start to do some pro-bono work for SHM,” says Keryn. “I thought this was a great solution – whilst I could also write a cheque, I could still contribute to SHM and use my time at work in a pro-bono capacity when I didn’t have that time in my family life to volunteer.”

Fancy Films, Keryn’s business and where Steve now works, has been working with SHM since 2007, providing photography, filming, and editing services for our annual reports and events, including the opening ceremony for our Campus of Care.

“As a team, it’s a natural progression to give back, and it’s important that our team has a connection to this community and the area we work in,” says Keryn.

The pro-bono work also led to Fancy Films certifying twice now as a B-Corp and establishing a professional partnership with SHM.

“Over time, we realised we were acting like a B-Corp, and we could track the pro-bono hours and certify as a B-Corp. And our relationship with SHM has grown from that pro-bono work; we have a partnership arrangement”.

Over the years, as donors and later through their pro bono work, Keryn and Stephen have built a strong and trusting relationship with SHM. This relationship allowed Keryn the opportunity to contribute to and reflect upon our Strategy 2030.

Keryn and Stephen see the partnership stretching long into the future and are excited to see what else we can achieve together.

“Sacred Heart Mission constantly strives for true inclusion and true community, especially with the new strategy. I can see our values aligned with the future of SHM.”

When asked if there is something she would like to do with SHM in the future she hasn’t yet done, Keryn confesses, “One day, when I’m older to volunteer in one of the Op Shops and spend my time making it look fabulous!”.