Skip to:
Toni is passionate about creating a just community for all. She came from a family of socially minded people who instilled the values she continues to live by: “I grew up in a farming community, and my parents were always involved in helping people. My Mum volunteered at the local Op Shop, and my Dad was part of the fire brigade. They always gave up their time, whether it was to volunteer at the Red Cross or the local school committee. Helping people was a part of who they were, and I suppose I’ve followed their footsteps.”
Toni has supported Sacred Heart Mission as a volunteer and donor for nearly a decade. She has also chosen to include a gift in her Will to Sacred Heart Mission. Including a gift in your Will is one of the most significant ways you can make a lasting impact and support our work into the future. It can directly help fund our services, providing crisis and long-term support to the most vulnerable. It also enables us to plan for the future and develop our programs to better respond to the community’s future needs.
Toni volunteered at the Hands-on Health Clinic (now known as the Wellness Centre) at Sacred Heart Central for nine years. She recalls what prompted her volunteering journey: “I saw an article in a newspaper about a woman volunteering at Sacred Heart Mission. I had just started to work part-time, and I thought, “I could do that on my day off.” It was perfect timing; seeing that article inspired me and came at the perfect time.”
She volunteered every second Monday for nine years, and she found it to be an invaluable experience. “I loved it; I met so many different people. It taught me how people can get lost and need our support. I hadn’t spoken to people experiencing homelessness before, and it helped my understanding of their experience and situation.”
A gift included in a Will is often the largest and most significant charitable gift of a person’s lifetime, and with it, comes long-lasting change. Toni explains how she came to make the generous decision of including Sacred Heart Mission in her Will:
“When we were first married, we wrote our Wills and naturally included gifts for all our family. However, as the years passed, we realised that our families were thankfully financially secure, so besides looking after our loved ones, I could also provide a legacy gift to the organisations we have a strong connection to.”
Toni hopes others will join her in including a gift in their Will, too.
“Sacred Heart Mission does an amazing job. The Mission’s presence in St Kilda, particularly the Dining Hall, attracts people; they feel safe there.” She explains, “When I saw their work to house people and the support they offer women at the Women’s House, I could clearly see that they are successful as an organisation in achieving positive outcomes for people. They want to achieve their goals in the community, and I feel confident about how they will use my gift.”
Sacred Heart Mission is so grateful to our community of generous bequestors, like Toni. We deeply value their decision to include a gift to Sacred Heart Mission in their Will. It is an extraordinary act of generosity and kindness, and it allows us to continue to serve the members of our community experiencing homelessness, deep disadvantage and social exclusion.
Stay up to date with our monthly newsletter, Heartbeat
