The Honda Foundation Breaks The $8m Barrier

TULLAMARINE, AUSTRALIA – March 31, 2011: The Honda Foundation – Honda Australia’s charitable arm – has donated over $8.1 million to 650 charities across Australia in the last 19 years.

With the support of Honda Australia and Honda Dealers nationally, The Honda Foundation has donated to a number of large institutions such as the Cancer Institute of Victoria, the Fred Hollows Foundation in the Northern Territory and the Institute of Glycomics in Queensland.

It has also donated to natural disaster funds including the 2003 Canberra bushfires, the 2009 Red Cross Appeal for the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria and the Queensland Premier’s Disaster Relief Fund for the recent devastating floods this year.

Chairman of The Honda Foundation, Mr Lindsay Smalley said the Foundation supports Australian organisations that focus their activities on the disadvantaged, disabled or those suffering from long-term and life threatening illnesses.

“The Honda Foundation’s aim is to provide assistance to local communities and foster goodwill among Honda Australia, Honda Dealers and the public. The Foundation has supported charities involved in large scale operations, nationwide appeals for natural disasters as well as small community-based groups who rely on volunteers to keep their service going.

“One of Honda’s key objectives is to become a company that society wants to exist. We believe we can achieve this by creating the joy of mobility through our products and by making a positive social contribution.

“Seeing the struggles many people face in their daily lives is both humbling and uplifting, when people overcome these challenges with a helping hand from The Honda Foundation,” Mr. Smalley said.

In addition to donations, The Honda Foundation runs a unique vehicle loan program called ‘Honda Heroes’. The program has a fleet of more than 20 cars on loan to charities across the country including Life Education in New South Wales, Taralye in Victoria and the Melaleuca Refugee Centre in Darwin.

The Honda Foundation draws funding from Honda Dealers, Honda Australia, through private donations and fundraising. In 2007, the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, Honda’s ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) helped raise funds for the Foundation in Melbourne and in 2010, the Foundation held a Gala Dinner in Sydney hosted by sporting and media personality Peter FitzSimons to raise funds for the St George Medical Research Foundation.

For more information on The Honda Foundation and the organisations it supports, please visit www.hondafoundation.org.au