Alcoa employees raise $4million for charity over 40 years!

Alcoa of Australia’s employee charity PEACH (Personnel Employed at Alcoa Charity Help) recently celebrated a significant milestone, having donated a total of $4 million over the charity’s 40-year history.

Founded in 1979, PEACH was inspired by a small group of enthusiastic Pinjarra refinery employees keen to help those in need in their local community. Expanding over the years to encompass Alcoa’s other Western Australian locations, currently more than 550 employees make regular contributions to the scheme.

Representatives from Alcoa’s employee funded charity PEACH, were on hand celebrate the distribution of their $4millionth in fundraising to local charity Halo Team Inc.

PEACH President Trish Morris said that approximately 250 Western Australian community organisations providing welfare, health, family, safety and social improvements have benefited directly from the employee led charity over the past four decades.

“As a Company we are deeply committed to the success of the communities in which we live and work. The PEACH philosophy is that no organisation is too big or too small to receive funding. Our employees, whose sole motivation is to make a difference in the lives of others, deserve the credit for our sustained success and longevity,” said Trish.

Local support service Halo Team Inc were the recipients of the $4millionth donation benefiting from a cash injection of $12,800 from PEACH. Some of Halo’s services include providing free meals from their community kitchen, as well as clothing, blankets, toiletries, household items, temporary accommodation and outreach support to people in need.
Halo’s Chief Executive Officer Dee Freitag said the team are extremely grateful for the funding provided by PEACH, which will allow them to purchase vital new appliances for the Community Kitchen Servery.

“On behalf of the entire Halo Team I would like to thank all Alcoa employees who have donated to PEACH and for working alongside our team to ensure we continue to sustain our essential service for many years to come,” said Dee.

Dee and Kitchen Co-ordinator Karyn Hooper will continue to provide a high level of nutritional care each weekend and public holidays to the homeless and people in need from the new site at 3 Gibson Street, Mandurah (access via Sutton Street gates) between 10am-12pm.

Recipients of PEACH funding over years have included Foodbank Peel, Murray District Hospital, Rockingham PCYC, Youth Focus Mandurah, TADWA, St John Ambulance Fishability and Kwinana Home Support.