by David Rootsey
Branch Manager, Commonwealth Bank Port Douglas

Commonwealth Bank has announced details of its latest community support initiative called Community Seeds, which will provide six grassroots community organisations with vital funding through the simple act of people voting for them on the Commonwealth Bank Facebook page.

From 10 May, any Australian with a Facebook account will be able to access the Community Seeds tab to learn about these six great organisations and choose
which to vote for.

With every vote, the Commonwealth Bank will donate $1 to that organisation. A total pool of over $175,000 is available so Commonwealth Bank and each of the six partner organisations are campaigning for Australian’s to jump online and show their support.

The six participating organisations have been selected by Commonwealth Bank staff from a shortlist of national registered groups who aim to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians:

• Alzheimer's Australia is the peak body providing support and advocacy for the 257,000 Australians living with dementia.
• A Start in Life aims to change the future of underprivileged young Aussies, regardless of race, colour or creed.  The group ensures children receive the financial and emotional support needed for a well-rounded and fulfilling education.
• Bowel Cancer Australia works to reduce the impact of bowel cancer in our society through awareness, education, support and research. Bowel cancer is the second most deadly cancer in Australia.
• HeartKids is unique in that it is the only organisation in Australia solely focussed on all aspects of children’s heart disease.
• OzHarvest is a non-denominational charity that rescues excess food that would otherwise be discarded. This excess food is distributed to groups feeding those in need.
• SANE Australia is a national charity working for a better life for people affected by mental illness.

 
Commonwealth Bank Community Seeds has been built specially for Facebook and as such has a viral component that spreads news of the initiative through the newsfeeds of those who choose to participate.

Those who then participate having clicked through from a friend’s newsfeed, help that friend to be crowned as the most ‘influential’, winning them $5,000 and an additional $5,000 donation to their selected community organisation. In addition, the community organisation with the most votes will receive a further $20,000 at the conclusion of the campaign.

Commonwealth Bank Group Executive, Ross McEwan, explains more:

“Commonwealth Bank has a long tradition and significant presence in supporting Australian communities. Community Seeds allows us to enhance our existing program of community activities through embracing new technology to create modern ways of involving partners and consumers.”

Community Seeds runs from 10 May, 2011 and ceases when the donation pool has been allocated.