Congratulations to our 2026 Semi-finalists!

Filling the Gap

Improving access to essential dental care for vulnerable communities

Established in 2018, Filling the Gap provides free dental treatment to vulnerable and socially disadvantaged people across NSW and the ACT who face significant barriers to accessing mainstream dental services. For people experiencing financial hardship, homelessness, family violence or other complex circumstances, dental treatment can be difficult to obtain. Untreated dental problems can result in ongoing pain, infection and difficulties with eating, speaking and everyday activities, affecting both physical health and personal wellbeing. 

Filling the Gap works with volunteer dental practitioners and trusted charity partners to connect people with appropriate treatment. Its personalised approach extends beyond providing free dental care, coordinating appointments, working with case managers and helping patients overcome practical barriers to accessing services.

Since 2019, Filling the Gap has assisted 1,380 patients through almost 3,000 appointments, delivering an estimated $2.98 million worth of pro bono dental treatment. In 2024/25 alone, it supported 475 patients across NSW and the ACT.

IMPACT100 Sydney North’s $100,000 grant will be used to employ an additional part-time staff member over two years, increasing Filling the Gap’s capacity to coordinate and expand its dental aid services.

With demand continuing to grow and existing resources operating at capacity, the additional position will focus on:

• Expanding the coordination and delivery of dental aid clinics, creating more treatment opportunities and reducing waiting lists.
• Strengthening relationships with volunteer dental practitioners and community partners.
• Developing fundraising, sponsorship and grant opportunities to support the organisation’s long-term financial sustainability.

By increasing both service delivery and fundraising capacity, the grant will enable more vulnerable people to receive essential dental treatment, improving oral health, relieving pain and supporting greater confidence and wellbeing. It will also help Filling the Gap build a sustainable foundation for expanding its services to people who would otherwise struggle to access appropriate dental care.

Hello Sunday Morning

Helping people build healthier relationships with alcohol through accessible digital support

Established in 2009, Hello Sunday Morning helps people change their relationship with alcohol through free, anonymous and evidence-based digital support. Alcohol-related harm is a significant public health issue, affecting individuals, families and communities. Women can face particular barriers to seeking help, including caring responsibilities, privacy concerns, stigma and limited access to traditional face-to-face services. These challenges can delay access to support.

Hello Sunday Morning is Australia’s largest digital alcohol support community, with more than 174,000 members nationally. Its flagship Daybreak program provides around-the-clock access to peer support, behaviour change tools and professional moderation, helping people make positive changes to their drinking habits. Women represent 68% of the Daybreak community, highlighting demand for support that reflects their particular circumstances. Hello Sunday Morning already supports more than 10,000 women across Greater Sydney.

IMPACT100 Sydney North’s $100,000 grant will be used to develop and deliver a dedicated digital alcohol and mental health support initiative for women across Greater Sydney.

Co-designed with women who have lived experience of changing their relationship with alcohol, the 18-month initiative will include three components:

• A dedicated digital community where women can share experiences, connect with peers and access support in a safe, non-judgemental environment.
• An on-demand digital toolbox offering evidence-based resources, guided exercises and practical strategies for managing drinking urges, stress and challenging situations.
• Targeted Greater Sydney outreach to connect more women with accessible support, particularly those who may not engage with traditional services.

The initiative aims to directly engage more than 700 women, while providing enhanced support to a further 10,000 existing female members across Greater Sydney. By providing flexible, anonymous support whenever it is needed, the program aims to reduce harmful drinking, improve mental wellbeing and strengthen social connection.

Immigrant Women’s Speakout Association

Providing safe accommodation and support for migrant women escaping violence

Established in 1983, Immigrant Women’s Speakout Association provides specialist, culturally responsive support to migrant women experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence, helping them establish safety and independence.

Women escaping violence can face significant barriers to securing accommodation, particularly those on temporary visas who may be ineligible for government assistance, including Centrelink and social housing. Without financial resources or established support networks, many face an increased risk of homelessness. Immigrant Women’s Speakout operates a crisis accommodation service in Western Sydney, providing a safe and supportive home alongside intensive case management, counselling, safety planning, financial assistance and wellbeing programs.

Its two privately rented units can accommodate up to 12 women at any one time. Each year, the service provides approximately 3,000 bed nights to around 30 women from diverse cultural backgrounds. While its case management service receives government support, the crisis accommodation itself relies entirely on donations, fundraising and philanthropy.

IMPACT100 Sydney North’s $100,000 grant will be used to maintain the organisation’s two crisis accommodation units for a further 18 months, providing safe shelter for approximately 45 women escaping domestic, family or sexual violence.

Funding will primarily cover:

• Rental costs for the two privately leased accommodation units.
• Essential amenities and property maintenance.
• The continued availability of safe accommodation for up to 12 women at any given time.

By meeting these core operating expenses, the grant will also enable other donations and fundraising income to be directed towards essential items such as food, clothing, bedding, toiletries and transport assistance. Beyond immediate safety, the accommodation provides women with stability and access to ongoing support as they recover from violence, pursue employment and work towards independent housing and financial security.

Parramatta Mission

Connecting people experiencing homelessness with essential services and support

Established in 1971, Parramatta Mission supports vulnerable and disadvantaged people across Western Sydney, providing practical assistance and pathways towards greater housing security and wellbeing. Rising housing costs, financial hardship and increasingly complex personal circumstances are placing more people at risk of homelessness. Parramatta Mission’s Meals Plus program provides meals, food hampers, showers, laundry facilities and material aid, offering a trusted point of contact for people experiencing hardship.

Building on this established service, Parramatta Mission introduced Community Hub Days in 2022, bringing together housing, health, legal, financial and social support services in one accessible location. This coordinated approach helps people address the multiple challenges that can contribute to homelessness.

In 2024/25, Parramatta Mission connected more than 1,300 guests with essential services, while delivering over 81,000 meals and 5,800 food parcels. Demand continues to grow, particularly among women escaping domestic and family violence, refugees, young people and older women.

IMPACT100 Sydney North’s $100,000 grant will be used to fund a dedicated Community Hub Coordinator for 14 months, enabling Parramatta Mission to expand its Community Hub Days from twice monthly to weekly.

The Coordinator will strengthen partnerships with participating agencies, improve referral pathways and establish the operational framework needed to accommodate increasing demand. The expansion aims to:

• Increase access to coordinated services by 50%, reaching approximately 300 people each month.
• Improve pathways to stable housing, targeting 30% growth in positive housing outcomes.
• Strengthen early intervention and access to appropriate support, particularly for women and girls experiencing housing insecurity.

The grant will also lay the foundations for Parramatta Mission’s longer-term goal of establishing a Community Hub operating five days a week by 2029, providing more accessible and coordinated support for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Refugee Advice & Casework Service (RACS)

Providing specialist legal assistance and pathways to safety for refugee women at risk

Established in 1987, Refugee Advice & Casework Service (RACS) provides free, specialist legal assistance to refugees and people seeking asylum, helping them navigate Australia’s complex protection system and understand their legal rights.

Women seeking asylum who are experiencing domestic and family violence face additional challenges. Uncertainty about their immigration status, language barriers, financial hardship and fear of deportation can prevent women from seeking help or leaving unsafe relationships.

RACS’ dedicated Women at Risk program provides confidential, trauma-informed legal assistance in safe and culturally sensitive environments. Female lawyers and professional interpreters help women understand their legal options and make informed decisions for themselves and their children.

Working alongside community and welfare organisations, RACS also connects women with housing, healthcare, counselling and other essential services. In FY2025, the Women at Risk program supported more than 350 women from 52 countries.

IMPACT100 Sydney North’s $100,000 grant will be used to strengthen the Women at Risk program, increasing access to specialist legal assistance for refugee women experiencing or at risk of domestic and family violence.

Funding will support three key areas:

• Specialist legal staff, including solicitors and a paralegal, to provide personalised, trauma-informed legal advice and representation.
• Professional interpreting services, enabling women to communicate in their preferred language, understand their rights and participate fully in legal processes.
• Accessible and confidential service delivery, providing women with a choice of safe, community-based locations across Sydney, alongside remote appointments where appropriate.

The grant will help women navigate complex protection and immigration processes, address legal barriers to finding safety and access appropriate support services. Through specialist legal assistance and coordinated referrals, RACS aims to reduce women’s vulnerability to violence and homelessness, strengthen their independence and support more secure futures for themselves and their children.

StreetWork Australia

Supporting vulnerable young people to build positive futures

Established in 1980, StreetWork Australia provides early intervention and practical support to vulnerable young people, helping them overcome personal challenges, develop resilience and build pathways towards a more stable future. Young people experiencing mental health difficulties, family breakdown, homelessness, school disengagement or substance misuse can be at increased risk of involvement in crime. Early intervention, positive relationships and access to appropriate support can help address these challenges before they escalate.

StreetWork’s Change Your Course program supports at-risk young people aged 11–18 through a coordinated, community-based approach. Delivered in partnership with the Northern Sydney Youth Services Collaborative, it combines individual mentoring, psychological counselling and structured group life coaching.

Working alongside schools, families, police and specialist youth services, the program provides tailored support to improve wellbeing, strengthen relationships and reconnect young people with education, training and employment opportunities.

IMPACT100 Sydney North’s $100,000 grant will be used to fully fund Change Your Course for two years. 

• Eight school-based or community-based Change Your Course programs.
• More than 1,600 individual mentoring sessions with Youth Caseworkers.
• Over 100 counselling sessions with child psychologists.
• More than 20 group life coaching programs.

Funding will also cover program coordination, specialist educators, activities and independent evaluation of participant outcomes. The program anticipates supporting approximately 130 at-risk young people annually, with broader benefits extending to their families, peers and communities. Through sustained mentoring, professional support and positive community engagement, Change Your Course aims to reduce young people’s involvement in crime and other high-risk behaviours, improve mental health and wellbeing, and strengthen their capacity to participate in education, employment and community life.

Success Works Partners

Creating pathways to employment for women with a criminal record

Established in 2022, Success Works helps women with a criminal record reintegrate into society, breaking cycles of disadvantage and reducing reoffending. Women with a criminal record face significant barriers to employment, often compounded by trauma, limited recent work experience, caring responsibilities and discrimination. Without access to meaningful work, many struggle to establish the financial independence and stability needed to rebuild their lives.

Success Works is the only NSW service providing specialised employment support for these women. Through personalised, trauma-informed programs, it helps participants develop confidence, practical skills and job readiness, while connecting them with inclusive employers. Each year, approximately 90–100 women benefit from its employment programs, which have demonstrated a 70% reduction in recidivism among participants.

With an earlier $30,000 grant from IMPACT100 Sydney North, Success Works established its Test and Tag social enterprise, providing paid transitional employment where women can earn an income, develop technical skills and establish a recent work history. Five women have already secured employment through the initiative, four in ongoing paid roles.

IMPACT100 Sydney North’s $100,000 grant will be used to expand the Test and Tag social enterprise. 

• Additional equipment and mobile units, enabling the enterprise to undertake larger contracts and employ more women.
• Accredited Test and Tag training, providing participants with recognised qualifications to improve their long-term employment prospects.
• Structured leadership development, supporting women to progress into supervisory roles and sustainable careers.

The expansion will create more paid employment opportunities while building the enterprise’s capacity to become financially self-sustaining, reducing its long-term reliance on grant funding. By combining practical training with paid employment and ongoing support, Success Works is helping women establish greater independence, strengthen family stability and build sustainable futures.

Women’s Resilience Centre

Supporting women to rebuild their lives following domestic and family violence

Established in 2021, Women’s Resilience Centre provides structured recovery support for women who have experienced domestic and family violence, helping them rebuild confidence, independence and wellbeing beyond the immediate crisis.While crisis services provide essential safety and emergency accommodation, women often require ongoing support to address the longer-term effects of abuse. Financial insecurity, emotional trauma, social isolation and parenting challenges can continue well after a woman has left an unsafe relationship.

Women’s Resilience Centre addresses this gap through its Emergence recovery model, combining personalised counselling, online recovery programs, peer support and mentoring. Its trauma-informed approach addresses interconnected aspects of recovery, including emotional resilience, financial literacy, employment readiness and parenting.

Based in Mona Vale, the Centre supports approximately 250 women annually through face-to-face and online services. Since commencing operations, it has assisted more than 850 women and families across over 200 Australian communities. Among women completing its employment programs, 65% secure employment within six months.

IMPACT100 Sydney North’s $100,000 grant will be used to provide an additional 100 Sydney women with structured post-crisis recovery support over 12 months.

At $1,000 per participant, each woman will receive access to a three-month recovery pathway tailored to her circumstances, including:

• Individual assessment, counselling and personalised Client Care support.
• Trauma-informed online recovery programs addressing emotional wellbeing, financial independence and parenting.
• Access to the Centre’s National Mentoring Program, connecting women with trained mentors who provide ongoing guidance and encouragement.
• Referral coordination to connect participants with additional services where needed.

The funding will also strengthen the Centre’s evaluation and impact measurement, helping demonstrate longer-term recovery outcomes. By extending support beyond the immediate crisis, the program aims to help more women establish financial and emotional independence, strengthen family stability and build sustainable futures free from violence.