By Corey Everitt
Pakenham’s Sunrise2Sunrise is looking forward to expanding their support for those in need as they join many other local businesses and organisations by becoming the latest cornerstone partner of the Cardinia Foundation.
Sunrise2Sunrise has been a disability support service operating out of Treloar Lane since 2018, in those years it’s transformed the lives of many across the area by providing individual service for their clients’ needs in health, education, employment and much more.
It was founded by Krishna Sevak and Ravi Bhatt who are now the executive finance director and managing director, respectively.
Recently, they decided to further expand their work for the community by becoming a cornerstone partner of the Cardinia Foundation.
“Cardinia Foundation has a history within the community and strict processes of how they give funds out that made me know that if I donate it will go to the right place,” Bhatt said.
“Especially the stories during covid, when they helped a lot of people with day to day needs, was one of the highlights that made me want to become a cornerstone partner.”
For their work in the disability support sector, the Cardinia Foundation is a seamless step.
“Our motto says ‘care when you need it, how you want it’,” Bhatt said.
“This is to do with how individual people have individual needs and how one size does not fit all.
“Cardinia Foundation has worked in the local community over the years and has a proven track record.
“We want to be part of something which helps people in need given we don’t have a mechanism, we need somebody that does and who has the name.”
Being a partner is not a passive role in the foundation, it opens up opportunities for more initiatives in the community.
For instance, Co-founder Sevak will soon be doing her own fundraising for the foundation, only it will be a bit of a distance away from Cardinia.
Sevak will travel to the Himalayas this week where on Friday 3 May she will begin an 11 day hike to the base camp of Mount Everest.
Every metre she ascends will be one dollar donated to the Cardinia Foundation, with a max goal of 5364 dollars – the exact altitude of base camp in metres.
“When I was growing up, I was always told that ten percent of your income should go back to the community,” Bhatt said.
“So now as an organisation we are approaching that.”
Such work is not only just to help, but also a way of showing what is possible for others who are looking for ways to support their community.
“People like us coming forward, it also helps other businesses to look at that and feel the need to be part of a bigger cause,” Bhatt said.
“That should be the messaging for every individual, every organisation, every business out there small or big, doesn’t matter whether it’s one dollar or ten thousand. How can we go back and give it to the community.”
You can learn more about the Cardinia Foundation’s partnership program at cardiniafoundation.org/partnerships-2/
