Over the Christmas and New Year period, KARI supported families across our community through a range of holiday initiatives designed to bring choice, celebration and practical support during a busy time of year.
Gift cards, food hampers and toys were distributed to families, helping ease financial pressure and support festive celebrations at home. We were also grateful for the generous donation of Christmas presents from a local women’s group, which contributed to our annual toy drive and helped ensure children had something special to open on Christmas Day.
As part of the celebrations, the PSP team delivered the Choose Your Own Christmas Adventure initiative, giving children and families the opportunity to shape their own holiday experiences in ways that were meaningful to them. The Christmas raffle was another highlight of the season, with several families announced as winners and able to enjoy their prizes over the holiday break. These initiatives reflected the importance of connection, choice and community during the festive season, helping families feel supported as they welcomed the New Year.
GPT Group Family Santa Photos Donation
GPT Group generously donated a number of Santa photo packages to support families in our community during the festive season.
The donated packages allowed families to redeem Santa photos at GPT shopping centres across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia, helping create positive experiences and lasting memories during an important time of year.
KARI sincerely thanks GPT Group for their generosity and continued support of families and communities across Australia.
KARI CDS VIC 8 Million Containers
On 11 December 2025, KARI Container Deposit Scheme depots marked a significant milestone, celebrating the return of 8 million containers across KARI CDS locations.
The milestone event was attended by Member for Pascoe Vale Anthony Cianflone MP, Tony Catania, General Manager – Victoria Tomra – Cleanaway and KARI CEO, Casey Ralph, recognising the positive impact the depots continue to have on community participation, environmental sustainability and local employment.
Reaching 8 million containers returned reflects the strong support of the community and highlights the important role KARI CDS depots play in creating both environmental and social outcomes. The milestone represents continued growth and reinforces KARI’s commitment to delivering programs that benefit people, community and Country.
Project Phoenix Pilot
KARI is proud to be part of Project Phoenix, a national partnership between Optus, the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) DV Safe Phone, PhoneCycle and KARI Foundation. This collaboration brings industry and community organisations together with a shared goal: keeping mobile devices out of landfill and instead, refurbishing those still functional, though possibly in need of repairs, to provide safe and reliable connectivity to those who need it most.
Through Project Phoenix, unused mobile phones are collected, securely processed and refurbished. Once ready, they are paired with a donated Donate Your Data free SIM card and distributed to people experiencing vulnerability, including those impacted by family and domestic violence, financial hardship or digital exclusion. This initiative not only reduces electronic waste but also helps community members stay connected to essential services, support networks and loved ones.
The pilot has had a strong and encouraging start. The first batch of refurbished devices arrived in late November, and the KARI team quickly began preparing for rollout. Community response has already been positive, with SIM activations underway and early feedback highlighting how meaningful this support is for families and individuals. KARI has had recipients shared that opening their refurbished phone and Donate Your Data free SIM card “felt like opening a brand new device” because of the care taken in packaging and presentation.
We look forward to sharing more updates as Project Phoenix continues to grow, delivering practical support and creating lasting impact across our communities.
If your organisation is interested in donating used phones or laptops to support this work, please reach out.
Together, we can give devices a second life and help more people stay connected when it matters most.
Distribution of vacation care packs
In the first week of January KARI distributed our highly anticipated school holiday cooking packs to families, providing an opportunity to connect with culture through food and shared experiences at home.
Each pack included recipes featuring native Australian ingredients. Using native ingredients acknowledges and celebrates the deep knowledge Aboriginal communities hold about the land, while sharing this knowledge with the wider Australian community in a practical and accessible way.
KAP Updates
KARI Aboriginal Procurement (KAP) continues to go from strength to strength, with January marking another exciting period of growth, new partnerships and expanded reach across Australia.
KAP was also proud to partner with Quay Clean to deliver their new, fully stocked First Aid Kits, featuring a striking Aboriginal art design. These kits are now in use across some truly iconic Australian locations, including The Southport School, University of Queensland, University of Tasmania, Adelaide Oval, Optus Stadium, Melbourne Cricket Ground and Sydney Olympic Park. It is great to see practical safety equipment also celebrating culture and connection to Country.
We continue to service defibrillators for BGIS at the defence site, plus continuing to service ADCO & Texco’s First Aid kits meeting their PPE requirements.
In another positive step, KAP has secured a partnership with SSI, an organisation delivering human services that support individuals, families and children from diverse backgrounds. This partnership helps strengthen connection, communication and access to essential services for people starting new chapters in Australia.
As we move into the year ahead, KARI Aboriginal Procurement remains focused on growth that creates real impact, strengthens partnerships and supports communities.
Goodman Fielder Donation
Staff at Goodman Fielder Pty Limited recently came together to support Aboriginal children and families, by donation to the KARI Foundation.
The donation reflects a shared commitment to community support and positive social impact. Through their collective contribution, the Goodman Fielder team demonstrated how workplace initiatives can help support organisations delivering vital programs for Aboriginal communities.
KARI Foundation sincerely thanks the staff at Goodman Fielder for their generosity. Their support will assist in the continued delivery of programs that strengthen families and contribute to improved outcomes for Aboriginal children.
Cultural Learning at SSI Youth Camp
In the January school holidays, Settlement Services International held a Youth Camp for young refugees as a part of their Humanitarian settlement program. The Community Programs and HUB teams attended on the Friday 16th to assist in integrating First Nations culture into the camp.
Camp attendees were taught about traditional hunting methods and got the chance to throw returning boomerangs as well as spears with the help of woomera’s. They learnt how to weave and were able to weave a turtle in the colours of the Aboriginal Flag. They were also taught about story telling through aboriginal art techniques and symbols and painted a boomerang.
Transition to School Backpacks
KARI recently delivered Transition to School backpacks to First Nations students starting Kindergarten and Year 7 in 2026, supporting children at two important transition points in their education.
Each backpack was carefully packed with essential school supplies, helping ensure students are well prepared and ready to engage from their first day. By providing these practical resources, the initiative helps reduce barriers for families and supports positive, confident starts to the school year.
The program reflects KARI’s commitment to supporting First Nations children and families through key stages of learning, promoting participation, confidence and long-term educational outcomes.
Cultural Camp at Collaroy Centre
From 20 to 23 January, children in KARI’s Out of Home Care program attended a Cultural Camp at the Collaroy Centre, taking part in a range of hands-on cultural activities designed to strengthen connection to culture, Country and community.
Throughout the camp, children participated in cultural demonstrations led by Uncle Les McLoud, alongside bush walking and visits to local engraving sites. These experiences provided opportunities for learning, reflection and connection to cultural knowledge in a supportive environment.
The camp offered a meaningful space for children to engage with culture, ask questions and build understanding through direct experience, while also enjoying time outdoors with peers and Cultural Liason Officers CLO’s.
Community Programs NSW Swim Safety Program
In January, KARI delivered its Swim Safety Program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, providing essential water safety education in a culturally safe and supportive environment.
The three-day program was delivered across a range of locations and facilitated by certified swimming instructors. Participants took part in structured pool instruction and inland water activities, building confidence and capability in different aquatic settings.
Cultural activities were woven throughout the program, supporting children to strengthen their connection to culture while learning practical, life-saving knowledge. Lunch and essential swim items were provided each day to support participation and wellbeing.
The Swim Safety Program reflects KARI’s commitment to improving outcomes for Aboriginal children by prioritising safety, skill development, confidence and cultural connection. Programs like this play an important role in supporting long-term water safety and resilience.
YABUN Festival
On 26th January, KARI’s Community Programs team and Carer Recruitment team attended the Yabun Festival at Victoria Park, Sydney, connecting with community and sharing information about KARI’s programs and opportunities.
The Community Programs team created a strong presence on the day, bringing along the popular spear-throwing inflatable, which provided a fun and engaging activity for children and families. The team also activated and gave away Optus DYD SIM cards, supporting digital access and connection within community.
Alongside this, the Carer Recruitment team spent time yarning with community members, sharing information about becoming a foster or kinship carer with KARI and answering questions in a welcoming and culturally safe way.
Events like Yabun provide an important opportunity for KARI to connect face to face with community, strengthen relationships, and raise awareness of the support available to Aboriginal children and families.
Mothers and Childrens Camp
January finished with a Mothers and Children’s Camp at CCC Toukley on the NSW Central Coast, with 16 children attending alongside their mothers. Families who participated are clients of KARI’s Child and Family Services team.
The camp brought together outdoor activities such as paddle boarding, swimming and fishing with targeted information sessions designed to support mothers and strengthen family wellbeing. These activities provided opportunities for positive shared experiences, skill-building and connection in a relaxed, culturally safe environment.
The camp aligned with KARI’s wrap-around, early intervention approach, supporting families before challenges escalate. Outcomes included strengthened relationships between mothers and their children, improved communication, and increased confidence and connection within families.
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