Help provide vital educational support to 11,705 Australian children this Christmas.

Our Programs
- Literacy programs
  Providing resources and support to help children living with disadvantage achieve the required reading standard.
- Technology programs
  Providing children and young people living with disadvantage with the critical skills, access, and equipment they need.
- Numeracy programs
  We support early years educators and community professionals in building foundational math skills in children under their care.
- Learning for Life
  Providing holistic, long-term support for disadvantaged young Australians throughout their education.
- Mentoring programs
  Mentoring programs for students living with disadvantage that provide the encouragement they need to build aspirations for their future.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs
  Our work engages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in learning through education, life skills and role models, promoting culturally responsive practice.
Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
View all programs
Get Involved
- Ways to fundraise
  Learn about fundraising and give back to the community with The Smith Family.
- Volunteer with us
  Share your skills to help Australian children in need transform their lives through education.
- Partnerships
  Learn how your organisation can partner with The Smith Family and help build a better future for Australian children in need.
- Careers
  We aim to provide a working environment where staff and volunteers have the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.
- Events
  Participate in events and activities that support young Australians experiencing disadvantage.
- VIEW clubs of Australia
  Learn about VIEW, a leading women’s volunteer organisation and support network with over 16,000 members, across Australia.
Ways to Give
- Sponsor a child
  Through child sponsorship, you will be matched to an Australian child in need, helping to support the cost of their school essentials.
- A gift in your will
  Ensure that future generations of Australian children have the support they need to make the most of their education.
- Monthly donation
  Become a monthly donor and provide continual support throughout all stages of a child’s education.
- Philanthropic giving
  Through your philanthropy, you can ensure that young Australians impacted by poverty get the education that all children deserve.
- Single donation
  Your donation will help young Australians in need by providing access to our Learning for Life education support programs.
- Workplace giving
  Making small, regular donations to The Smith Family through Workplace Giving is an easy way to help change the lives of young Australians living in poverty.
Login
Child Sponsorship
Donate now

Donate now

Ebonie wants to give her daughter Lily the world – you are helping her do it

18 July 2024

Ebonie loves to give her daughters Lily, 9, and Holly, 11, inspiring and eye-opening experiences on the weekends. She wants to encourage them to dream big! But as most parents will agree, there’s not enough hours in the day. As a single mother working fulltime with the increasing cost of living, Ebonie is chronically time poor. She’s also experiencing financial hardship. “I’ve been struggling a bit,” she admits.

Children get their best chance to thrive when their parents have the help they need. That’s why Ebonie was thrilled that Lily and Holly could access extra learning support all children need to succeed, thanks to you.

Lily was able to join student2student program and now also attends Learning Club. Ebonie’s girls are flourishing, but it’s also eased the strain on this devoted mum. The Smith Family’s wraparound programs fill gaps where Ebonie lacks time and expertise to help her girls keep up at school.

Ebonie’s youngest, Lily, has a friendly, warm personality and a way of looking out for others that is far beyond her years. Ebony believes this could take Lily far in life. She wants to ensure that adversity does not hold Lily back. At one point, Lily was too shy to practice reading out loud in class, putting her at risk of falling behind. “Lily brings home readers and, with me working fulltime, I find it difficult to make time to sit down and read the books with her, so she can get the extra practice,” Ebonie says.

My kids’ education is very important. I didn’t do well in school, so I’m glad that my kids are doing a lot better than I was at their age. I want to say a big thank you to your generous supporters, but that’s not enough for what they’ve done to help her.

Ebonie, Learning for Life parent

But through student2student program, Lily was matched with a peer buddy to read over the phone. These friendly, low-pressure sessions helped Lily get that extra reading time she needed to feel confident to use her voice in class. “After a few sessions, Lily opened up and had a wonderful experience. Her reading has improved a lot – she’s now at the same standard as the rest of her classmates,” Ebonie says.

Ebonie is also delighted at the engaging experiences Lily has at Learning Club each week. Thanks to you, she’s getting extra maths practice via weekly cooking lessons. After school, the caring volunteer tutors will be waiting with a yummy new recipe for the children to try. Lily, her sister Holly and the other students get their hands deliciously dirty. As they prepare lovely treats, they’re learning maths! “Lily loves maths anyway, but we’ve found that incorporating maths into cooking is really fun,” Ebonie says.

Lily is finishing Year 5 this term. She is starting to get ready for highschool. A laptop is a staple for homework and research during this transition. So, it worried Ebonie that she and the girls had to rely on one old laptop between them which barely worked. She couldn’t afford a new one.

Thankfully, through the Digital Learning Essentials program, Lily was offered a refurbished laptop to help her keep up and thrive at school. Ebonie is so grateful that Lily can now have reliable access to opportunities her classmates have.

Every parent wants their child to set their sights high. With the learning support you help provide, Lily can now fully participate in learning and achieve all she aspires to and works so hard for.

Read more student and family stories in our Spring 2024 edition of Real People, Real Stories

Download

Popular Searches

Ebonie wants to give her daughter Lily the world – you are helping her do it

READ MORE

Yasin is part of the action

Iesha's pursuing her dream

SmArts students get a taste of university life