Jess Duffy, Nett Bailey, Rebecca Wolstenholme and Trudie Tonkin from Big Brothers Big Sisters Casey have received a setback after discovering they would not receive $90,000 of fund-raising that was earmarked for them. 26470 Picture: Luke Plummer
By Kelly Yates
BREAKAWAY charity Big Brothers Big Sisters will be the loser in a failed partnership with YMCA that requires the charity to relinquish $90,000 of fund-raising it had presumed was for its own use.
In a two-way grab for the funds, the Casey mentoring program and the YMCA both thought they had a claim to the money.
The not-for-profit Big Brothers Big Sisters organisation had to give up the fight for the money as part of an agreement to break away from the YMCA.
Big Brothers Big Sisters was formerly run by the YMCA at the Casey ARC in Narre Warren until the organisation decided to branch out independently last December.
The agreement was that the YMCA would keep any money that was raised generally for mentoring in the South East but no commitment was given by the YMCA as to handing over the money raised over the past three years for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Casey.
Earlier this year, the YMCA informed Big Brothers Big Sisters that they would not be giving any money to the organisation, which is temporarily based in Endeavour Hills.
Big Brothers Big Sisters executive officer Paul Mathewson confirmed his organisation would not receive any of the money raised, and instead it would be used to develop a YMCA youth mentoring program.
“The community donated money thinking it was going towards a particular program and now it’s not the case.”
He said the local community would now lack faith in giving to community agencies as a result of the money not being handed over to Big Brothers Big Sisters.
“Even the fund-raising materials, such as raffle tickets, clearly stated that the funds would be going towards Big Brothers Big Sisters,” he said.
The end of the partnership came out of the blue, according to Matt Feutrill, the general manager of community for YMCA.
“We thought the relationship was good and had no intentions of stopping the program,” Mr Feutrill said.
“The money was raised by YMCA staff through YMCA events and fund-raisers and will be used to fund the YMCA mentoring program,” he said.
Former YMCA employee and Program Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters Casey Rebecca Wolstenholme said she was shocked that the YMCA was keeping the money.
She said she felt sad for the people within the community who volunteered their time and gave money to support the initiative.
According to Ms Wolstenholme, from the beginning the money raised was banked and continued to accumulate in the YMCA Open Doors account, which was set up for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.
Mr Mathewson said the funds held by the YMCA were to ensure the continuation of Big Brothers Big Sisters like a “rainy day account”.
Ms Wolstenholme said the YMCA had not put a cent into the program, despite taking credit for its success.
“The YMCA would bill Big Brothers Big Sisters for staff salaries and running costs in relation to the program,” she said.
“But the real victims are the children and families who have been waiting for a Big Brother or Big Sister, and will still have to keep waiting.”
