By Jamie Salter
The ACE (Aiding Casey Education) Foundation, which helps students in the City of Casey to overcome challenges with their educational pursuits, is hoping to expand to assist every student in the Cardinia Shire.
The foundation provides support to school kids in need across Casey through meal replacement drinks for kids who attend school without breakfast, hardcover books for preps and the provision of glasses for vision impaired students.
Chair Leon Shapero established the ACE Foundation in 2014 and has worked in Cranbourne as a GP obstetrician since 1987.
He said government funding was required to realise his dream of helping kids in need throughout Cardinia.
“There’s plenty of crossover between the two shires so the idea of applying these programs to the kids of Cardinia is very appealing,” Dr Shapero said.
“If we want to assist otherwise unknown vision impaired kids in their education, then it shouldn’t stop at the City of Casey.
“The idea of extending that locally was always my vision and as a sister shire, it just makes sense.”
The ACE Foundation is a not for profit which exists solely on donations and has no administrative costs, which means every cent goes towards helping local kids.
The foundation currently spends about $100,000 in Casey annually, and expects covering Cardinia will cost $135,000 per year.
Mr Shapero said with interest already gathered from people in Cardinia, all that was needed now was a financial boost.
“There are some State Government programs that are sporadic and aren’t all inclusive – they do some good but don’t work on a wider scale like what we do in Casey,” Mr Shapero said.
“For a vision impaired kid, $200 will pay for their testing and a pair of glasses and it will turn their life around.
“We want politicians to sit up and see the importance of providing this.”
The foundation currently covers 54 schools in the City of Casey.
Mr Shapero said it was enormously satisfying when teachers say students have been transformed thanks to the foundation’s programs.
“For a small investment, there’s a big pay off in terms of kids achievements and behaviour,” he said.
