Presenting your 2022 Westfield Local Hero

We are excited to announce your 2022 successful Westfield Local Hero for St Lukes.

The successful Westfield Local Heroes organisation, will receive a grant of $20,000 to help them continue to grow their impact in the local community. Westfield will award 126 grants across Australia and New Zealand – totalling $1.26 million.

In early 2023, we will open nominations for the 2023 Westfield Local Heroes program, so start thinking about those people in your communities who make a difference.

Your 2022 Westfield St Lukes Local Hero is:

Anne Riley

Kai Avondale
Generous. Selfless. Irreplaceable

Generous Anne Riley is the face and heart of Kai Avondale, a collective of free food initiatives available to all in the community.

Anne coordinates a free food market and Free Guys, where people can choose the groceries they need, no questions asked. She also oversees the fortnightly Feed the Streets dinner program, which provides 70 to 100 free meals.

Anne became involved with the community project approx 5 years ago following a chance meeting with the founder. She now works full-time as a coordinator and is respected for her wise advice and a compassionate listening ear.

Something that Anne loves about the programs is that they bring people together. She enjoys getting to know people in the local community and finding out what their needs are. This knowledge also helps develop new initiatives.

Anne encourages people to give back with their time or produce, which has helped some on the path to employment.

“Kai Avondale is not just about providing people with food and other resources they don’t have. It is about encouraging self-worth, empowerment and a sense of belonging that is so important as the first step to participating in the community on an equal basis,” Anne says.

Kai Avondale will use its funds to meet the increasing demand for its food services since the COVID-19 pandemic.

We also congratulate our finalists who will receive a $5,000 grant for the organisation they represent, and we thank them for their incredible contribution to the local community.

Hazel Reid from Voices of Hope
Passionate Hazel Reid has upped the impact of Voices of Hope, a charity dedicated to ending the stigma around mental health. She has helped develop many successful campaigns featuring personal mental health stories others can relate to. The idea is that when one person shares their story, others feel safe to do the same.

Jemma McKay from Asylum Seekers Support Trust
Big-hearted Jemma McKay supports people seeking asylum in New Zealand with much-needed food, social connections and a sense of normalcy through her work at the Asylum Seekers Support Trust. Driven by her passion for supporting those with refugee background to live a joyous and connected life, she also organises outings and dinners to help them feel a part of the community.

If you need support, please phone Lifeline: 0800 543 354.

Recognising all our 2022 nominees

View all of the Westfield St Lukes nominees and their organisation