The Chappell Foundation pledges $1M after record Annual Dinner
The Chappell Foundation | October 03, 2023
The Chappell Foundation will distribute at least $1 million in 2023 to frontline charities in the struggle against youth homelessness, following our most successful Annual Dinner.
The 6th Annual Dinner at the Sydney Cricket Ground on September 13 raised $480,000 net of expenses, more than $50,000 ahead of the previous best result.
Chairman Darshak Mehta made the $1 million pledge at the conclusion of the dinner, which pushed beyond $5 million the total raised since he and Greg Chappell founded TCF in 2017.
Darshak praised TCF’s homelessness charity partners as “the invisible heroes and heroines for transforming the lives of hundreds of desperate, young homeless people” Watch his speech here
Later, he commented: “The Annual Dinner is our marquee fundraising event and I think this year was our best, as much for the love, goodwill and overwhelming generosity of people in the room as for the amount raised.
“We must validate their generosity by increasing donations to our charity partners, who tell us conditions are as tough as they have ever been for young people at risk.”
Jennifer Zerafa, our charity guest speaker, was until recently one of those youngsters at risk.
Jennifer was raised in a chaotically dysfunctional family and was often homeless in her teens, until her life was turned around by being guided to WAYS Secondary, a school for kids too troubled for the mainstream education run by WAYS Young & Family
Now, she told us, “I have a future to look forward to”. (See Jennifer’s story here)
Our guests were moved and gave generously in response, almost $327,000 in donations and auction bids.
The highlight of the evening followed; cricket’s first family, Ian, Greg and Trevor Chappell, in conversation with Adam Spencer, who stepped up as MC at short notice and did a wonderful job.
It’s impossible to paraphrase a brotherhood of such singular individuals, so watch their provocative and entertaining discussion.
Earlier Greg and Adam welcomed 475 guests to the Noble Dining Room
They included Test players Doug Walters, Geoff Lawson, Michael Bevan, Brett Lee, Len Pascoe, Greg Dyer, Peter Nevill, Alex and Kate Blackwell, Lee Germon, Matt Nicholson and Phil Emery.
Other top sporting people included Jimmy Smith (doubling as our auctioneer), TCF Ambassador Louise Sauvage, Mark Bosnich, Brad McGee, Cameron Girdlestone, Bec Rippon and Simon Taufel.
From the world of business and sport administration we welcomed Mike Baird, John Coates, Tony Shepherd, James Sutherland, David Gallop, David Evans, Todd Greenberg, Allison Yeoland, Kerrie Mather, Andrew Yates and David Trodden.
From the world of politics and diplomacy we were joined by NSW Minister for Families and Communities Kate Washington, Ambassador Shri Manpreet Vohra, recent ambassador Barry O’Farrell (also, like Mike, an ex-NSW premier), John Howard and Brad Hazzard.
View the 2023 Annual Dinner Gallery
