In the face of a looming national crisis, the CEO of Tasmanian charity Tassie Mums is launching a campaign to legislate an end to child poverty. This bold move comes as the organisation secures a vital $20,000 grant to provide essential school supplies for children experiencing homelessness.
A National Crisis Demands Legislative Action
Clair Harris, CEO of Tassie Mums, has declared the time for an overarching national plan is now. "We need an end to child poverty to be legislated and I am campaigning for that," Ms Harris stated. She highlighted the stark reality facing the country: "We are set to reach 1 million children living in poverty in Australia this year. It's not great."
Ms Harris argues that while children have traditionally held little political sway, investing in their wellbeing is an investment in the nation's collective future. "It's a no-brainer to me," she said, emphasising the universal benefit of such action.
Critical Funding for Essential Support
The not-for-profit group, which receives no government funding, has been awarded a $20,000 CommBank Community Grant. This crucial injection of funds will directly support their activity packs – compact A4-sized pencil cases filled with stationery for children who lack access to these basic learning tools at home.
"A lot of the children we are helping are facing homelessness," Ms Harris explained. "That might be living in a caravan, overcrowded housing, living in a car, a shelter – and they don't have access to these stationery basics once they get home, whatever their home might be at the end of the day."
She expressed profound gratitude for the support, noting, "Without funding like this being generously provided by CommBank, we would struggle to meet that need."
The Tangible Impact of Grassroots Charity
Tassie Mums operates by collecting new and preloved donations through drop points, which are then distributed via a network of up to 100 welfare organisations and over 500 registered professionals across Tasmania. Their hallmark service is providing clothing bundles for children from premature birth up to 16 years old.
In the last financial year alone, the charity provided material aid essentials to 2,785 Tasmanian children, with the total value of support estimated at around $1 million.
Nathan Barker, Executive Manager Community Investment at CommBank, praised the organisation's work. "Tassie Mums is doing amazing work to make a real difference and our grants are designed to make sure that impact extends further," he said. "We are really proud here at CommBank to play a part and make sure these vital services are able to receive continued support."
The CommBank Community Grants program, delivered through the CommBank Staff Foundation, awarded 180 grants of $20,000 each in 2026. The initiative allows bank staff to nominate community organisations meaningful to them, with the bank matching employee donations to amplify the funding's reach.
