Today’s C&G Local Focus Interview is with Michael Perusco, CEO of the Sacred Heart Mission. At the helm of the organisation since 2003, he is also the Chairperson of the Council to Homeless Persons, the peak body for organisations working with people who are homeless in Victoria. Prior to his career in the community sector, Michael worked in the commercial sector including KPMG & Arthur Andersen where he gained his Chartered Accounting qualification. Chisholm & Gamon have worked alongside the Sacred Heart Mission in sponsoring and promoting many of their fundraising events – and it’s an association we’re most proud of. Find out more about the Sacred Heart Mission and how you can become involved in this dynamic charity association. Read on!

How long has Sacred Heart Mission been working collaboratively with Chisholm & Gamon?

Sacred Heart Mission and Chisholm & Gamon first came together in 2005. Since then they have been involved in various ways and have been major sponsors of our Dine with the Champions dinner for many years. Chisholm & Gamon and Sacred Heart Mission both have a strong connection with the local community and it makes sense to work together.

What is the key role of Sacred Heart Mission in our community?

Sacred Heart Mission has been working in the St Kilda community for nearly 30 years providing services to people who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless or disadvantaged. We provide a wide range of services including a meals program, health services, aged care facilities, rooming house and assistance for things such as accommodation, emergency aid and access to free showers and laundry facilities. Our aim is to work with people to rebuild their lives and reconnect with the community.

Has the community attitude towards charity changed during your period at Sacred Heart Mission? If so – how?

Sacred Heart Mission has been and is seen as a key part of the community and we’ve been fortunate to have strong support from the community and people value our work. The support is shown through the number of individuals who volunteer in different areas of the Mission, around 900, as well as financial support and the in-kind donations.  We value the support we receive and hope that it continues to grow.

What outcomes at Sacred Heart Mission are you most proud of?

I am proud of all of our work but if I had to choose just one it would be Journey to Social Inclusion (J2SI).  We spent three years developing the project and raising the $4million required to implement it. Essentially, the model provides people who are long term homeless with the support we believe is necessary to break the cycle of chronic homelessness. The current system is failing this group of people and we are aiming to demonstrate that chronic homelessness is not an intractable social issue. Twelve months into this 3 year program, the results are very encouraging and we are excited about the potential of the final 2 years.

How did you come to work in the not for profit sector?

I am passionate about ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate fully in their community, irrespective of the challenges they have faced in their life.  This is the core work of Sacred Heart Mission and I am very proud to be a part of it.

How do corporate giving programmes and charity participation benefit the business community?

For some businesses it is all about the bottom line, but for others like Chisholm & Gamon who have giving programs and support charities like the Mission, it is also about being a good corporate citizen. For many people, community has become important to them and businesses are starting to see people either coming to them or staying with them not only because they are providing good services and or products but because they are also supporting the community around them. For organisations like the Mission, financial support through donations are extremely important, so too is support and promotion of events and activities.

Please describe the value of the contribution that Chisholm & Gamon have made to Sacred Heart Mission.

Chisholm & Gamon’s support of the Mission has been amazing.  Not only have they contributed nearly $50,000 to date but they have provided many real estate boards to promote our events at no cost.  Our events are major fundraisers for the organisation and we are reliant on cost efficient and effective ways to promote the events to be able to maximise the profits. They have also provided their professional services through running the ‘rowdy’ auctions at events and at the recent Heart of St Kilda Concert put their selling skills to work selling raffle tickets – we had our best result this year!  Torsten Kasper, Managing Director, is a member of our Mission Possible committee who are working hard at the moment for this year’s Dine with the Champions dinner, 13 October. Chisholm & Gamon have also recently begun to promote our op shops to people who are moving in or out of properties they have sold or manage.  We have a collection service and for Chisholm & Gamon clients we collect items even if it falls outside our normal collection service area.

What changes do you see for your organisation in the next year – what big Sacred Heart events can the community become involved with?

As costs rise for the general public, they also rise for us so we need to make sure we can keep meeting the need.  Events that people can get involved with in the coming year are our Dine with the Champions dinner (13 October), Light up a Life cocktail party (March 2012) and Heart of St Kilda Concert (June 2012).  Another way to get involved is to support our op shops, we have six and are always looking for good quality items to sell.  Details of shop locations and a collection booking form can be found on our website.  The profits from the op shops go to ensure we can keep our doors open. And finally, people can volunteer in many different ways at the Mission. If you are interested there are also details on the website, www.sacredheartmission.org.

TAGS: Michael Perusco, Dine with the Champions, Light Up A Life, Heart of St Kilda, Sacred Heart Mission, Chisholm & Gamon, Torsten Kasper, Journey To Social Inclusion