These well-known Australian women know what it feels like to succeed at a job they’re passionate about, but here, Elizabeth Burke discovers their more charitable side.
Claudia Karvan — The Wayside Chapel
They say charity begins at home and Claudia Karvan hasn’t strayed far from the place where she grew up to find her charitable calling.
“Even as a child, there was an openness and warmth there that I could relate to,” she says of the chapel, which was a landmark on the map of her childhood.
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Today, Claudia is an ambassador for the chapel, which has supported the people of Kings Cross since 1964.
“People want to help, but they usually don’t know how,” she says. “You can literally turn up there and they’ll give you a job.
Along with offering health and welfare services, meals and counselling, visitors drop in to the chapel for a coffee and company.
“Sometimes, it’s just about making eye contact — acknowledging and not avoiding,” Claudia says. “I think that’s the greatest message they have — to be warm and accepting and open.”
Click here to find out how you can help.
Layne Beachley — Aim For The Stars
Layne Beachley was unwavering in her determination to become a world champion surfer, a goal she committed to with unyielding resolution at age eight.
She worked four jobs at once, clocking up 60 hours a week on top of a gruelling training schedule, dealing with the discovery she was adopted, the death of her adoptive mother, and later losing her stepmum to breast cancer while going on to win seven world championships — the first woman in history to do so. The one thing she didn’t do was give up.
“There were so many times I wanted to quit because of money and pressure, and I realised I would have missed out on so much had I chosen to do that,” says the 38-year-old.
“I wanted to start a foundation to prevent girls from quitting and give them encouragement and a stepping stone to achieve their dreams.”
Through the Layne Beachley Aim For The Stars Foundation, she offers financial and moral support to help ambitious and dedicated females achieve their goals.
“It’s supporting people who have initiative and drive and passion. I’m all about helping the do-gooders and the go-getters.”
Click here to find out how you can help.
Delta Goodrem, 1 Billion Hungry project
Singer and former Neighbours actress Delta Goodrem has long been involved in charity work and in her latest project she joins forces with the United Nations to fight the plight of the 1 billion people suffering chronic hunger in the world.
As an ambassador for the 1 Billion Hungry project, she puts pressure on political systems to work harder.
“The goal is simple with the 1 Billion Hungry project: to end hunger in our lifetime. It’s not every day you get to do something that will potentially touch people’s lives in such a way,” Delta says.
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While Delta, 26, is using her profile to rally support, she believes her role is no more significant than the participation of anyone else who takes 30 seconds to sign the online petition or gets involved with the project at any level.
“Each one of us living in a democratic, developed country has a voice that counts. We should make our voices heard by putting pressure on our politicians to show them we’re not satisfied with the current state of global affairs when it comes to hunger.”
Click here to find out how you can help.
Read more of this story in the June issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly.
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