Sometimes life touches us in ways we had not previously imagined possible.
The Youanmi subfund of the Sydney Community Foundation was founded by a mother whose daughter has suffered from Anorexia Nervosa for over a decade. Theirs is a heartwarming story - not only of courage but also of the conviction to help others who have been to a similar place in their life.
Our founding donor explains ..”Initially I thought if I could just make her eat she would get better. But eating disorders are much more complicated than this. After a couple of years of my daughter being hospitalised more often than not I realised that what I was trying to deal with was something I had no control over. No amount of motherly love was going to fix this. Then I was introduced to The Butterfly Foundation. I now see that The Butterfly Foundation has so much to offer in assistance for all those who suffer with an eating disorder but they are held back by lack of funding.”
The vision of the Youanmi subfund is to create a corpus fund that will grow to support the long term sustainability of The Butterfly Foundation. This can only be achieved with your help, and every dollar raised is vital. Our aim is to apply the interest derived from the capital to fund longer term projects at The Butterfly Foundation. These projects, such as:
• a national telephone and email Support Line that offers counseling support and referrals
• support groups for sufferers and carers
• prevention programs in schools
• early intervention workshops and programs for teachers, school counselors and others
• outreach services to rural and remote areas
• advocacy for improved community and government awareness and treatment / support services
offer vital support to those affected by eating disorders and negative body image. However they require skilled professionals and resources and recurring funds are needed by Butterfly to ensure they can maintain and develop such services to meet the ever increasing need and demand.
What so many people don’t realize is that eating disorders, which are severe mental illnesses with a high level of physical and social impairment, have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness. Over 15% of women will suffer from an eating disorder during their lifetime. Although they affect predominantly young women, they cross all ages and both genders. The highest risk pathway into an eating disorder is restrictive dieting and disordered eating. Negative body image, which is the highest ranking personal issue for young people (in the most recent Mission Australia Youth Survey), is in so very many instances the trigger for dieting, disordered eating and excessive exercise in young people as they desperately try and change their body shape and size.
By donating to the Youanmi subfund you can join in creating a better future for The Butterfly Foundation and the assistance it provides to sufferers and carers of loved ones with eating disorders.
The benefits of donating through the Youanmi subfund are many:
• Donations to the fund are tax deductible and the fund generates tax free income
• The fund is a subfund of the SCF, who is trustee for all funds received and is legally responsible for the investment and management of the funds
• The SCF is an independent and public foundation with strong governance and operational efficiency so you can be assured that all funds received will be managed responsibly
• The fund provides the Butterfly Foundation with greater independence and a regular source of funding in the long term
The Butterfly Foundation provides support for Australians who suffer from eating disorders and negative body image issues and their carers through direct relief for treatment and support to sufferers of eating disorders, counseling, prevention programs, support groups and advocacy and awareness amongst other support programs.
To learn more about the Youanmi subfund email us on enquiries@sydneycommunityfoundation.org.au or contact Kristi Mansfield, Executive Director of the SCF on 02 9251 1228.
For the past two years the Youanmi subfund has funded the Butterfly Foundation's employment of an administrative assistant. Click here to learn more about the most recent grant.
To learn more about the Butterfly Foundation visit www.thebutterflyfoundation.org.au
The trustee of SCF has decided to support the Butterfly Foundation through the Youanmi subfund. The trustee has the discretion as to what grants to make and to which charities to make grants. If for reasons in the future the trustee does not make grants to the Butterfly Foundation it intends that the gifts recorded in the Youanmi subfund will support another institution assisting sufferers and carers of loved ones with eating disorders.