Happy Paws Happy Hearts celebrates ‘landing’ first corporate partner: The Flight Centre Foundation

14 February 2024: Happy Paws Happy Hearts (HPHH) is excited to announce that its first corporate partnership with the Flight Centre Foundation is ‘taking flight’.

HPHH is a national not-for-profit, founded in 2014, on a mission to connect socially isolated Australians in group programs, purposefully designed to care for and train rescue animals awaiting adoption. By creating positive social connections for both participants and rescue animals, HPHH improves quality of life and offers genuine volunteer, education and employment pathways.

The Flight Centre Foundation is Flight Centre Travel Group’s (FCTG) way of harnessing the collective goodness of its people, industry partners and customers to give back to the communities where they work, live and travel. Committed to growing a foundation that aligns with, and supports, organisations invested in brighter futures for Australia and communities worldwide, this partnership was a natural fit.

In this charity partnership, HPHH will continue to support socially isolated people and rescue animals with this generous backing from the Flight Centre Foundation. This funding will assist vulnerable youth on their journey to build vocational skills.

In addition to financial support, the Flight Centre Foundation will support Explore participants undertaking our youth employment pathways program by providing mock interviews – the final stage of the program, designed to put their knowledge into practice – online or in-person at the FCTG Global Head Office in South Bank, Brisbane.

FCTG Head of People & Culture Australia, Sam Van Gool said the partnership reflects the Foundation's commitment to creating brighter futures. 

"The funding is one part of it, but to be able to offer practical support to the youth employment pathways program is a truly rewarding experience for our people," Ms Van Gool said. 

"We are always looking for opportunities to learn and give back at the same time, and our partnership with Happy Paws, Happy Hearts allows us to do just that." 

HPHH will also provide structured staff engagement opportunities for FCTG employees, across its national locations throughout 2024.

With 5,500 FCTG employees in Australia, all with one paid volunteer leave day per year; this charity partnership will provide much-needed hands-on assistance to HPHH with its group programs to participants, including people with physical and mental health challenges, veterans and first responders.

Happy Paws Happy Hearts Head of Partnerships & Revenue, Felicity Hibbins said she is ‘over the moon’ about this partnership and can’t wait to continue creating brighter futures for Australians and rescue animals.

“Our journey began with the Flight Centre Foundation back in 2022 when we were lucky enough to receive grant funding to launch our online tool for Explore participants to support their learning experience in building employment skills. It’s wonderful to have the opportunity to continue this amazing relationship with Flight Centre Foundation this year as one of their charity partners. Thank you to all FCTG people for their support of Happy Paws Happy Hearts,” Ms Hibbins said.

“We can now expand our impact to assist even more participants on a significant scale, thanks to this continued support of the Flight Centre Foundation. We are so excited and proud to have such an incredible first corporate partner and look forward to our bright futures together. This collaboration marks a pivotal moment for us, as their commitment propels us toward a shared vision of creating positive change!”

Happy Paws Happy Hearts is excited to continue its mission of connecting socially isolated people and animals, with the support of the Flight Centre Foundation. To find out more about partnership opportunities with HPHH, head to https://www.hphhfoundation.org/our-partners.  

ENDS

For interview opportunities with Happy Paws Happy Hearts Head of Partnerships & Revenue, Felicity Hibbins, please contact:

·       Rachel Horan | Rachel.Horan@hphhfoundation.org | 0480 393 775

About Happy Paws Happy Hearts 

Happy Paws Happy Hearts (HPHH) began in 2014 when co-founder Zoe Black had an amazing idea to flip animal assisted therapy and bring socially isolated people into shelter environments to help animals and meet new people. From the first visit, she saw the instant connections formed, and how these interactions brought a smile to the faces of people and animals alike. 

Since then, HPHH has grown into a national program, rehabilitating animals and people across Australia.

Working hand in hand with the RSPCA and with the support of our amazing partners, HPHH provides a community for vulnerable people to come together and share a mutual love of animals, learn new skills, and give back in a meaningful way. It also provides much-needed support to many rescue animals waiting for adoption in Australia. 

Education and connection happen within the context of a larger community. Our approach takes participants out of the training room and into shelters and wildlife sanctuaries, ensuring participants have the necessary support, environment, and “hands-on” opportunity to do their best development and learning. 

About Flight Centre Foundation

Founded in 2008, the Flight Centre Foundation is Flight Centre Travel Group’s (FCTG) way of harnessing the collective goodness of our people, industry partners and customers to give back to the communities where we work, live and travel.

Since its inception, the Foundation has donated more than $20 million toward causes that align closely with its own purpose, and that of the wider global Group.