Two major grant programs joined this year with the Redland Foundation giving away significant amounts to three local organisations at its grants presentation on January 15.
The presentation combined the Ian McDougall grant of $30,000 per year and the Dan Holzapfel grant of $50,000 per year.
At the presentation, Tony Clark of Backpack Bed for Homeless was given $18,000 through the Dan Holzapfel program. Also gaining grants were Switchnode ($18,000) and Jumpforce International ($12,500).
Backpack Bed for the Homeless has distributed more than 30,000 beds to street-sleeping homeless people through 600 homeless agencies worldwide. The bed is a multi-award winning design that converts a lightweight 3kg backpack capable of carrying 20kg into an all-weather single person tent.
Funding will be used to further develop the lite trex fabric.
Redland Foundation President Don Seccombe said the bed was both inspiring and life changing.
“With this funding we are looking forward to seeing the impact Tony and his team will have,” Mr Seccombe said.
Mr Clark described Mr Holzapfel as a ‘blessing to humanity’.
Also receiving $18,000 were NathanSmith and Rusty Routledge of Switchnode. Switchnode provides an alternative to the current internet arrangements available to Australian households and business. The current focus is on the elevator product and the travel node, a portable heavy duty 4g WIFI device, aimed at the caravanning grey nomad market.
“It is fantastic to see young Redlanders find alternatives to current offerings in our increasingly digitalised world. We believe in the passion both Nathan and Rusty have for the telecommunications industry and look forward to seeing their success into the future,” Mr Seccombe said.
Luke Boon of JumpForce International will use the $12,500 grant to build on the success of competitive skipping in the Redlands, bringing it into gyms and schools worldwide.
A 28-time world rope skipping champion and international Olympic committee representative, Mr Boon said he hoped to fast track effective outcomes in the company’s four main areas of fitness classes, crossfit seminars and workshops, school based programs and the manufacture of skipping equipment.
Mr Boon said the grant and the generosity of Mr Holzapfel provided a bright future for the company which could be “catalysed into bigger things”.
He promised to send positive reports on the company’s progress.
