In 2019 we met Nadia Parenzee, founder and CEO of Giving Independence for Tomorrow (better known as ‘G.I.F.T’) and her story was so touching and inspiring that when we ran the do_action() hackathon in 2020, we immediately reached out to her and invited her to apply. The hackathon team got most of the way there (thanks most especially to the assistance of volunteer Andrea Garvey) and we helped them get that last little bit done and dusted so they could launch their beautiful new site. Since launching, we’ve also helped them set up their orphan sponsorship page so that they can collect ongoing donations to provide education, food and clothing to children who need them.
One of the things that really struck us about the approach G.I.F.T took to philanthropy was that they took such a hands on approach – with volunteers both in Australia and overseas helping to deliver much needed supplies and support to those who most need it. From green houses in Bosnia to eyesight surgery in Pakistan, G.I.F.T are changing lives wherever they see poverty or injustice, and that’s a mission we can really get behind.
In early 2022, G.I.F.T were hit with a malicious cyber attack that would have shut down most charities, with both the organisation and staff being targeted on multiple platforms. Fortunately we support the G.I.F.T team through our Mission Digital Program, so not only were we able to detect and mitigate the attack, we also helped them put numerous additional precautions in place for their organisation to protect them now and in the future. If you would like to show your appreciation for the amazing work the team at G.I.F.T do, please consider making a donation.