Tony Steffens from Komatsu’s Parts Department at Wacol, has a daughter who works at Mercy Community Services. This has given him a front-row seat to the struggles many families face in Ipswich, inspiring him to help create brighter futures through Komatsu’s Live your Dream program.
The Live Your Dream initiative encourages employees to make a positive impact in their communities, with support of a $10,000 grant to support a charity or organisation of their choice.
Tony has chosen to support the Intensive Family Support Program, operated by Mercy Community Services in Ipswich, which is dedicated to assisting families experiencing complex challenges like family breakdown, child protection concerns, or other crises. The program works intensively with families to strengthen relationships, enhance parenting skills and ensure the safety and wellbeing of children. Families receive personalised support tailored to their unique needs, including practical assistance, emotional guidance and access to vital community resources.
“My daughter has been working at Mercy Community Services for the past year, and I hear her stories about the vulnerable families they support and how they seek better outcomes for children and families,” Tony says.
“I come from a pretty fortunate position to not have these types of challenges, and when the opportunity came up to apply for Live your Dream and give back in some way, I saw chance to make a real, positive impact.”
Tony’s LYD project will help Mercy Community Services expand the range of supports available to about 80 vulnerable families. These supports include mental health services, basic needs assistance, education resources for children and adults and support around domestic and family violence.
He says the feedback so far from Mercy Community Services has been overwhelmingly positive. “The team expressed their gratitude for Komatsu’s Live Your Dream program and the difference it will make to local families. They’re excited to implement this support to benefit as many families as possible.”