provender® partners with Special Olympics Australia

provender® are delighted to announce that they have partnered with Special Olympics Australia as a silver sponsor.

Special Olympics Australia is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lives of people with an intellectual disability through a quality program of year-round sports training and competition in communities across Australia.

People with an intellectual disability are often marginalised from society. So Special Olympics provides a welcoming and supportive environment where they can get fit, learn new skills, develop confidence and make friends. No matter what their sporting prowess all athletes are offered opportunities to shine at a local level right up to international competition.

Special Olympics is about acceptance, inclusion and dignity, where the focus is always on ability rather than disability, and there is no such thing as ‘can’t’.

For provender® this relates to everything that they do as a business. From the Franchisor, right through to the local Australian Franchise Owners servicing businesses in the local community, they are about setting goals and delivering their best.

On February 25 2009, provender® mobile franchise cemented their partnership with Special Olympics Australia by presenting the organisation with a cheque for $20,000. This mirrors provender’s existing sponsorship with Special Olympics New Zealand which has been in place since 1999.

provender® Franchise Council Chairman and Franchise Owner John Meddows, made the generous donation to Special Olympics Australia CEO, Catriona Barry and Special Olympics athlete Mel Eustace who told a group of supporters,”I am proud to be a Special Olympics athlete. I am passionate about sport because it makes a big difference to our lives. It’s a great opportunity to make lifelong mates. It’s fantastic. Thankyou for helping us achieve our dreams.”

According to Catriona Barry, "Special Olympics Australia relies heavily on the goodwill and support of a small group of sponsors, donors and supporters to keep our programs running. Without the generosity of companies like provender® many people with an intellectual disability would be denied an opportunity to improve their lives through sport."

"However, we have much more to do as an organisation. While we support around 4500 athletes across Australia, we know there are an estimated 500,000 Australians with an intellectual disability who could benefit from our program," she said

Along with the $20,000 sponsorship contribution the food and beverage franchise is displaying the Special Olympics Australia logo on its vans, vending machines, uniforms and other marketing materials to support brand awareness within local communities where our Franchise Owners operate. The above incorporates an expected value package of $100,000 including the $20,000.

Director of the home based business group, Philip Horrocks said provender® is delighted to be supporting such a highly respected, globally-accredited organisation and provender® is dedicated to assisting Special Olympics Australia find more support in order to create greater opportunities for individuals with an intellectual disability”.

In 2010, Special Olympics will host the IX Special Olympics National Games in Adelaide, where we will be supporting athletes to achieve their best and possibly make the team to represent Australia at the Summer World Games in Athens in 2011.