About the Event

On Thursday 30 April 2026, the HOPE Program welcomed supporters, partners and friends to Gran Torino, Double Bay for our annual Mother’s Day Fundraiser — a special afternoon dedicated to celebrating mothers and standing alongside young families.

Guests, including our supporters, partners and donors, enjoyed a long lunch filled with meaningful conversation, connection and reflection. Throughout the afternoon, we shared the impact of the HOPE Program and the powerful role of collective care in creating brighter futures for young parents and their children, and heard from our speakers — Melissa Smith from Noble Ambition, Allegra Spender, Federal Member for Wentworth, and HOPE’s own Tina Schembri and Sandra Harris, who spoke to the importance of giving and the meaningful difference it makes when a community comes together to support families during the earliest and most critical years of a child’s life.

At the heart of the event was a reminder of why HOPE exists — to walk alongside young families as they navigate complex challenges, providing wrap-around, trauma-informed support that creates safety, stability and opportunity. For many families, this support is life-changing, helping to strengthen relationships, improve wellbeing and build strong foundations for children in their first 2,000 days.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of those in the room, as well as our broader community, vital funds were raised to support the continuation and growth of the HOPE Program. As an innovative and holistic model of care, HOPE relies on the support of donors and partners to ensure more families can access the support they need, when they need it most.

A highlight of the afternoon was our Mother’s Day raffle, where guests had the chance to win one of ten generous prizes. The raffle not only added a sense of excitement to the day, but also contributed directly to supporting HOPE families. We’re so grateful to all of our sponsors who contributed to making this wonderful raffle happen and congratulations to our winners

A special thank you to our MC for the proceedings, Jessica Montague, Head of Commercial Content, News Sport and Prestige at News Corp Australia. A long-time supporter of HOPE, Jessica brought warmth and energy to the afternoon and helped create a welcoming and engaging experience for all.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended, donated and contributed to making the event so special. Your support is a powerful demonstration of what can be achieved when a community comes together with compassion and purpose.