The 10th Whitelion Bail Out Charity Fundraiser

On Thursday March 26th, Mark Watt, CEO of non-profit community charity Whitelion suggested plans to reach $600,000 in funds that will go towards “breaking the cycle” of disadvantaged youth in Australia. It comes as a photo shoot with Real Housewives Of Melbourne star Gina Liano and Mark Holden today helped endorse the event at the Old Melbourne Gaol.

The Bail Out Charity is Whitelion’s national fundraising and awareness campaign. Bail Out provides an opportunity to step into the shoes of a young person that has been disconnected from the community due to abuse and neglect, drug addiction and poverty. Watt said these issues are “increasing”, vowing to “help more and more kids every year. Our vision is the courage to choose a better future and we’re giving a lot of kids that chance to have that better future through our mentoring programs, employment programs, outreach programs and street programs and we are witnessing a lot of kids’ lives change.”

According to the Whitelion website, statistics reveal there are 50,000 vulnerable young people in Australia, with 32,400 of them being homeless. Watt said that “family dysfunction” was the prime reason as to why we are seeing such an alarming number of vulnerable young people in Australia. But with the Whitelion charity community, “We’re giving a lot of kids that chance to have that better future,” said Watt. “We work with 1,500 kids a week and that’s just fantastic, so we are connecting with these guys and letting them back into the community, so it’s the community helping young people.”

Whitelion is aiming to perpetuate this cycle hoping to lock up 450 people this year in the Bail Out. “It’s hopefully going to raise $600,000 that will help many kids get more mentors and more jobs for kids through investing in our mentoring and employment programs and many more.”

In 2014, over 400 inmates were locked-up around the country, raising more than $380,000. This year’s Bail Out Charity will happen at the Old Melbourne Gaol on Friday May 29th.

Bail Out
Old Melbourne Gaol, 377 Russell Street, Melbourne
Friday May 29, 5:30pm
whitelionbailout.org.au/victoria