Founding members, laying the foundation for positive change.

What is it that motivates someone to give? There are countless research papers on altruism trying to pinpoint exactly what drives this behaviour, but one thing that’s evident is that at the heart of all altruistic behaviour is empathy. The Cambridge Dictionary defines empathy as, “The ability to share someone else’s feelings or experiences by imagining what it would be like to be in that person’s situation”.

Brett Mills is Dealer Principal at Ken Mills Toyota and also a founding member of our P100 Village, which this year celebrates its tenth year. The generosity and ongoing support of our P100 Village has enabled us to continue to support thousands of vulnerable women and children impacted by domestic and family violence and adversity.

“Being part of the SunnyKids village enables me to make a positive impact on young people and their families in our community, helping to improve their lives and ensure their safety,” says Brett.  “I find great joy in hearing the uplifting stories of how SunnyKids provides protection, opportunities and essential necessities to those less fortunate in our community.”

This strong sense of corporate social responsibility is a common theme that runs deep within the Ken Mills Toyota family-owned business. “In our industry, small family-owned organisations like ours are becoming the exception.  This is our point of difference, we want to ensure that our customers feel this difference when they deal with us, this is why we strive to be #1 Choice for Locals.  Community involvement is one of the pillars that supports our local family business profile, plus we just really enjoy giving back and engaging with our many community partners,” says Brett.

Ten years of ongoing support for SunnyKids means that Brett has seen some change and witnessed the impact of his generosity within our community. “I once helped a family who were really struggling.  The parents were dealing with some substance use issues and grandma and grandad were now looking after the children,” says Brett.  “We helped them with transport for a while.  The children had experienced trauma and had significant developmental delays. I just so admired the grandparents for not hesitating to take ownership of the situation and ensure that these young people had a good chance at getting an education and employment later in life. This moment in time really stayed with me, it felt good to be able to help.”

While empathy is at the very heart of our P100 Village, many members are innately driven by the genuine desire to see everyone have the chance at a life not shaped by violence or hardship. “I am very grateful for my family and feel privileged to have grown up in a loving home that provided everything we needed,” Brett reiterates.  “I am also blessed with three wonderful children, which my wife and I aim to give the same positive childhood experience. By being part of the SunnyKids family, I hope to extend this privilege to others who are less fortunate.”

Our founding members helped pave the way for what is now an extremely successful regular giving program for SunnyKids. We hope our founding members are inspired by the notion, that without their initial support and generosity ten years ago, we would not be where we are today.

The ongoing support of our P100 members ensures the critical work we do continues within our community. And while demand for our services continues to increase, the need for this ongoing support will not subside. Thank you for helping shape the future of SunnyKids and laying the foundation for positive change and meaningful impact in our community.

Join our P100 Village today