The Mortgage Choice Charity Foundation (MCCF) has chosen RizeUp Australia as its national charity partner for the 2023 financial year.
RizeUp Australia is an organisation which provides practical support by responding to emergency needs and costs for families who are at the highest risk of lethality when fleeing from domestic and family violence situations. Domestic and family violence impacts one in four children in Australia and the Mortgage Choice broker network wants to help reduce that number.
Anthony Waldron (pictured above), CEO financial services and Mortgage Choice REA Group, said he was proud to launch the partnership on behalf of the broker network.
“This helps to recognise the legacy of the Smartline Charity Fund as well as past charity work from Mortgage Choice,” Waldron said.
“Donations are just the beginning as we have brokers ready to roll up their sleeves to make an impact with RizeUp. We want to get the conversation going and play a part in bringing this issue out of the shadows. We’re reaching out to clients, lenders and to all our networks to raise our voices against domestic and family violence.”
The MCCF is funded through voluntary broker contributions and calculated on certain loans they submit, as well as REA Group contributions and other fundraising activities. Waldron said these funds would be shared between a national charity partner and a variety of state-based grass roots charities.
“The MCCF was established in July 2022 as a sub-fund of Good2Give Community Fund and the national partnership with RizeUp began in August this year,” he said. “The MCCF national committee selected RizeUp based on input from brokers across the country about the issues that matter to them and their communities.”
At the network’s national conference in September, Mortgage Choice brokers overwhelmingly took a stand against domestic and family violence by raising $66,000 over three days.
RizeUp Australia CEO Nicolle Edwards said the charity was truly thrilled to be celebrating the partnership.
“We know there is much more to do in terms of education and advocacy around domestic and family violence and joining forces with the MCCF will enable RizeUp Australia to continue to provide positive outcomes for many of the most vulnerable families in our communities,” Edwards said. “It is our absolute pleasure being supported by the Mortgage Choice broker network who have committed to not just financial support, but also to being advocates against domestic violence in Australia. I am confident that together we will make a huge impact for families in need of support.”
Mortgage Choice Charity Foundation chair Kathryn Harrison said 100s of its brokers committed to donating a portion from loans they settled towards shifting the dial on domestic and family violence, along with other charitable causes.
“Our partnership will ensure RizeUp can help even more families in need,” Harrison said.
The Mortgage Choice franchise recently celebrated record financial year results by accelerating its financial services strategy along with achieving some pivotal milestones.
Waldron said Mortgage Choice’s focus remained on being Australia’s number one retail broker business.
“We want to provide more choice and simplicity for consumers to find and finance property,” Waldron said. “The integration of Smartline and Mortgage Choice franchises under one brand and one system is well underway and we are on track to complete this process by Q3 this financial year.”
