On September 20, 1928, Leslie Joseph Hooker opened a real estate office in Maroubra – a beachside suburb roughly 10km from the Sydney CBD.
Fast forward 92 years, and LJ Hooker has growth into a behemoth. On Sunday, they celebrated LJ Hooker Foundation Day which not only marks the company’s birthday, but also celebrates the generosity of the network and its shared commitment to making a tangible difference in the lives of those in need.
This year they also announced an official partnership with mental health charity headspace – the LJ Hooker Foundation’s third national charity beneficiary in FY21.
In FY20, the Foundation donated $208,000 to various charities, including Humpty Dumpty Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis, Share the Dignity and the Australian Red Cross.
To date, the Foundation has raised more than $8.3 million.
“We’re pleased to be supporting headspace, who provide tailored and holistic mental health care to 12 to 25-year olds through more than 115 headspace centres nationally, and online resources,” LJ Hooker Foundation spokeswoman Sarah Dickson said.
“This partnership is well aligned to our LJ Hooker values of putting people first and resonates with our network, particularly now as the country faces multiple challenges – from the aftermath of the bushfires, to COVID-19 and a challenging economy.
“Supporting the LJ Hooker Foundation gives the real estate network greater purpose beyond the day-to-day, while simultaneously providing much needed funds for those in need.”
headspace CEO Jason Trethowan said the charity was thrilled to be partnering with the LJ Hooker Foundation as one of their national fundraising partners.
“More than 75 per cent of mental health issues develop before a person turns 25, which is why early intervention is critical,” Trethowan
“Through our headspace centres and our online and phone counselling services, young people are provided with the help and support they need to get through tough times and get back on track.
“Young people are at the centre of everything we do, and they have an active role in designing, developing and evaluating our services.
“Through our partnership, LJ Hooker Foundation can help us to co-create positive content relevant to young people that will help them navigate challenging issues such as housing,” Mr Trethowan said.
LJ Hooker launched the LJ Hooker Foundation in 2016 to consolidate the grass-roots fundraising activities of its network for major donations to charity partners the Humpty Dumpty Foundation and Cystic Fibrosis Australia, and now headspace.
