HDR Australia Fund Awards 8 Grants to Strengthen Local Communities

June 16, 2025

Orange Sky provides laundry service to people experiencing homelessness — An AU$5,000 grant to Orange Sky Australia will support the organization's mobile health operations, including free laundry and showering services. The grant will help Orange Sky serve people of the Northern Territory experiencing homelessness.

Grants Reflect Employees’ Commitment to Local Causes

Eight community-focused organizations across Australia will benefit from AU$30,000 in new funding through the HDR Australia Fund, demonstrating the strong commitment of HDR employees to supporting the communities where they live and work.

Five of the eight grants were awarded as part of HDR’s employee-sponsored community grants program, which enables staff to nominate causes of personal significance. The HDR Foundation and HDR Australia Fund grants focus on three key pillars: education, healthy communities and environmental stewardship.

Cintia Mistro, strategy and briefing specialist at HDR, sponsored a grant to Clean Up Australia, a charity that educates students on protecting the environment through school cleanup kits and hands-on learning.

“In primary school, I used to participate in educational campaigns raising awareness in our local communities about the importance of protecting the environment,” Mistro said. “What started as a childhood initiative grew into a mindset and lifestyle choice that continues to guide me today. I’m proud to be part of something that empowers communities to protect and preserve our environment for future generations.”

Paula Carvalho, project coordinator at HDR, sponsored a grant to Orange Sky. The organization offers laundry services, showers and friendly conversations to people experiencing homelessness.

“Orange Sky is a unique charity where they not only focus on promoting their laundry service for communities in need, but also focus on the mental and emotional well-being of the community through conversation whilst the laundry service is being undertaken,” Carvalho said. “This is what makes Orange Sky special to me.”

In addition to the five employee-sponsored grants, the HDR Australia Fund also awarded grants to food banks in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane — home to HDR’s Australian offices. The contributions were part of a special initiative tied to the firm’s Day of Giving, an annual global fundraising event in support of the HDR Foundation and global philanthropic funds.

“These grants are a reflection of the care and commitment our people have for their communities,” said Brendan Botha, Australia’s country director of operations. “Whether through volunteering, advocacy or championing local causes, our employees are helping to create stronger, healthier and more resilient places to live and work.”