Where does the money go?
All the money you raise will help restore sight to needlessly blind people. Your fundraising money goes directly to The Fred Hollows Foundation and all donations of $2 and above are tax deductible for donors in Australia. Find out more about the impact your efforts have here.
How do I start fundraising?
After completing your sign-up, a personal online fundraising page will be set up. This is your own web-page where you can ask friends, family and colleagues to make a secure online donation towards your fundraising goal, paying with their credit card or via PayPal. They will be emailed a tax receipt immediately after donating.
Your fundraising target is displayed on your page, so everyone can see how close you are to reaching your personal goal.
What's the best way to get people to sponsor me?
The easiest way to find sponsors is by sharing your fundraising page link via email, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Keep it simple and send a direct link to your page. Find some email samples here.
We suggest forwarding the email to your entire network of contacts. You may be surprised by who supports your efforts with a generous donation.
If you have any problems, please don't hesitate to contact us for assistance.
Are donations tax deductible?
All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible for Australian tax payers. If the donor receives something material in return for their money, such as a raffle ticket, a ticket for a movie, a dinner or auction item, these contributions are not tax deductible.
What should I do with a cash or cheque donation?
If you are given cash or cheque donations, you can receive the funds yourself and then use your credit card to make an online donation via your fundraising page. Please make sure you include the donor's name and personal details so that they receive an emailed tax receipt after processing.
You can also deposit cash directly to The Fred Hollows Foundation by visiting any Westpac Branch or by EFT transfer to the The Fred Hollows Foundation. Please contact us on 1800 627 892 for bank details.
Did your donor give you a cheque? Make sure the cheque is made out to 'The Fred Hollows Foundation' and send a note with the code 'CF' and your full name to The Fred Hollows Foundation, Reply Paid 84932, Alexandria, NSW 2015.
Once we receive the money, we will allocate the money to your fundraising tally.
My workplace has a 'Matched Giving' program. What do I need to do?
Many companies support their employees' charitable efforts through their matched giving program. A company may offer to donate an amount equal to what you have raised or pay a lump sum.
Speak to your HR representative to discuss what information they require, to match your fundraising for The Fred Hollows Foundation.
Contact us on 1800 627 892 or email fundraise@hollows.org for any questions or assistance.
How can the Foundation restore sight for $25?
While the cost of cataract surgery varies depending on the specific operating environments in the countries where we work, in some countries it is possible to restore sight for as little as $25.
Our $25 cost includes the three key things needed to restore sight – the surgeon’s time, the consumable equipment and the intraocular lens (IOL) which replaces the cataract.
The most important element in modern cataract surgery is the IOL – Fred Hollows used to refer to them as "the most expensive pieces of plastic in the world". Reducing the cost of the IOL was the fundamental factor in making cataract surgery affordable.
Today, IOL prices vary significantly – including in low and middle-income countries.
In October 2021, The Foundation evaluated our program costs for small incision cataract surgery in countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Cambodia to ensure the $25 cost remained accurate.
Our assessment showed IOLs start from $4 in Pakistan, about $6 in Cambodia, and about $14 in Bangladesh.
The other key costs are the surgeon’s time (which is less than $1.50 per patient in those three countries) and consumable equipment (as little as $5.46).
So with the cost of the IOL, the surgeon and the consumables it is possible that The Foundation can restore sight for as little as $25 in some countries.
We acknowledge that not all surgeries in all countries are as little as $25. The cost of surgery depends on factors including the country of treatment, the age and circumstances of the patient, how and where the treatment is delivered, the type of procedure, the IOL used, the hospital type (government or private), the facilities of the hospital, inpatient or day procedure delivery mechanisms, and the economic status of people in the country or region.
