There’s nothing more rewarding than giving back and making a difference in the lives of people in this great community.
– Frank Guzzetta

Giving Back And Paying It Forward

OYOB was founded on the principle that with business success comes corporate social responsibilities. Our journey of actively serving humanity began with the attendance of the 2003 Charity Gala Ball, as we collaborated with our family, friends, clients and business networks to raise funds. We soon realised the potential there was to make a difference in others’ lives that don’t have the same resources that we do.

We believe that our corporate social responsibilities should not just be confined to our actions and practices, but it should transcend through our entire work place culture. Although assisting clients to enter the property market, create wealth and achieve their financial goals is an important part of our business, we know we have more to offer. Our passion for helping people has extended into the nonprofit sector to greater impact communities. Through our innovative and engaging initiatives we will continue to build a more socially conscious society.

The OYOB Community has collectively raised over $680,000.
This is our story to date.

Events

Eye Ball Gala events 2003 – 2010

As a globally recognised NGO Fred Hollows Foundation has a very clear goal of putting an end to avoidable blindness. After revisiting our core values we decided to support the Indigenous Aboriginal Program run by Fred Hollows foundation in outback Australia. Through involvement in the 2003, 2004 and 2010 Eye Ball Gala Events we are proud to have raised over $250,000 for this deserving cause.

Our OYOB team then started to attract a greater like-minded business network and in 2014, HOW (Humanitarian Organisation at Work) was born. With the concept of social enterprise HOW is for socially conscious business owners to have a collaborative platform and the ability to donate in a more sustainable manner.

HOW Ball Gala events 2011 – 2014

In 2011 we ran our first event at the Crown Palladium attracting more than 600 people to raise much needed funds for the Warwick Foundation. The only Foundation to focus on young adults living with Cancer, the funds raised on the night helped sustain the foundation for almost 24 months.
Our last HOW Ball in 2014 supported The BIG Umbrella, working with the homeless on the streets of Melbourne. The Ball created a funding platform for the ongoing costs of $100,000 plus raised funding for the first Social Enterprise. We have secured a site for our first Social Enterprise Ball which is to be held Mid 2017.

2014 was a busy year for OYOB as the Balls continued to roll and the fund raising wheels kept turning. We decided to continue our non-profit involvement with the Thai Bike ride, donating all funs to the Australian run, Hands Across the Water charity.

Thai Bike Ride

In true OYOB fashion we embraced the challenge of participating in a 500km bike race through Thailand. 30 members from the OYOB community took to their bikes to ride the 2014 and 2015 events, collectively riding over 1000 kms. Our efforts were well worth it as we managed to raise over $ 120,000 for the Hands Across the Water charity working with the rehabilitation of tsunami victims and young girls living with HIV.

This Thailand event was inspiring it truly installed the importance of shared value experiences.
Thus, Bendigo Branch Manager Ashley Wijey decided to create the first ever Sri Lankan Bike ride implementing the principles learnt through the Thai Bike Ride event.

Sri Lankan Bike Ride

Members of our OYOB team came together to take part in this new bike ride event. In conclusion of our efforts over $50,000 was raised for the Foundation of Goodness. Foundation of Goodness supports Children Education Programs and provides bicycles to children in the Sri Lankan community who have to walk over 5km to get to school every day.

Motivated by the Sri Lankan Bike Ride we have continued to expand our community involvements.
We collaborated with the Foundation of Goodness to put together an event in partnership with Sri Lankan cricket legends, to explore new innovative ways to bring the community together and foster love, peace and harmony.

Sri Lankan Festival of Cricket

For two years in a row OYOB have successfully brought together disengaged racial communities through their love of cricket. We offer a unique opportunity for individuals to stand at the crease and face a fast paced ball from world class bowlers. Collectively we have raised over $ 160,000 towards the Foundation of Goodness, building sustainable rural communities in Sri Lanka.

Our community efforts don’t stop there. We are actively looking for new ways to give back and build a better future for those around us. We have been heavily involved with the Soup Kitchen Melbourne, working collectively to raise funds for Melbourne homeless.

Soup Kitchen Melbourne

If you’ve ever passed by Flinders Street Station on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday night, you’ll have seen The Big Umbrella and its volunteers serving food to Melbourne’s sleeping rough. OYOB was fortunate to meet members of The Big Umbrella team and signed up to be involved, also helping to raise funds for the cause through the 2014 HOW Ball.

High heel race

OYOB created a unique event to raise awareness and much needed funding for the Warwick Cancer Foundation. OYOB was amongst a number of businesses that sent a team to support the foundation through a 2016 Guinness World Records official attempt for the largest number of runners in a high heel race. This unique fun event attracted a lot of media attention as hundreds of people participated unfortunately the event did not break the work record and sadly did not attract enough funding to keep the charity alive.

To date this is our story but it’s not the end. We will continue to give back, support and inspiring those around us in hope that they too will make a difference in today’s society.