Gratitude: Pausing to Reflect

To our beautiful LIVEfree Project community,

As we step into a new year, January offers a rare and precious pause; a moment to breathe, reflect, and gather our hearts before the journey ahead. It is a time to remember what has been, to honour the lives we’ve touched, and to dream about the possibilities that lie before us.

Now, in our ninth year, we are grateful to be so deeply embedded in the fabric of community. Through trusted relationships, shared stories, and a steadfast presence, we continue to provide care, education, and enduring generational change.

We show up not just with programs and initiatives, but with hearts ready to listen, hands ready to help, and arms open to hold.

Each thread in our work tells a story of resilience. Children overcoming adversity, families navigating hardship, women finding their voices, youth discovering hope and opportunities to grow - these are the moments that define us. They are also a reminder of how privilege and responsibility intertwine: to be entrusted with someone’s story is to be given a sacred role in their journey.

We are humbled and grateful beyond words for the unwavering support of our community; our volunteers, our partners, our donors, and every single person who has trusted us to walk alongside them.

Your commitment allows us to provide more than programs; it allows us to create spaces of belonging, hope, and transformation.

As we look forward to 2026, we carry gratitude as both a lens and a compass.

Gratitude for the trust placed in us.

Gratitude for the courage of those who share their stories with us.

Gratitude for the partnerships that expand our reach and deepen our impact.

And gratitude for the quiet, everyday acts of love and dedication that together create something extraordinary.

This pause, this moment of reflection, before the pace of “new” takes over, is also a moment to lean into what is important with renewed intention. We step forward knowing that our work matters. Not because of accolades or recognition, but because of the lives we touch, the hope we nurture, and the connections we foster.

December was a month of contrasts, grief and resilience, shock and hope. The tragic events at Bondi Beach shook our state, and the outpouring of care for the Jewish community reminded us, once again, of the power of love, solidarity, and human connection that a Nation can offer.

In moments like these, we are reminded that belonging, empathy, and safety are not luxuries, they are necessities. They are the foundation of what LIVEfree Project was built upon: a belief that EVERYONE deserves a place to be heard, to share their story, and to feel safe, seen and valued.

To serve our community is an honour. To witness resilience, courage, and transformation is a gift. And to know that we do this work together, with you, our community, is a blessing beyond measure.

— Chris Jones, Executive Founder and Director