Who we are…
Cops for kids is a registered children’s charity run by a dedicated group of current and former South Australia Police (SAPOL) employees from metropolitan and country areas.
Whilst operating independently of South Australia Police, we maintain a close working relationship.
Our mandate:
- To raise funds for registered/licensed charities or foundations that are specifically child-oriented, or have a program supporting or benefiting children’s lives.
- That donated money can be used for research, study or educating to assist in finding and curing illnesses that affect children.
- That donated money is also used for the care of sick children, or to enhance the quality of life of children.
How we began…
The CFK concept, which enables SAPOL members to support specific children’s charities via regular payroll deductions, was conceived in 2006. We made our first donation of $500 the following year. We initially recruited members via word of mouth and personal approach. Our numbers soon grew to the extent that we could make generous donations of significant amounts to children’s charities.
In 2011 Cops for Kids was designated by the Australian Taxation Office with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status. We have an ongoing partnership with Fox Tucker Lawyers and Ernst & Young, who donate their time and expertise to ensure the ongoing responsible and transparent legal and financial management of the organisation.
CFK is also proud to be supported by the Police Credit Union and Police Health.
How we operate…
CFK is overseen by a board of five members, who have extensive experience within a range of SAPOL areas. This board coordinates the distribution of funds, researching and vetting applications prior to approving donations. Any CFK member may propose a donation recipient to the committee for consideration.
CFK was conceived with the sole objective of helping children. Over 1,900 current and retired SAPOL employees contribute to Cops for Kids, primarily via fortnightly payroll deductions. All member contributions are donated to charity. On 19 October 2017, Cops for Kids reached the milestone of donating $1,000,000 to South Australian children’s charities. These charities range from large organisations with a national reach to local community oriented groups. The recipient charities serve both metropolitan and regional communities.
Our minimal administrative costs were previously covered by board members’ personal contributions; however, Cops for Kids has since received specific donations intended to support its operating and administrative costs.
In 2017 CFK were recognised in the national Australian Charity Awards receiving an ‘Outstanding Achievement Award‘. CFK were judged against charities Australia -wide in the areas of innovative, well-managed, high-performing charitable initiatives. The World Business Awards Framework was utilised as a structured model of assessment that enabled the participating organisations to be bench-marked against world class performance standards. CFK were the only state-based volunteer board recognised in the awards in 2017.
For the 2021/22 financial year, Cops for Kids donated a record $263,944 to 18 charities.
– Drew Bynoe, Chairman
