Legacy South Australia & Broken Hill

• Legacy South Australia & Broken Hill currently supports over 3500 beneficiaries
• 1892 widows are over 90 years, with 78 over 100 years
• Our youngest widow is 24, our oldest is 108 years
• Legacy currently supports 103 children of contemporary veterans
• Our youngest youth is 9 months
• Our oldest youth is 24 years

 

Legacy is a unique Australian voluntary not-for-profit charity, an organisation dedicated to enhancing the lives of families of our Australian Defence Force veterans who have served in war, peacekeeping, and humanitarian missions and who have sadly died or become incapacitated either during war or subsequently.

In South Australia, there are many organisations purposed with assisting serving and retired members of our defence forces.  But there is only one whose sole purpose is to help the families of those who serve and served: Legacy.

Founded on a promise  In 1923 Legacy made a promise to help families carry on with their lives after the loss or injury of a loved one in military service. It was a simple promise that Legacy keeps today; providing the same stability, guidance and assistance that a partner would normally provide to his or her family.

Since then, Legacy has protected the basic needs of individuals and families by; advocating for entitlements, rights, and benefits; assisting families coping with bereavement and helping people thrive despite their adversity and loss; providing care and support to the families (widows, widowers, children, and disabled dependents) of our incapacitated and deceased veterans.

Legacy provides a range of social activities and essential services and support such as education expenses and dental care for children and youth, holiday respite, home maintenance, assistance with utility bills, advice, and assistance with claiming pensions, financial counselling, legal advice, and much more.

The youth support Legacy provides is often critical and can make a real difference in the chances a young person has of a successful career and in life in general, chances which are often diminished.

Legacy helps families, not just in the short term - Legacy is there for life; currently caring for around 3,500 families throughout South Australia.

Since Federation, more than 102,000 Australian servicemen and women have paid the ultimate sacrifice in theatres of operation around the world. Many others returned wounded - either physically or emotionally - from their exposure.

Over 72,000 Australians have served overseas since 1991 with the Australian Defence Forces involvement in conflicts such as East Timor, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other areas of operational services, means that Legacy’s task of supporting young families with children will be required well into the future.

Legacy raises its own income to fund its services. Some assistance is received from the State Government; however, most of our funds are raised from generous donations, bequests, events, and appeals.