24 hours of making a difference

For proof, look no further than the charity and not-for-profit sector.

From feeding the homeless with dignity to working on the frontline providing emergency medical supplies to people in need overseas and caring for mistreated pets in animal shelters across the nation, the for-purpose sector never sleeps.

This ethos was only reinforced by the diversity of images sent into the Community Advocate in response to our Day in the life of people with purpose project.

The frozen moments in time captured pictorially over a 24-hour period on Thursday, 1 May, included:

• Australian members of the Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) team delivering much needed supplies and performing medical checks on inhabitants of the island of Abaiang, in the Republic of Kiribati.
  
  
• Melbourne community radio station 3MDR founding member and DJ Keith Marsh behind the microphone, presenting his Basically Country program as he has done each week for the past 40 years.
  
  
• The gratitude on the faces of elderly Brisbane residents Lionel and Yvonne, after being safety dropped off at home by St John Ambulance community transport team driver Tomas, following medical appointments at hospital.

These and the rest of the images contained in the gallery below are just a small sample of the truly staggering diversity of work carried out every day by the nations 60,000 charities and 600,000 NFPs and community groups.

No-one appreciates these efforts more than the head of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, Sue Woodward.

“This pictorial snapshot highlights the extraordinary breadth and scope of work the sector achieves each and every day,” she said.

“Charities and not-for-profits make a remarkable contribution to Australia’s community and economy. We are all so grateful to the staff and volunteers across the nation for their dedication - day in, day out.”

Thanks to everyone who sent in their images and please enjoy this pictorial snapshot of the sector in action.