Today, Canteen can only reach 10% of the young people who desperately need grief support, just 300 young people across Australia.
That means thousands are missing out on the chance to feel understood, supported, and less alone.
Your support today can help fund programs like Good Grief. This three-day program gives bereaved young people a safe space to understand their grief, express their emotions, and learn practical coping strategies. This isn’t just therapy.
It’s connection. It’s recreation. It’s hope.
Most importantly, young people left feeling less alone, more confident, and equipped with tools to manage their grief.
“It was so easy to speak with my fellow participants both in grief sessions and during breaks about our journeys, which is something I have struggled to do with my friends and family”
- Good Grief attendee, on what they found most useful about the program
Your impact in action
100%
of participants would recommend Good Grief to a friend.
94%
overall satisfaction with the Good Grief.
88%
would come back Good Grief if needed.
Your donation doesn’t just fund a program. It changes how a young person carries their grief for the rest of their life.
Your support is life-changing
Thanks to kind supporters like you, in the last year we've been able to provide life-changing support to young people like Abbey.
Canteen began as a small group of six young cancer patients supporting one another.
Today, thanks to Australians like you, we’re a nationwide organisation providing free, personalised help to thousands of young people and families every year.
Your support keeps that legacy alive, ensuring no young Aussie faces challenges of cancer alone.
9 in 10
Young people supported by Canteen feel less distressed and isolated.
99%
Young people supported by Canteen would recommend us to a friend dealing with cancer.
Frequently asked questions
Canteen prevents long-term societal impacts of cancer by addressing issues like isolation and untreated trauma. We believe that every young person deserves access to life-changing cancer support. With your help, Canteen can improve our services, expand them, and reach more young people than ever before. Young people can discover treatments, support, and new experiences on the flipside of the hard ones, and find life in the face of cancer.
Cancer affects everyone differently, which means your donations support a range of tailored programs and services to suit different cancer experiences. By making a donation to Canteen today, you are ensuring young people’s specific needs are being met, whether this is providing practical and emotional support to them explore their feelings about cancer, providing connection with other young people or - if they’ve been diagnosed themselves - by providing youth-specific treatment teams. Canteen prevents long-term societal impacts by addressing issues like isolation and untreated trauma by fostering a sense of community, leadership, and personal growth, helping them shape their futures in the face of adversity. Read more about the wide range of free support services Canteen offers.
While you cannot specifically choose where your donation is directed, you can rest assured that all Canteen donations are supporting young people who are impacted by cancer, whether that be funding counselling sessions, events and programs which foster connection, or clinical trials.
Yes! Donations of $2 or more are considered tax deductible donations because Canteen Australia is endorsed as a deductible gift recipient (DGR). There is no limit to how much you can claim, however, there is a limit to how much of a donation you can claim in a financial year. Tax-deductible donations must be ‘genuine’, meaning that you cannot receive any benefit from the donation. For more information about tax deductible donations, click here.
When you make a donation online, you’ll receive an email confirmation along with a tax-deductible receipt. Monthly donors will receive a single consolidated receipt at the end of the financial year, making it easy to include in your tax return.
Yes! Monthly giving is the best way to help us ensure no young Australian has to face cancer alone as this provides a predictable and stable income stream, allowing us to effectively plan ahead. Each day our support services reach thousands of young Aussies like Georgia, and that’s only possible because of the continuous support of caring people like you. Simply navigate to the donation page on our website and select ‘give monthly’ on the form.
We understand that circumstances can change and you can change or cancel your monthly gift at any time, for any reason. Simply contact our friendly Supporter Care team on 1800 639 614 or email us at [email protected]
Just as individuals can claim donations as a tax deduction, businesses can claim gifts to charity as well – as long as it is a cash donation and the charity is a deductible gift recipient (which Canteen is). For information on partnering with Canteen as an organisation, please click here.
There are so many ways to get involved with Canteen and help young people overcome the immense challenges of cancer. However you choose to support, you will be providing life-changing support to young Aussies impacted by cancer. Here’s a few ideas to get started:
- Fundraise in whatever way you can or get involved in selling Canteen bandannas in your community.
- Partner with us as an organisation, as a philanthropist, by leaving a gift in your Will, or by donating your time.
If you’d prefer to donate over the phone or would like more information, our Supporter Care Team is ready to help. Based in Sydney, they’re available 9am-5pm AEST Monday to Friday on 1800 639 614 or [email protected]
Canteen uses donations responsibly and transparently to maximise impact for young people affected by cancer. Funds are allocated across key areas to ensure high-quality services and long-term sustainability:
- Our people – Specialist clinicians, counsellors, youth workers and researchers delivering vital, long-term support.
- Services & research – Free counselling, programs and hospital-based support, underpinned by evidence-based research.
- Core operations & technology – Governance, finance and digital systems like Canteen Connect to keep services safe and accessible.
- Awareness & advocacy – Raising awareness, influencing policy and reaching more young people in need.
- Fundraising – Ethical investment in fundraising to generate ongoing income and sustain our mission.
Strong governance and regular reporting ensure every donation is used ethically, efficiently and for the greatest possible impact. To learn more, read our latest annual report.