Our incredibly hard-working and talented partnerships and Development Manager, Lauren Gordon, has bid farewell to Anchor as she departs the organisation to pursue career opportunities in the University sector.

Over her 17 years at Anchor, Lauren has made an incredible impact – most notably in building relationships with donors, and partners, where she has created many lasting relationships.

Lauren has an ability to strike up a conversation with someone and develop that connection all the way through to creating meaningful partnerships that have shaped the homelessness sector in Melbourne’s outer-east.

This has delivered some milestone achievements for Anchor and our community of supporters, including:

• A major donation of units for accommodation from the Hams family.
• Developing and securing the funding for Anchor’s Rapid Response Program, an award-winning program that supports rough sleepers in collaboration with the Yarra Ranges Council
• Growing a long-term partnership with the Myer Community Fund, and the staff of Myer Eastland.
• Securing major grants and funding for our MyLife program, as well as pilot funding for our Specialised Homeless Children’s Worker.
• Driving work on Anchor’s Reconciliation Action Plan.

Lauren has been a major contributor to Anchor’s growth and impact in her time with us.

Most importantly, she has been a great colleague to many at Anchor, always leading with authenticity, empathy and belief in those around her.

She has inspired a lot of awe with her stories from competing in triathlons and iron woman events – her sheer work ethic is admired by everyone who works with her.

Her presence will be missed at Anchor, but her work has created an amazing capacity for partnerships and collaboration at Anchor that will last long after she has left.

We are very excited to see what she achieves next and look forward to carrying on the culture of collaboration and partnership that she has forged at Anchor.