What Sammy D Foundation does

The Sammy D Foundation Limited is a community-funded, South Australia-headquartered nonprofit that delivers evidence-based violence prevention education to young people. Founded in 2008 by Nat Cook and Neil Davis following the one-punch killing of their 17-year-old son Sam Davis, the Foundation operates from Edwardstown, SA and reports an active board chaired until July 2026 by Brett Duncanson, with CEO Jannine Jackson leading day-to-day operations. Its core product is a suite of six school- and club-delivered programs — Impact (violence prevention, endorsed on the SA Department for Education External Wellbeing Directory), Party Wise (alcohol and drug education), What's the Story (masculinity and identity), True Colours (bullying and violence prevention), Adulting 101 (adolescence-to-adulthood transition), and Mentoring — supplemented in 2025 by Game Changers, a sporting-club program co-developed with Flinders University. In 2025 the Education Team delivered 526 programs reaching 24,634 young people, bringing cumulative reach to over 300,000 since inception.

Delivery is performed by trained facilitators often supported by lived-experience speakers; programs are provided free to schools and sporting clubs. The Foundation generates revenue from individual donations (including the recurring Guardian Project), merchandise sales (glow-in-the-dark wristbands at $3 AUD, beanies at $25 AUD), an annual car lottery (2025 Kia Picanto Sport), community events (Bunnings BBQs, Melbourne Cup charity partnerships), and corporate partnerships with Drakes Supermarkets, Bank SA Foundation, Beyond Bank, SkyCity Adelaide, Magain Real Estate, The Advertiser Foundation, and others. Its national fundraising vehicle is the #schnitty4sam campaign, run annually in May, which integrates pub/club venue participation, retail mechanics (Drakes $1-per-marked-pack), and individual virtual donations.

The Foundation holds no patents, has no government funding, no app or API, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. It is endorsed on the SA Department for Education External Wellbeing Directory and won the Beyond Bank Community Group Award at the 7NEWS Community Achievement Awards in 2025. The Foundation is currently operating at reduced capacity per CEO commentary, with uncertainty about remaining open into 2026 and ongoing board transition.

Name

Sammy D Foundation

Legal name

Sammy D Foundation Limited

Website

https://sammydfoundation.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Sammy D Foundation is a community-funded South Australian nonprofit, founded in 2008, that delivers evidence-based violence prevention education in schools and sporting clubs. It has educated over 300,000 young people since inception through six core programs, reaching 24,634 in 2025 alone.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Violence Prevention Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Positive Discipline & Behavior Support Programs (EDACALAD)

Keywords

• Youth violence prevention
• Violence prevention education
• School education programs
• Bullying prevention programs
• Community fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

Edwardstown

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting youth violence prevention education. The Guardian Project offers regular giving programs where donors become Guardians with recurring contributions.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including glow-in-the-dark wristbands ($3), beanies ($25), and other items. Proceeds support violence prevention education programs.
3. Car Lottery/ Raffle: Annual car lottery fundraising campaign (2025 Kia Picanto Sport raffle). For every $25 raised, one young person can be educated. Entries before certain dates eligible for early bird cash prizes.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Partnership fundraising through corporate partners. Drakes Supermarkets raised $15,133.50 through Sammy D Socks campaign. Corporate partners host events and donate portions of sales.
5. Community Events: Revenue from community fundraising events including Bunnings BBQs ($3,085 raised), Melbourne Cup charity partnerships, and the Good Home Auction ($150,000 received).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Sammy D Foundation delivers evidence-based violence prevention education programs — including Impact, Party Wise, True Colours, What's the Story, Adulting 101, Game Changers, and Mentoring — directly into South Australian schools and sporting clubs through trained facilitators and lived-experience speakers. Programs are provided free of charge to delivery partners and funded through community donations, corporate partnerships, merchandise sales, raffles, and the national #schnitty4sam campaign.

Product overview

The Sammy D Foundation offers a suite of evidence-based violence prevention education programs delivered in schools, sporting clubs, and community groups by trained facilitators often supported by lived experience speakers. The core program portfolio includes: Impact (violence prevention), Party Wise (alcohol and drug education), What's the Story (masculinity and identity), True Colours (bullying and violence prevention), Adulting 101 (adolescent-to-adulthood transition), and Mentoring (support for vulnerable youth). These are complemented by the Game Changers sporting club program. The Foundation also operates fundraising initiatives including #schnitty4sam, The Guardian Project (recurring donations), and merchandise sales (beanies and wristbands). All programs are designed to build safety, empathy, and positive choices in young people.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• #schnitty4sam: A national fundraising campaign where participating venues donate from every schnitzel sold to support life-changing education programs for young people.

Products and services

• Impact Educates young people about the negative impacts of violence, teaching them to keep themselves and their mates safe. Delivered in South Australian schools by trained facilitators.
• Party Wise An alcohol and other drug education program designed to reduce drug-related harm among young people and help them make safe, positive decisions.
• What's the Story An eight-week program that engages young men in conversations about masculinity and the sort of person they would like to be.
• True Colours An eight-week critical inquiry program aimed at preventing bullying and violence, delivered in South Australian schools.
• Adulting 101 A six to eight week program to support young people in the transition from adolescence into adulthood.
• Mentoring Youth mentoring initiatives providing vital support and positive role models for vulnerable young people.
• Game Changers A sporting-club program developed in partnership with Flinders University that helps clubs create environments where respect, fun, and personal growth come first, transforming sideline behaviour and building positive club culture.
• The Guardian Project A regular giving program where donors become Guardians through recurring gifts that fund weekly education sessions in South Australian schools.
• #schnitty4sam A national fundraising campaign where participating pubs, clubs, and Drakes Supermarkets donate from every schnitzel sold and individual supporters can purchase virtual schnittys, funding youth violence prevention education.
• Glow in the Dark Wristband Glow-in-the-dark silicone wristbands available in Blue, Pink, and White, sold to raise funds and promote awareness of youth violence prevention.
• Sammy D Beanie Beanies available in Grey, Grey Blue and White, Navy and White, and Navy Blue and White, sold to raise funds for the foundation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of students agree violence is never the answer after participating
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Flinders UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped the Game Changers program in partnership with Flinders University. The collaboration takes community sport education to the next level, helping sporting clubs create environments where respect, fun, and personal growth come first.
• Drakes SupermarketscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Sammy D Socks campaign raised $15,133.50. Drakes donates $1 from every specially marked schnitty pack during #schnitty4sam. Customers can support through Community Dollars in the myDrakes app.
• SkyCity AdelaidemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMelbourne Cup charity partner. Hosted Foundation at their Melbourne Cup celebrations, creating space for meaningful community contribution and shining light on violence prevention education.
• Magain Real EstatemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMelbourne Cup charity partner. Demonstrated strong connection to community through their Melbourne Cup event and ongoing support for young people and families.
• The Advertiser FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGood Home Auction organizer. The Foundation received $150,000 from the auction, funding that will directly support violence prevention education and help reach more schools and communities including regional and remote areas.
• Weeks HomesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated the fully furnished Good Home that sold for $973,000 at The Advertiser Foundation's Good Home Auction, with proceeds shared among participating charities.
• Villawood PropertiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupported The Advertiser Foundation's Good Home Auction, contributing to the $973,000 sale with proceeds supporting the Foundation's education programs.
• Bunnings EdwardstownminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted the Foundation's fundraising BBQ event. Raised $3,085 with support from 11 volunteers.
• Windsor MeatsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term supporter that donated sausages for the Bunnings Edwardstown BBQ fundraiser.
• ADL Support ServicesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProud supporter of the 2025 car lottery, helping amplify the Foundation's reach and impact.
• Maughan Thiem Kia CheltenhamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided the Kia Picanto Sport for the 2025 car lottery, supporting the Foundation's fundraising efforts.
• Beyond BankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Beyond Bank Community Group Award at the 7NEWS Community Achievement Awards. The Foundation won this award in 2025.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• White Ribbon Australia: Australia's primary violence prevention organisation focused on engaging men and boys to stop violence against women, including school and workplace programs. Directly comparable violence-prevention education mission and beneficiary demographic.
• Bravehearts: Australian child protection charity delivering education programs (Ditto's Keep Safe Adventure) to children and educators across schools. Comparable school-based education delivery model addressing safety and harm prevention.
• Menslink: Canberra-based charity providing mentoring and wellbeing support for young men, including programs in schools and sporting clubs. Comparable niche focus on engaging young men around healthy choices, identity and masculinity, overlapping with Sammy D's What's The Story and Game Changers programs.
• Ted Noffs Foundation: Australian nonprofit delivering programs and services for at-risk and homeless young people, including alcohol and other drug education. Directly comparable to Sammy D Foundation's youth violence prevention and wellbeing mandate and school/community delivery model.
• Australian Childhood Foundation: Australian nonprofit focused on preventing and responding to child abuse and trauma, delivering therapeutic, education and training services. Comparable social-welfare and child-safety mission and nonprofit delivery model.
• Alannah & Madeline Foundation: Australian charity focused on keeping children safe from violence, bullying, and cyberbullying through school-based education programs. Closely comparable program design, school delivery model, and beneficiary base to Sammy D's Impact and True Colours programs.
• ReachOut Australia: Australia's leading online youth mental health service, providing wellbeing content, peer support and education to young people. Comparable Australian youth-wellbeing education mission with similar beneficiary demographic (teens and young adults).
• Life Education Australia: Australian nonprofit delivering evidence-based health, drug, and wellbeing education in schools via trained educators — closely aligned with Sammy D's Party Wise and Impact facilitator-driven school delivery model.

Regional players

• PCYC (Police Citizens Youth Club): Australian community-based youth organisation running sport, recreation, and youth development programs across Queensland and other states. Comparable youth-development and sporting-club engagement model, with strong regional state presence rather than national school delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Headspace (headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation): Larger, federally backed Australian youth mental health organisation operating hundreds of centres nationwide. Comparable youth-wellbeing mission but at significantly greater scale and with government funding, contrasting with Sammy D's community-funded model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sammy-d-foundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Sammy D Foundation