OUR FOUR PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY

Here at Four Pillars Gin, we have always believed that good gin tastes even better when its made in a strong community. And we have been so lucky to call the beautiful Healesville and Yarra Valley our community.

We’re lucky as a business to have grown so quickly and have benefited from the support of the most extraordinary communities… from our wonderful Healesville locals and Yarra Valley friends to gin lovers across Australia and around the world. 

Over the years, we have tried to give back to those who have given so much to us, with our Four Pillars of the Community program. It’s about supporting key cause areas that mean a lot to us. Some of these areas matter to all of us as a business, some matter to us personally, and some matter to all of us, as a community.

Sometimes we’ll name them. Sometimes we’ll make the donations anonymously because we’re conscious that while our money can have just as much impact as any others, perhaps that organisation isn’t so comfortable taking money from a booze business.

Since we launched this program, we, along with our community, have grown and changed a whole lot and we thought it was time our Four Pillars of the Community program had a chance to grow too.

So, starting in 2026 and over the next two years we’re inviting local organisations to apply for a share of $50,000 of community grant funding. In 2026, we have 5x $5000 grants on offer, and we’re looking to support organisations or projects across the Yarra Valley that focus on the below areas:

• Sustainability & environment
• Education & training
• Social & community inclusion
• Indigenous-led initiatives

If you’re involved in (or know of) an organisation doing amazing work, learn how to apply below.

Learn more here

We are so proud we have been able to support the amazing communities around us, are so excited to be a part of even more stories over the next two years.

Here are some of the past recipients of the Four Pillars Of The Community Program.

Our 2024 Four Pillars Of The Community recipients were:

  • Scarf – Scarf partner with restaurants and other hospitality businesses to run hands-on programs and Scarf Dinners which provide hospitality training, mentoring, job-readiness workshops and paid work experience to program participants including young people seeking protection, and those from refugee and migrant backgrounds
  • ECOSS  –  ECOSS aim to demonstrate sustainable living solutions for people in the Yarra Valley
  • ALLKND –  teaching young Aussies how to safely and effectively provide mental health support to the people they care about
  • HICCI –  providing caring and empowering support to the communities of Healesville, Yarra Glen and surrounding areas


Our 2023 Four Pillars Of The Community recipients were:

  • Plate it Forward – A social enterprise hospitality group providing food relief, training and employment opportunities, and career pathways to marginalised members of the Sydney community.
  • Scarf – Scarf partner with restaurants and other hospitality businesses to run hands-on programs and Scarf Dinners which provide hospitality training, mentoring, job-readiness workshops and paid work experience to program participants including young people seeking protection, and those from refugee and migrant backgrounds
  • Reach Foundation: An organisation that seeks to connect with young people, uncovering what’s holding them back, and equipping them with the tools to set goals, deal with conflict and stand up for what they believe in.
  • Yarra Valley ECOSS – ECOSS aim to demonstrate sustainable living solutions for people in the Yarra Valley.

Our 2022 recipients were:

  • Yarra Valley ECOSS – a Community Environment Hub on Wurundjeri Country in Wesburn. This Permaculture Designed property hosts a weekly Market, Festivals and Events, Indigenous Arts Projects, Volunteers in our Community Gardens, Education Programs, and lots of exciting co-locating Small businesses and Not for Profits. 
  • St Vincent’s Open Support Sydney – Open Support looks after vulnerable members of the community through three core programs: a domestic and family violence program, a social isolation program and a transport service for rural patients needing to access healthcare in the Sydney metro area.
  • Ovarian Cancer Australia – an independent national not-for-profit organisation, supporting women diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

In 2021, we had to switch things up a bit (thanks to good ole’ covid) and in place of normal trading, we instead donated $25 from each bottle of Australian Christmas Gin sold on our website and in our homes.

Our 2021 recipients were:

Our 2020 Four Pillars of the Community was the first time we introduced the initiative across our two ‘homes’ in Healesville and Sydney.

Our 2020 recipients were:

Our 2019 Four Pillars of the Community weekend focused on organisations dealing with the drought and bushfire crises so many communities are battling.

Our recipients in 2019 were:

Our 2018 recipients were:

Our 2017 recipients were:

  • Country Fire Authority – without them some of us wouldn’t be here.
  • The Babes Project – a local organisation providing perinatal services to women in need of a little extra support.
  • Healesville's Goodlife Farm – a landmark program helping vulnerable young people by connecting them with animals and nature.
  • The final beneficiary, in the area of alcohol and education, remains anonymous.

In 2017, we also auctioned off the stunning Christmas beetles that were installed in our distillery for the Christmas period made by local talent Clare James to add to the weekend contributions.

Our 2016 recipients were:

  • Country Fire Authority 
  • Australian Cancer Research Foundation – because our three stills are named for our mums, so we wanted to support the fight against those cancers that disproportionately target women.
  • The Smith Family – because while we have enjoyed so many opportunities, we’re conscious there are so many families who haven’t been anywhere near as lucky as us.
  • The final beneficiary, in the area of alcohol and education, remains anonymous.