Adopt-A-Pensioner website here to help

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For two million Australians, their pleas for financial help have been ignored by governments - but not the public.

Adopt-A-Pensioner scheme

Today Tonight has put the call out to help our pensioners. And while the government may be ignoring them - you are not.

An overwhelming response of giving and sharing is going on all around Australia, as ordinary people get behind our campaign and support needy pensioners.

Giveaways
They say winners are grinners. At last our pensioners have something to smile about, as businesses offer a helping hand.

Click here for the list of companies.

New Adopt-A-Pensioner website
Our site is an easy way for both pensioners and potential helpers to meet.

Click here for the Adopt-A-Pensioner website

If you are a pensioner, click on the left and you will be asked to fill in some general details and what you need assistance with.

Alternatively, if you would like to adopt a pensioner, click on the right: fill in your details and where you can help.

You will be matched up with a pensioner in need in your local area and you are guaranteed no personal details will be given out.

If you don't have time to adopt a pensioner: you can make a donation which will be forwarded as a food voucher. To make donations, visit the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association website.

* The Adopt-A-Pensioner website requires you to have an email address when you sign up - pensioners and helpers alike. This means personal information, such as real addresses and contact details, is not given out. If you do not have an email account, try asking a neighbour or your local library, who will have internet access and can help you create an email address. If that is not possible, the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association may be able to help.

You only need the email address to get started and make initial contact. We recommend that you intially meet in a public space, to assess whether you are happy to form a friendship.

Disclaimer
The receipt of donated services or goods, or one-off financial gifts is not counted under Centrelink's income test for payments such as Age Pension. For pensioners, Centrelink only assesses regular financial gifts as income if the source is not a direct family member.
Single pensioners can receive $132 per fortnight and partnered pensioners can receive a joint amount of $232 per fortnight from all income sources before their pension is reduced. However, if customers receive a Centrelink allowance (such as Newstart Allowance), any regular financial gifts are assessed as income.

Giving Cash Gifts or Cash Donations if you are a Centrelink Customer: A single customer or customer couple can gift up to $10 000 in a year (to a maximum of $30 000 in any five year period) before it may affect their payment. For more information on what will affect your Age Pension, call Centrelink on 13 2300.