The Bakers Dozen Social Justice Fund was established through a bequest left by Dr Christopher Baker and Kerri Hall. Christopher and Kerri were passionate about the role of philanthropy in creating fairer and more inclusive communities, particularly for their community in Melbourne’s Inner North. 

Many thanks to the current Community Advisory panel members:

• Professor Jo Barraket, Director Melbourne Social Equity Institute, University of Melbourne and Director, Inner North Community Foundation 
• Rachel English, Director, Inner North Community Foundation
• Keith Frampton, Yarra resident
• Rebecca Haidar, Merri-bek resident
• Gerry Lyons, Media Consultant specialising in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media
• Carolyn Phiddian, Chair, Inner North Community Foundation

An update on fund activity can be found here – the 2024 Bakers Dozen Social Justice Fund Update 

Reflecting on his commitment to growing generosity and giving, Christopher said that “The biggest gift that my mother and father gave me was my values and my education. It’s those things that enable me to live my life as a life that I can feel comfortable about. It’s not money, it is values.”

Christopher became a board member of the Inner North Community Foundation in 2013 and was the Foundation’s chair from 2018 until his death in 2020.

Kerri’s passion was for literacy and its fundamental role in creating opportunities for people and their future. She was proud of her rural upbringing in Mittyack in the Mallee and shared her love of Melbourne culture and the arts with her extended family.

Establishing a philanthropic fund that would focus on addressing issues of social justice grew from Christopher and Kerri’s shared values and interests. Christopher was passionate about the contribution of private wealth for public good. This was evidenced both through his academic research into bequest giving in Australia and through his and Kerri’s own legacy gift which he hoped would inspire others to give.

The Fund is working to achieve its goal of advancing social justice by making grants that focus on:

• Increasing social and economic fairness
• Strengthening community resilience and capacity
• Supporting collaboration and partnerships
• Building community agency and leadership.

The story of the Bakers Dozen Social Justice Fund is one of learning to be generous – providing 13 loaves instead of 12. The Fund has the twin aims of growing community generosity and building a more equitable community in the Inner North of Melbourne.

 

The Fund provides a vehicle for those living and working in the Inner North to contribute collectively to investing in transformational and
sustainable change in community capacity and resilience. 

The establishment of the fund was supported by the contributions of an initial advisory group. Many thanks go to: 

• Distinguished Professor Josephine Barraket, Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University
• Maryum Chowdry, President, Sanad Foundation
• Craig Kenny, Director, Inner North Community Foundation
• Grace McQuilten, Director, The Social Studio
• Carolyn Phiddian, Chair, Inner North Community Foundation
• Sarah Sheridan, Co-Founder, Clothing The Gap
• Dr Genevieve Timmons, Paul Ramsay Foundation