THE MELBOURNE Football Club is pleased to announce that ‘The Reach Foundation’ logo will sit proudly on the front of Melbourne’s jumper for the NAB Cup series.

The Demons have partnered with ‘The Reach Foundation’ as a goodwill gesture.
 
Chief executive Cameron Schwab said Melbourne’s relationship with Reach “goes back to the very origins”, when Stynes was still a player at the club.
 
“Here was an opportunity where we’ve come into our pre-season program without a major sponsor on our jumper, and we took our inspiration from FC Barcelona, which for many years had Unicef on the front of their shirt,” he told melbournefc.com.au.
 
“So we thought - let’s put the Reach logo on our jumper in recognition of the unbelievable work they do with young people.  We can wear it proudly, and recognise that the relationship is even more tangible and public than perhaps it’s ever been.
 
“And, we’re in a position now where we’re having some really important and major discussions with our major sponsorship. We weren’t prepared to compromise those at such an important time, as part of the long-term growth of the club.”
 
Schwab was adamant the club was right on target to name a major sponsor in the coming weeks. 
 
“We also want to assure Melbourne supporters that we think we’re still very much on track with our sponsorship. There’s no panic stations - that’s for sure,” he said.
 
“We’re very confident that we can work through and get a very good outcome. This will be well supported by some excellent outcomes we’ve achieved in recent times with EnergyWatch.
 
“The Melbourne players will proudly have the Reach logo on their chest over the pre-season period.”
 
Schwab said it was a “natural fit” for Melbourne and Reach to have this agreement for the NAB Cup.
 
“I know people use the work community very loosely, but it’s very aligned to the traditional club positioning,” he said.
 
“Reach is strongly aligned to Jim of course, but also Don McLardy, who has done some great work with Reach and is now in the [Melbourne presidential] role.
 
“We all know what Jim stands for and then we celebrate that, but it’s important that we recognise what Reach stands for and the work that it does.
 
“The encouragement and direction that Reach has provided young people from 10 to 18, when they’re going through an important part of their own personal development - I think many people have been inspired by Reach.”
 
The Reach Foundation (Reach) is a national organisation that has been making a positive impact in the lives of over half a million young Australians for nearly two decades.
 
Reach believes that every young person should have the support and self-belief they need to fulfill their potential, and dare to dream.
 
Its national school and community-based programs are run for young people aged 10 to 18 years, and are designed to promote their mental health and wellbeing.

Want to own the limited edition Reach Foundation guernsey being worn by the Demons in the NAB Cup? A small batch of these guernseys will be available exclusively from the Demon Shop for a very limited time. Buy one today from the Online Demon Shop, or bid to win a match worn guernsey from Demon Auctions.