Hawks Helps was established in 2024, as the Illawarra Hawks’ new signature community program.

It is the Club’s “signature” program because it represents the central foundation of the Hawks’ renewed long term strategy, which prioritises the contribution that the Club makes to the Illawarra community. The Hawks aim to be a club that truly matters to all the people of the Illawarra, and to make the Illawarra a better place through basketball. Hawks Helps will be the engine room for this vision.

Hawks Helps is being built around three pillars: First Nations, “Mental Fitness” in schools, and inclusivity, particularly the empowerment of women and girls. These themes are aligned with and complement the Hawks’ community basketball activities, in partnership with Illawarra Basketball Association and other basketball community partners.

In its establishment phase, Hawks Helps is being developed within the Community division of the Illawarra Hawks organisation, under the direction of the Club’s first ever dedicated General Manager, Community, former Hawks skipper Kevin White. Options for the program’s future governance will be considered as the program develops in the coming months.