Sydney brothers Alex and Rich Brophy put a spin on Secret Santa with new initiative ‘Go Halves’

A couple of Sydney brothers are about to change the workplace Secret Santa forever. Go Halves is a new charitable initiative that puts the power to do good in the hands of everybody.

Go Halves is so simple, it’s a wonder it hasn’t been done before. Participants simply split their workplace Secret Santa limit in half; half goes towards a gift, the other into a pool with their workmates which is donated to a charity of their choice.

The idea is the brainchild of two Sydney brothers, Alex (right) and Rich Brophy (left). After their aunty lost her eyesight a few years ago, they wanted to do something for the charity that supported her through the tough times.

Says Alex Brophy, editorial chief of Pinstripe Media: “Seeing how much VisAbility helped her adapt to a new life, how much they supported her off their own backs, it was pretty incredible. We came up with Go Halves as an integrated approach to raise money for our cause, then realised that everybody has something they’d love to support at Christmas.”

Unlike many other fundraising platforms, 100% of donations go directly to the charity, a point of difference the Brophy brothers are adamant about.

Says Rich Brophy, a freelance creative: “Most other fundraising platforms take a cut before they pass your donation on, which seems a bit stiff to us. To us, Go Halves is about making positive social change, not making a buck. Our hands-off approach means we don’t have admin fees, so all the money goes directly to your charity.”

It’s an initiative that’s struck a chord with Sunrise host and Port Adelaide Football Club chairman David Koch, who has come on board as an ambassador of Go Halves.

Says Koch: “I think it’s a terrific initiative with a lot of merit. At this time of year people can forget about those less fortunate, but really, it’s the most important time to show your support.”

Koch’s family business will be supporting Youth Off The Streets with their office Secret Santa this year, a charity that Koch and his wife Libby are very close to.

Says Koch: “We’ve been involved with Father Chris Riley and his work establishing Youth Off The Streets for a number of years now, and what they’ve done to help disadvantaged youth turn their lives around is tremendous.

“The strength of an initiative like Go Halves is in people donating money they might have spent on, let’s be honest, forgettable office gifts, and instead making a real difference.

“The way it starts a discussion around the causes close to people is just as important.”

Go Halves has been brought to life with the help of Newcastle-based digital agency Mudbath, who have donated their time and sharp digital skills to the initiative.

To get get everything you need to Go Halves this year, register at GoHalves.org.