I4Give Foundation

i4Give Foundation
FormationDecember 2020
FounderDaniel & Leila Abdallah
Region served
Australia
Websitewww.i4give.com

The I4Give Foundation (Stylised "i4Give Foundation") is an Australian non-profit organisation[1] which aims to increase forgiveness amongst communities.[2] The foundation is behind the i4Give day on 1 February, and the i4Give week which begins on 1 February and ends on 7 February. It is a large adovacte towards forgiveness in Australia, largely inspired by the Maronite Catholic belief of forgiveness.[3][4]

Background

On 1 February 2020, three of Daniel and Leila's Abdallah's children walked with their four other relatives down Bettington Road, Oatlands, to get ice cream.[5][6] However, while walking, a driver identified as Samuel Davidson[7] under the influence of drugs and alcohol struck the seven children, with the parents' three children and their cousin dying.[8] The three other children were hospitalised, with two recovering afterwards, and one receiving permanent brain damage. Samuel was charged with 20 offences including four counts each of manslaughter, dangerous driving occasioning death, and driving with a high-range blood alcohol reading and driving through a red light.[9] He later had his 28-year sentence reduced to 20 years, 15 of those years without parole.[10] Three days after the deaths, Leila Abdallah publicly forgave the driver, stating "Right now I can't hate him [...] I think in my heart to forgive him, but I want the court to be fair. It's all about fairness. I'm not going to hate him, because that's not who we are."[11] She later confirmed her forgiveness, stating "we have forgiven him so we are able to grieve peacefully".[12] The crash occurred at the Oatlands Golf Course perimeter. A memorial 200 meters from site of the crash was proposed, but denied. Local Member of Parliament Geoff Lee, Prime Minister (at the time) Scott Morrison, and Oppositions Leader Chris Minns criticised the move, Lee calling it "cold hearted", and Morrison stating that the move was "distressing", and that he was talking to Australian Premier Dominic Perrottet about the denial. Daniel Abdallah labeled the move "disappointing".[13] The memorial was later approved to be built,[14] and was built on the Saturday 3 February 2024. Its opening was welcomed by politicians such as Anthony Albanese and Chris Minns.[15] The family later had another child named Selina, a mix of the two daughters names that died in the incident, Sienna and Angelina.[16]

History and Development

Foundations and Growth

In December 2020, the i4Give foundation was founded, along with i4Give day and i4Give week, held for the first time on 1 February 2021.[17][18][19][20] From June 2021, the "Four Angels" law was enforced in New South Wales, inspired by the death of the four children. The law gives a harsher penalty to drivers found to have a combination of illegal drugs and alcohol in their system.[21] Leila Abdallah was named mother of the year in May 2021.[20][22] In June 2022, the Abdallah family was invited to attend the World Meeting of Families 2022 in Rome.[23] After the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese invited Daniel Abdallah to her funeral in September 2022, along with 10 other Australians for "extraordinary contributions to their communities", citing his founding of the i4Give Foundation and its influence within Australian communities.[24] A three year annual grant of AUD $65,000 was contributed to the i4Give Foundation by City of Parramatta in 2023.[25] A further $10,000 was granted by the City of Parramatta in 2026 for an "Olive Branch Community Gathering" on i4Give Day 2027 to "promote kindness, forgiveness, and meaningful community connection".[26]

The family became good friends with former Prime Minister Scott Morrison.[27] As of 2026, Morrison is the chairman of the i4Give foundation.[28] In 2021, Morrison faced backlash after using a photo of his attendance at the launch of i4Give for a father's day tribute on Instagram.[29]

Public Statements and Outreach

In August 2025, Daniel Abdallah sat down with the driver Samuel Davidson for a 7NEWS Spotlight interview, meeting at maximum security prison Cessnock Correctional Centre.[30] The interview was allowed under "exceptional circumstances" after eight months of planning and work between the network, psychologists and Corrective Services NSW.[30][31] Abdallah stated that he would let Davidson out of prison if he could, while Davidson disagreed and thought he "[didn't] deserve that".[32] Abdallah further extrapolated on the idea of forgiveness, stating that at the end of Davidson's term, he would be invited to his "family home [for a] BBQ together" rather than the typical offender-victim relationship.[30]

Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk in September 2025, and Erika Kirk's public statement of forgiveness of the alleged shooter Tyler Robinson[33], the i4Give foundation and it's chairman Scott Morrison commended Kirk's decision to forgive through official channels as a "powerful example of what Christianity calls us to".[34][35] In 2026, on the sixth annual i4Give day, the i4Give Foundation called for families affected by the 2025 Bondi Beach shooting to "look at forgiveness [in tragedy]".[36]

i4Give Day

i4Give day is a reoccurring date hosted annually on 1 February. The date of the accident was chosen as the date for i4Give intentionally, in order to be remember the tragedy as a day of forgiveness rather than sadness. Its aim is to spread the message of forgiveness throughout Australia.[18][37][38][39]

The New South Wales Government, former Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison and current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have both expressed their encouragement of the day,[24] Morrison choosing to publicly forgiving Barnaby Joyce at an i4Give event held within The Kings School in 2022.[40]

On 1 February 2025, the fifth annual i4Give Day was held, during which Danny and Leila Abdallah launched the 4 Steps to Forgiveness at the Calyx in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens. This four-step framework— to acknowledge, accept, surrender, and voice forgiveness—was named in honour of their four lost children and offers a structured approach to processing grief. The event was hosted by former Prime Minister Scott Morrison and attended by NSW Premier Chris Minns, along with the parents of the jailed driver. Leila Abdallah emphasised, “Forgiveness is a decision, not a feeling. It is for your peace, not for the other person".[41][42]

A temporary banner outside The King's School, Parramatta displaying their support for the i4Give Foundation in February 2023.

i4Give Events

i4Give Week

The i4Give foundation also created a week long event named "i4Give week", which lasts from 1 February to 7 February annually, in which numerous actives are supposed to be held throughout.

i4Give Sunday

"i4Give Sunday" was also created, held on the Sunday within the first week of February, which encourages churches across Australia to "unite in a shared embrace of the Christ centred approach to forgiveness".[2] The Kings School's "Kings Community Church" partnered with the foundation for a chapel service in 2022, which was live-streamed on YouTube.[43] The service was also held in 2023, with then Headmaster Tony George making a speech.[44]

i4Give Festival

The i4Give foundation runs a Gala Event on i4Give day every year, the first two being postponed due to covid. On 4 February 2023, the first free i4Give festival was held in Prince Alfred Park.[45] The park was chosen as Leila Abdallah used to take her children to the park before the crash.[16] Its aim was to encourage young people to start forgiving at a young age.[46] Anthony Albanese held a speech at the event,[47][48] and multiple members and former members of parliament attended, including Scott Morrison, Andrew Charlton, Dominic Perrottet, Chris Minns, and Donna Davis. Many members of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Australian Rugby League team were also in attendance, who had previously supported the i4Give Cup in 2022. The father of the relative that died in the crash, Bob Sakr, also attended.[16]

On 1 March 2025, the i4Give festival returned, supported by the Parramatta City Council.[49][50]

i4Give Cup

The i4Give Cup is an event held by the i4Give foundation. It is a joint initiative between the National Rugby League (NRL) teams the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and the Parramatta Eels, in order to support the family and their decision to forgive. It was launched Tuesday 7 June 2022 at Accor Stadium by Bulldogs captain Josh Jackson and Eels captain Clint Gutherson. The event was attended by Bulldogs then-CEO Aaron Warburton, and former NRL players Tim Mannah, Terry Lamb and Hazem El Masri. The match was held between the Eels and the Bulldogs on 13 June 2022, with the i4Give cup presented by Daniel Abdullah to the winning team (the Bulldogs).[51][52][53] It was held for a second time in 2023, on Monday 12 June at Accor Stadium, in which the Parramatta Eels won 34–12 against the Bulldogs.[54][55] It was held in 2024 on 10 June 2024 between the Bulldogs and Eels, the bulldogs emerging victorious 22-18.[56] It was further held again in 2025 and 2026.[57][58]

In August 2024, junior rugby league clubs Carlingford Cougars and Dundas Shamrocks introduced their own version of the i4Give Cup, inspired by the Abdallah family's message of forgiveness. The initiative was driven by a friendship between Danny Abdallah and junior coach Oliver Samaha, aiming to promote unity and sportsmanship among young players. Players from both teams swapped jerseys as a symbolic gesture of camaraderie.[59]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "I4GIVE FOUNDATION LTD". opencorporates.com. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Home". i4Give Day. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  3. ↑ "'Humanity came together': How this family forgave the killer of their children and united a community". SBS Language. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  4. ↑ Tinworth, Sue (28 July 2022). "i4GIVE WEEK". Partners In Prayer Australia. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  5. ↑ "Jail time reduced for driver who killed four children in Oatlands crash". www.9news.com.au. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  6. ↑ Rawsthorne, Sally (2 February 2020). "'They were just walking on the footpath': Four children killed, one critical in Sydney crash". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  7. ↑ "'No winners': Parents of children killed by drunk driver react to 28-year jail sentence". ABC News. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  8. ↑ Graham, Ben (3 February 2020). "Timeline of a tragedy that has left Australia in shock".
  9. ↑ "Driver faces 20 charges after four children fatally struck by 4WD". ABC News. 1 February 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  10. ↑ "'No winners': Parents of children killed by drunk driver react to 28-year jail sentence". ABC News. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  11. ↑ Rawsthorne, Sally (3 February 2020). "'I can't hate him': Mother of three children killed by alleged drunk driver forgives". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  12. ↑ "'MY FAMILY HAS BEEN CUT IN HALF': One year on from the tragic crash that rocked the nation". 7NEWS. 30 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  13. ↑ "Abdallah family left in shock as fight for memorial takes 'cold-hearted' turn". 7NEWS. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  14. ↑ Koziol, Michael (24 October 2023). "Crash memorial and controversial redevelopment to go ahead at western Sydney golf course". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  15. ↑ Lim, Anne (1 February 2024). "Memorial to Abdallah and Sakr children opening - Eternity News". Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  16. 1 2 3 Achenza, Madeleine. "'Present in their spirit': Parents' moving message at festival dedicated to four kids slain in horror crash".
  17. ↑ "'I 4give Day' launched by families of crash victims - News". www.health.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  18. 1 2 "One year on, families of children killed in Oatlands crash spread message of forgiveness". ABC News. 31 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  19. ↑ Bennett, Natalie (31 January 2022). "i4give Week Sharing the Message of Forgiveness Across Australia". Hope 103.2. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  20. 1 2 "'My heart is torn between Heaven and Earth': Leila Abdallah welcomes newborn daughter". SBS Language. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  21. ↑ NSW, Transport for (28 June 2021). "Four Angels Law enforced from today". www.transport.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  22. ↑ "Leila Abdallah dedicates award after being named mother of the year". 7NEWS. 5 May 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  23. ↑ "Abdallah family makes big announcement two years after devastating Oatlands crash". 7NEWS. 28 May 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  24. 1 2 "Ten 'everyday' Australians to travel to Queen's funeral with Anthony Albanese". the Guardian. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  25. ↑ "i4GiveDay". atparramatta.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  26. ↑ "2026 Cultural Grants Recipients". www.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  27. ↑ Turner-Cohen, Alex. "'You are so blessed': Confronting question stranger asks Oatlands tragedy couple".
  28. ↑ "Post-Politics". Scott Morrison. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  29. ↑ "Hidden detail in Scott Morrison's Instagram post sparks outrage". Yahoo News Australia. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  30. 1 2 3 "How Danny Abdallah set the jailed killer of his kids free". The Nightly. 18 August 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  31. ↑ "Danny Abdallah to sit down with Oatlands killer Samuel Davidson". Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  32. ↑ "Father's stunning admission after meeting the man who killed four children". 7NEWS. 17 August 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  33. ↑ Gambino, Lauren (21 September 2025). "Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, says she forgives man accused of murder". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  34. ↑ "True faith is lived, not just spoken". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  35. ↑ Morrison, Scott. "An extraordinary act of faith, love and grace". Facebook. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  36. ↑ "'Forgiveness is the better path': Family's plea to Bondi victims". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  37. ↑ January 29th, Ben McEachen |; Comment, 2021 11:22 AM | Add a (29 January 2021). "New national day to find the freedom in forgiveness - Eternity News". Retrieved 9 January 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  38. ↑ 96five (3 February 2022). "i4give Week Sharing the Message of Forgiveness Across Australia". 96five Family Radio. Retrieved 9 January 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  39. ↑ Taylor, Bronnie (21 December 2020). "PRESS RELEASE: I4GIVE DAY' LAUNCHED BY FAMILIES OF CRASH VICTIMS" (PDF).
  40. ↑ "PM forgives Barnaby Joyce's text message as an act of human 'frailty'". Australian Financial Review. 6 February 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  41. ↑ Kowal, Emily (2 February 2025). "Five years on, Abdallah family remembers kids lost in horror crash".
  42. ↑ Kennedy, Tara (4 February 2025). "Abdallah family and i4Give reveal four steps to forgiveness". The Catholic Weekly. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
  43. ↑ i4Give Chapel Service, retrieved 4 February 2023
  44. ↑ Pizzirani, Daniela (6 February 2022). "National day to find forgiveness following deaths of four children".
  45. ↑ "i4Give Festival launches in NSW to honour Oatlands crash victims". The Age. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  46. ↑ Derrick, Krusche (31 January 2023). "Abdallah family to host free family festival on i4Give Day".
  47. ↑ "Opening remarks: i4Give Festival | Prime Minister of Australia". www.pm.gov.au. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  48. ↑ Ago, 2 Minutes (4 February 2023), Prime Minister gives speech at i4Give Festival in Sydney, retrieved 4 February 2023{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  49. ↑ "i4Give Festival 2025 | City of Parramatta". www.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au. 1 March 2025. Archived from the original on 15 February 2025. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
  50. ↑ "Enjoy a fun day out when i4Give Festival returns to Parramatta | City of Parramatta". www.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au. Archived from the original on 21 February 2025. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  51. ↑ "Bulldogs and Parramatta to play for the I4Give Cup". Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  52. ↑ Bulldogs and Eels throw support behind I4Give Cup initiative, retrieved 4 February 2023
  53. ↑ "BULLDOGS AND PARRAMATTA TO PLAY FOR THE I4GIVE CUP - Accor Stadium". accorstadium.com.au. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  54. ↑ "Round 15 Team News: Ciraldo Updates His Side for the i4Give Cup Clash". Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  55. ↑ Cleary, Matt (9 June 2023). "King's Birthday Bash: Bulldogs and Eels to contest second annual I4Give Cup". Accor Stadium. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  56. ↑ Glanville, Caitlin (5 June 2024). "Bulldogs and Eels to play for the I4Give Cup".
  57. ↑ "Bulldogs Claim i4Give Cup After Hard-Fought Win Over Eels". Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. 8 June 2026. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  58. ↑ "NRL Gameday Guide: King's Birthday". Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. 2 June 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  59. ↑ "Cougars and Shamrocks unite for i4Give Foundation". New South Wales Rugby League. 22 August 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
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