The need is real. The pain is immediate.
In the immediate aftermath of a workplace death, there is no structured government support to help families with daily costs.
There is often no financial help available in those early days, when groceries still need buying, rent is still due, and grief is at its sharpest.
That’s the gap we exist to fill.
…behind every statistic is a family.
Each year, dozens of families across New South Wales are blindsided by the sudden death of a loved one at work.
In those early days, there’s no playbook. There’s shock, funeral planning, unanswered questions - and mounting costs.
Most families lose not only someone they love, but the income they relied on.
In this moment of heartbreak, we believe no one should face financial fear
The Facts
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#1 cause of workplace deaths in NSW: Falls from height
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Every 1.5 days a worker dies in Australia (average of 200 workers a year)
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The average daily spend for a family of four ranges between $195 and $300.
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Most families receive no structured support in the days after loss.
“Grief takes over your life. You can’t think of anything but your loss. But then the bills start to arrive. The Touched by Christopher Foundation saved us from financial stress during our time of deepest sorrow”
— Larry, father of Jared
…from grief, came a promise of help
The Touched by Christopher Foundation exists because we’ve lived this pain. On 1 April 2019, Christopher Cassaniti died in a tragic workplace incident. He was just 18.
In the aftermath, our family was overwhelmed by grief — and by the immediate weight of decisions, expenses, and emotional chaos.
…but what we remember most is the support we received from those around us. It made one thing clear: no family should have to walk that road alone.
That’s why we started this Foundation — to stand with other families in their hardest moments, and to carry some of the burden that comes with losing a loved one at work.