Sudden cardiac arrest claims the lives of around 100 Australians every day. Nine in ten victims cannot be revived without immediate help from a bystander, and every minute without defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to ten percent. In many communities across Australia, the nearest AED is simply too far away, or not accessible at all outside business hours. Bendigo Bank's Community Bank model has been working to close that gap, funding the supply and installation of defibrillators in the places where people already gather: sports clubs, shopping centres, walking trails, schools and local branches.

Founded in 1998, the Community Bank model was built to keep banking services accessible in rural and smaller metropolitan communities. The network has grown to more than 300 branches and has returned over $366 million to local communities through grants and sponsorships. Part of that funding has gone towards AED infrastructure: some branches have installed as many as 60 defibrillators across a single district, placing them on golf courses, bowling greens, walking trails, in cafes, chemists, RSLs, CWA branches and schools. A number of these devices have already been deployed more than once to save lives.