27 February 2025
For alumnus Adam Krongold (BBus. Agribusiness 1994), giving is a beloved family tradition: his grandparents, Dinah and Henry Krongold, established what is now the Monash Krongold Clinic back in 1976. “Supporting the Krongold Clinic ticks so many boxes for me,” says Adam.
It’s about helping to improve the lives of kids and caregivers, training the next generation of mental health professionals, maintaining the link to my alma mater, and continuing the legacy established by my grandparents.
"It’s such a privilege to be able to help so many: the caregivers, the researchers and the facilitators.”
Over the years, the clinic has helped thousands of children in Victoria with conditions such as autism, ADHD, anxiety and sleep disorders. Adam’s gift will help the clinic take its world-leading research, expertise and vision across Australia and into the lives of those who need it most, enabling all children to reach their full potential.
Image (from L-R): Adam Krongold with his grandparents Dinah and Henry Krongold
Helping children overcome barriers
Children with conditions such as blindness, cerebral palsy, autism and ADHD constantly come up against barriers to inclusion in their daily lives. From the classroom to the sports field and beyond, these children are often marginalised and offered limited support. These exclusions in early life can have a dramatic impact well into adulthood, affecting their future health, career opportunities, economic security, relationships and more.
Right now, Australia has a disjointed system, offering piecemeal solutions. Key support services – clinical care, education, government programs like the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and community programs – all operate in silos. Families end up cycling around this complex system, attempting to join the dots and inevitably failing to receive the wrap-around care they so desperately need. The pandemic has only intensified this issue, leaving families battling to find support in an already strained system.
Speeding up the help
The reimagined Monash Krongold Clinic will offer one pathway to many interventions, all aimed at helping children with disabilities thrive at home, at school and in the community – and all rolled out as rapidly as possible. The expected time to translate just 14 per cent of research work to clinical care is 17 years. But the new research team at the Krongold Clinic has developed a model that will drastically speed up this pipeline: less than 10 years to get 100 per cent of research into the community.
It’s vital to get this working fast, says Adam, because the earlier an intervention, the more powerful it is throughout a child’s life. “The capacity to have a positive influence on children who are struggling for various reasons is incredible. And it’s a multiplier effect: if you intervene at a very early age, you’re improving the lives of children as they become adolescents, teenagers, adults. You enable them to enjoy life and live life to the fullest.”
Giving children a brighter future
“My hope is that children who need support at a young age get the help they need to thrive, and that their caregivers are given the skills to help themselves and their children,” continues Adam. That way, the whole of society benefits, he points out. “We want to help them be prepared for the wider world, which would then take the pressure off all the other institutions that are designed to look after people who can’t look after themselves. You don’t then have to create infrastructure to look after them, and those resources can go into other places like science, education and the arts.”
And like so many Monash donors, Adam believes it’s an incredible privilege to see his gift having real impact. “Every time I come to the Krongold Clinic and meet with staff, I see progress. I see new services and more staff able to look after more children and more families. And I see the mural on the wall that shows how this space is being filled with children who are being looked after. I love being part of this journey.”
Join us to Change it. For Future Generations
Adam Krongold’s generous philanthropic support contributes to the university’s Change It. For Future Generations campaign, which is the largest public fundraising initiative in Monash’s history.
For further information on how you can create transformational impact through philanthropy, please contact Lisa Mitchell at lisa.anne.mitchell@monash.edu.