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Jeans for Genes hits $100,000 raised with Return and Earn
February 2026
Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) at Westmead has raised an extraordinary $100,000 as featured major charity partner of Return and Earn and with the support of local businesses it hopes to reach $200,000.
Return and Earn has become just as much a household name as CMRI’s iconic fundraising campaign, Jeans for Genes, and allows everyday Australians not just to recycle, but also to give back to the community at no cost.
From now until April 19, 10 cents for every returned can and bottle can be donated to CMRI at a Return and Earn machine.
The money raised will go towards research which helps the 1 in 20 Australian children living with birth defects and genetic conditions like cancer, cystic fibrosis and genetic blindness.
CMRI Director Professor Roger Reddel said every little bit adds up.
“We are incredible grateful to be part of this impactful program that allows everyday Australians to fund our research.’’
Return and Earn is a partnership of the NSW Government, scheme coordinator Exchange for Change, and network operator TOMRA Cleanaway. Since it started in 2017, more than 15 billion containers have been returned.
Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) is a state-of-the-art medical research organisation dedicated to researching the genes and proteins important for human development, health and disease. Affiliated with the University of Sydney, CMRI is supported in part by its key fundraiser Jeans for Genes® and the Luminesce Alliance and is located at Westmead, a major health and innovation precinct in Sydney, NSW, Australia.
