What another jam packed few months!
With the communities backing we won the Commonwealth Bank Southland's Community Donations Program & received a chq for $500!
We came together twice to help a local family in need as well as a few more Ukranian families arriving in Bayside.
When the Return It recycling scheme was launched we became a charity partner in the South East Melbourne Region so please consider donating to us when you recycle at their outlets.
We played testris with a vast amount of aid that we needed to produce & had many volunteer sessions right through to late December. It was lively to meet Ryan Batchelor MP who popped in to an urgent session for toiletry packs for the homeless.
Ongoing, goods were donated to VACCA, Emerge, BayCISS & Avalon Centre for people fleeing domestic violence, the homeless & people in need of food relief in our community. Brighton Secondary College, Firbank & CPC Health held much needed & appreciated food drives towards this cause. We were also given 2 large donations of unused soft drink bottles from Southlands vending machines. The amazing team at Versa hald another mammoth food hamper session & another 150 boxes were delivered in October & then again in December!
Our annual auction was the biggest yet with a whopping 200 lots & approx $12,500 raised! Add to that another jar win & a great fundraising night at Grill'd Hampton where we received another $480!
39 more used mobile phones were delivered to DV SafePhones making a huge 59 phones donated from the community to help women who have escaped domestic violence.
Ongoing support came from local traders Alati in Centre Rd Bentleigh who have a donation jar for us & The Whistling Kettle in Hampton. Also the team at Top Removals who are now helping deliver our larger initiatives which is beyond invaluable!
Generous grants were won through Community Bank Highett & Community Bank Elwood. Both to be delivered from mid January 2024 onwards.
Bayside Quilters & the wider community made over 300 hundred throw rugs & fiddle mats for our 2 huge initiatives that were delivered late in the year. Amazing!! Hammond Care receievd vital demantia care therapy packs plus tools for groups therepy sessions thanks to a generous grant from Community Bank Caulfield Park . Mercy Fernhill Aged Care also received 101 comfort packs for their residents & dementia packs & groups session tools for 20 residents. We'd like to thank the amazing team at Top Removals who delivered both initiatives & Brad Rowswell MP for helping deliver to Fernhill.
In December Family Life received their annual 150 packs for children under their care, again with the help of Top Removals.
This year we had a request form 6 organisations for ytoys for children in need under their care & with everyone's support we deliverred big time! Toys went to Theodoras Cheerful Givers, VACCA, Emerge, Grace Heart Community Church, BayCISS & Chelsea Community Support. The amazing team at Crossway Baptist Church Brighton delivered 19 Xmas food hampers for families who have fled domestic violence in Emerges safe house complex. Mentone Girls Grammar, Mia from Boss Gym, Sandringham Primary School, Nagle Pre school plus some local secret Santa get togethers all held toys drives which made this year such a massive success. we estimate that several hundred children were helped though the community efforts this Christmas.
December donations poured in from the lovely Sally Fielding Mort who held a raffle thorugh U3A Bayside for us. The women at Victoria Golf Club , Trinity Uniting Church & Beta Sigma Phi also made generous donations which allow us to help many in need through 2024.
As soon as the toy aid went out we received requests for Back to School support & our final volunteer session & aid delivery went out in the last few days of December!
We can't thank you all enough. Together we are helping thousands in need every year!
