On our daily operations, we see many families and individuals going through life challenges. All stories are different, but there is something they have in common – the lack of resources to have a dignified meal on their table at least once a day. Ever since they walk through our doors, they receive not just emergency food and hygienic products, but the opportunity to receive training and education to get tools to thrive and not merely survive. However, the situation is a bit more complicated when we receive single parents escaping from domestic violence or families with more than one child who have just lost their main source of income.
The impossibility to provide essential items, such as tooth brush, toothpaste, body soap, laundry soap, nappies or period pads, accentuates the stress they are going through. It is only with the support of Good 360 and sponsors such as Huggies and Colgate that we can make alleviate their hunger and personal distress. However, we can only do as much as our resources last. Therefore, we would like to take this opportunity to invite all charities to work together.
Did you know that according to the nappy collective report, around 140,000 families in Australia cannot provide nappies to their children and a quarter of a million children who are impacted by ‘nappy stress’? Researchers worldwide also revealed that the poorest populations of developing countries have the least access to affordable toothpaste and toothbrush. These are just two examples of how essential items are no longer available for the most vulnerable. Unfortunately, these significantly affect our communities’ mental and public health, especially those we serve in Bankstown and Canterbury Area.
Let’s fight back the elephant in the room together!