~""'-'~~~~~~---...- ~~=-Cairns Sun, Wednesday,March 3, 2010
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Packs¡ for kids in need A SOFl' toy, a blanket and a torch packed into a backpack - it might not seem much, but for a child taken from their home and placed into emergency foster care, these few items can provide a measure of security and comfort. For Cairns mother-of-two and teacher Jo Klein, the plight of these children struck an emotional chord. An email from Innisfail teaching colleague Despina Parakas brought the difficulties faced by these children to Jo's attention. And she had no hesitation volunteering to join Backpacks 4 Aussie Kids, a small group set up by Despina with a mission to put together backpacks filled with items to help these foster children. "1 received an email from Despina, which explained what she was hoping to achieve," Jo said. "1 basically thought it was a brilliant idea and a fantastic cause, and 1wasn't working at the time, so 1thought that it would be a great project to get involved with. "It kind of touched base with me as well, having two children of my own," she said. Despina was looking to become a foster carer when she became aware of difficulties facing children placed into emergency foster care. "1 thought if we could give these kids a bag with clothes, toys, books and a torch and that kind of stuff, it might help make them feel a little bit special because they have something new, instead of having everything taken off them," Despina said. "Sometimes the person that takes
SOMETHINGOFTHEIROWN:I>~cking backpacks for children going into emergency foster care are (from left) Jo Klein, Tracy !.i'nriscoll and Despina Parakas from Backpacks 4 Aussie Kids. Picture: ROMYSIEGMANN children into emergency care may or may not have clothes their size, or things for them to take to school the next day. "That's where the backpack comes in." The backpacks are age specific and are filled with a variety of items - nappies, formula, feeding bottles, pyjamas, a blanket, clothes, toiletries, age appropriate toy or book and a torch. The group is always on the lookout for donations, everything from new backpacks to toys and clothing. "We are really focusing on bigger sizes for kids at the moment," Jo said. "We have copious amounts of baby clothes, but we really need more sizes of 4-16at this time." The group will have a stall in the
foyer of the Baby Expo at the Cairns Convention Centre this weekend. Bring a donation to the Backpacks 4 Aussie Kids stall and receive a voucher for one free adult ticket to the baby expo. Items that can be donated are: nappies (newborn to walker), feeding bottles, disposable change mats and plastic nappy sacks, toothpaste, kids toothbrushes, soap and deodorant, new underwear (s~s 4-16),good condition preloved and new clothing (sizes 4-16), good condition backpacks and nappy bags, or colouring in pencils, crayons and books. • For more information or to make a donation, go to www. backpacks4aussiekids.org or contact Despina on 4061 3534, Jo on 4039 2440 or Tracy O'Driscoll on 4061 7042.