Focus on Giving

Words Georgie Arnaud

It’s that time of the year. Everyone is preparing to give, give and give some more. Soon families will gather together to show how much they appreciate one another through spirited gift giving. In light of this good-hearted nature there are number of ways you can give back to those in need. Each issue we feature four charities that are working to provide people in less fortunate circumstances with the assistance they need to live happier lives and hopefully lift their spirits, because everyone deserves to feel excited during the festive season.

OPERATION

SUNSHINE Operation Sunshine offer a range of support packs for these less fortunate children, including:

Sunshine packs, as previously mentioned which are an ongoing initiative run by the charity for young people at the time of entering care. They are designed to enhance the mental and emotional health and wellbeing of the recipient and assist in their journey of healing from trauma. Each item in the pack is selected carefully to meet a different need whether that be comfort, self-worth or preservation of dignity. A typical Sunshine Pack will contain the following items; Underwear, Socks, Top & Pants, Pyjamas, Toothbrush/paste, Hairbrush or comb, Colouring book/pencils, Journal/pen, soft toy, Reading book.

Courage Kits are another ongoing initiative specifically delivered to women’s shelters around Western Australia. In a domestic violence situation women tend to flee without having the chance to grab any essentials, therefore the Courage Kits provide all the important seasonally appropriate items for women for women in a destressing domestic violence situation. Items include: Socks, Soap, Underwear, Toothbrush/Toothpaste, Outfit (Top & Pants), Shampoo/Conditioner, Pyjamas, Period Products, Colouring Book/ Pencils, Deodorant, Journal & Pen, Hairbrush.

Operation Sunshine WA is a charity that strives to bring happiness to the lives of children and young people in outof-home and crisis care across Western Australia. Leaving home at a young age can be an extremely stressful and overwhelming situation, so Operation Sunshine WA help to alleviate some of the emotional upheaval that young people have to face going through this. They provide personal support packs to out-of-home youth with comforting toys and essentials such as toothbrushes and other toiletry items, spare clothes, stationary and good quality back packs. Around 54,000 reports of family issues or domestic violence are made to the WA Police, which is about one report every ten minutes.

Operation Sunshine are helping to give young people a sustainable alternative out of these dangerous circumstances. Operation Sunshine is 100% volunteer run, with no government funding. Chairperson at Operation Sunshine Leah Atkinson says, “the charity relies on community donations to fund their vital initiatives with every dollar going directly to support the people in need.” At Operation Sunshine WA they donate right to the cause, therefore everything that is donated goes straight to helping out women and young people. SUNSHINE PACKS

COURAGE KITS

BOREDOM BUSTER BAGS

A limited time initiative, introduced during the COVID-19 Pandemic to offer support to isolated families. Financial instability and lack of social support is common in this stressful time, so these packs help children at high risk of abuse or neglect feel a little safer and more supported. It includes board games, colouring books, craft activities and more. To donate: drop donations off at Add Storage or contact Operation Sunshine via their website for alternative arrangements.

Supporting at risk children, rise packs were introduced to help young people at risk of homelessness and provide essential care items to assist in their transition to adulthood. Each pack includes toiletries and a towel, underwear, socks, an outfit, and some pens and an exercise book to assist in employment and education training.

RISE PACKS

to provide Christmas gifts to out-of-home youth in WA. After going through the heartbreaking circumstances of leaving home during youth, a gift this Christmas can make all the difference in putting a smile on a young person’s face. If you wish to light up a young person’s eyes with excitement this Christmas, drop your brand new, unwrapped gifts at any of the Operation Sunshine WA donation post to the PO Box 206 Cannington WA 6987.

*Over the years Operation Sunshine WA have supported over 10,000 women and children. *They have delivered over $140,000 worth of support/products so far this year * They are in need of corporate sponsorship

If you would like to offer corporate sponsorship or support this cause in any other means,head to the Operation Sunshine WA website for any information regarding donations, volunteering and various other programs they offer.

In spirit of giving during the festive season, Make your dontation to Operation Sunshine Operation Sunshine also organise a www.operationsunshinewa.org.au Christmas Gift Appeal. Each year they partner Operation Sunshine WA with various out-of-home care organisations operation_sunshine_wa

ZONTA

The Zonta Club work to support women’s rights and help with a range of local and international projects that empower women and girls to reach their full potential. The Zonta Club of Brisbane City Heart is just one of the Zonta Clubs that are part of a larger operation- Zonta International, which was formed in 1919 to support women. The organisation spread globally; you will find chapters across Australia. It’s vital that we continue to empower women each day and work towards achieving an equal foundation with men. The Zonta Club of Brisbane City Heart are helping attain this by working with like-minded, community/not-for-profit organisations who provide services to support women and girls facing challenges that disempower them and any disadvantages.

Zonta works with organisations such as The Salvation Army, Anglicare, Miraa House, Friends with Dignity, Carinity Education Southside, The Sanctuary Women, Children and Pet Refuge, Zephyr Education and Beyond DV. All organisations are committed to improving circumstances of women and girls in all aspects of life. Empowering women is the driving force for Zonta around the world and here in Australia where Zonta has thousands of members across the country. In Queensland, there are 44 Zonta clubs with about 1000 members. The Zonta Club of Brisbane is the oldest club in Queensland with 52 members, and celebrates its 50th anniversary on 8 November 2021.

So, what is Zonta? Zonta is thousands of ordinary people around the world who act to make a more equal world for women and girls. Working through more than 1100 clubs across 63 countries, they are advocates, working with international organisations such as the United Nations. They are volunteers, working through hundreds of clubs in dozens of countries, and they fund major international projects as well as projects in our own community. Sandra Mclean, Zonta Club of Brisbane Member and Chair Communications, says Zonta Club works to empower women and offers a variety of services to allow women to feel supported.

“We are Zontians because we know we can achieve so much more together than individually and we enjoy working towards our goals with like-minded people."

“Zonta’s motto is ‘Empowering Women Through Service and Advocacy’. The Zonta Club of Brisbane has a proud history of service and advocacy towards realising Zonta’s vision,” Sandra says.

Throughout their 50 years, the Club has supported shelters for women and children escaping from domestic violence as well as lobbying governments for women’s refuges. For more than 20 years, the Club has fund raised to pay for safety cards containing information and resources for women trying to escape domestic violence. It currently advocates and supports activities addressing the risk and reality of homelessness in older women.

Zonta fund raise to support their education awards that go to young women in high school so that they can complete their grade 12 education. The Club also support international awards such as the JM Klausman Women in Business Award and the Amelia Earhart Fellowship.

The club has an active fund-raising committee that works to deliver events that raise the finances we need to support our projects. They have had successful fundraising events such as movie nights, art shows and just recently a Jazz in the Garden Event which was to raise funds specifically for the education awards we support. These events are about raising funds and so we work to ensure that expenses are minimal. Clubs cannot rely solely on fund raising events and Zonta have been lucky to have club members who have provided substantial gifts to the club.

Domestic and Family Violence Prevention month breakfast Zonta club of Brisbane members Susan Davies, Kate Rose & Sandra McLean.

If this cause has warmed your heart or inspired you to want to help out, you can donate to Zonta through their website or get more involved and become a member to support women in your community. The Zonta Club is always looking to increase their membership base with people of diverse backgrounds, both men and women who would like to advocate for women and girls reaching their full potential.

Club president Emeritus Professor Gwendolen Jull AO comments, “Our advocacy and service to empower women and girls and to attain gender equity in all aspects of life uses the voluntary time and expertise of our club members as well as the vital monies that we raise or receive to support women and girls in the community.”

Make your dontation to Zonta Club at www.zontabrisbane.org.au

Zonta Club of Brisbane zontaclubbrisbane

MOTHERLESS DAUGHTERS

Motherless Daughters Australia is the leading organisation in Australia for mother loss support, research, and awareness. For people who have suffered losing their mum, this time of the year will be particularly difficult to handle and they’ll need all the support and love they can get. Motherless Daughters’ mission is to help women navigate life’s journey without their mum.

Co-Founder and Executive Officer of Motherless Daughters Australia Danielle Snelling says, Motherless Daughters Australia (MDA) was informally founded in 2013 by Eloise Baker Hughes and herself, after she reached out on an online grief support group seeking another Melbourne based woman who had also lost their mum. “I longed for a connection or a friend with someone who knew the pain and impact of mother loss. We met at a Melbourne café not long after connecting online and an incredibly meaningful friendship and understanding was developed instantly. I had explained to her that I tried to find a support network for women whose mums had died, but that it didn't exist. I had tried grief counselling, and although it has its place, it was just missing the mark for me in terms of genuinely understanding my loss. Eloise worked in Pharmacy and I was teaching in a primary school, so the prospect of starting a not-forprofit organisation was very daunting due to our lack of experience and understanding of the sector, but it is amazing what passion and drive can help you achieve. We needed a board of directors and a treasurer in order to get wheels in motion, and we established the founding board in later 2017,” Danielle says.

MDA Melbourne Event

Co-Founder and Executive Officer of MDA Danielle Snelling MDA is the leading and only organisation specialising in mother loss support. They now have a community of over 6000 women and provide support through a range of initiatives and programs such as:

FRIENDS IN GRIEF

A peer to peer matching service based on age, location and circumstance.

ONLINE

Online initiatives to assist women and girls process the loss of and honour their mothers; Children's initiatives for both boys and girls (Memories of Mum Journals + Build A Memory Box)

FUTURE GOALS

Some of MDA's future goals include: Extra efforts on awareness to ensure that we reach more of the 3.7 million women and girls who need out support, secure further corporate partnerships and funding to enable us to raise awareness and build, expand on and deliver more programs and initiatives that best support our community.

Another important goal for MDA is: to conduct and facilitate Australian first research on the impact of mother loss.

Make your dontation to Motherless Daughters www.motherlessdaughters.com.au

Motherless Daughters Australia motherlessdaughtersau

women’s financial outcomes

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