Help us provide winter blanket coverage

OUR disadvantaged community in the Springvale area are going to do it a lot tougher this year.
Due to the Federal Government’s funding cut to the Springvale Benevolent Society our clients are going to miss out on emergency funds.
With the extremely high cost of private rentals, many families will go without food, clothing, medicine, linen, furniture and other items that most of us take for granted.
If they are on a pension, once they pay the rent there is very little left to live on.
Some families will go without food because grocery vouchers cannot cover the cost of all essential food items.
If they spend extra money on food, it means they cannot afford to use their electricity and gas for heating because they cannot afford the higher bills.
This results in a long, cold winter for them.
To find the warmth many of them frequent shopping centres or even worse hotels, clubs, etcetera where the temptation of gaming machines or alcohol eat away the little money they have.
Many of the families cannot afford to give their children breakfast before they go to school – some children have to wait until evening for their only meal.
We at the society try to help these families as much as we possibly can, but with limited funds it is becoming much harder.
It is extremely hard on families who need baby formula and etcetera – the society would never say no to these innocent babies and toddlers.
Because of our limited budget, clients can no longer rely on getting extra blankets to keep warm.
Also many of them will have to go without some of their medications because our funds will no longer stretch to help them.
With the high cost of rent, we have come across some families who have a roof over their heads but their accommodation has no furniture whatsoever as they cannot afford any.
It can be a very cold night when all you have is one blanket to lie on and one to cover you.
If we can afford it, we will purchase mattresses so it is at least one comfort for them.
We rely on food and monetary donations from many wonderful community people, churches, schools, businesses, City of Greater Dandenong and more to help us put food on the tables and to pay for emergency medical items.
Without the help of all these kind donations our families would do it much harder.
The Springvale Benevolent Society is run by volunteers and has been helping families in the area for 53 years.
We are now appealing to all sections of the community to help us with any donations that they can afford so that we can continue our assistance to all those who need us.
Call 9546 5558 to lend a hand.