By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Jennifer Grainger says she has always wanted to give.
The Dandenong North charity volunteer has been recognized with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her community service for more than three decades.
She was raised in Devonport Tasmania, where people did “a lot of stuff” for one another.
Also while her and her husband settled in Manchester in the UK in the 1980s, she was inspired to put back by a “wonderful” group of helpers.
“Doing good for other people is just part of me.
“It’s where you get your joy and your pleasure.”
Her work includes being a respite carer for 38 foster children as well as raising six of her own.
“A lot of these children came from needy homes whether emotionally or materially.
“I thought even if they spend some time with us, they might get a glimpse of what their life could be like.”
Ms Grainger also served Women’s Action Alliance, a feminist group of women who focused on caring for children and families.
She described it as feminism without “throwing babies out with the bathwater”.
She’s most proud of successfully campaigning for unpaid work by parents, grandparents, volunteers and carers being recognised in the national census.
“It’s important to recognise the contribution that unpaid work makes to our society.
“If no one takes it into account, it goes by the by and people don’t realise what contribution is being made.”
She also headed Operation Cover Up in which she collected and sent tonnes of knitted beanies and scarves to needy locales overseas.
Thousands of knitters got on board, giving purpose to many residents in aged care homes. Their donated knits filled 36 shipping containers and valued at $10 million.
“Small things added up to something big.”
Ms Grainger currently runs a charity op-shop Jens’ Craft Shop in Birch Avenue, Dandenong North. It up-cycles fabrics and haberdashery supplies, as well as raising money for charity.
“It’s important to keep your eyes open – you can help wherever you can see you can make the world a better place.”
