EUREKA Mums have come together for a campaign which is not only putting a smile on the faces of children, but also giving parents doing it tough peace of mind.
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Now in its fourth year, the Tools for Schools campaign is aimed at making life a little bit easier for students heading to or back to school each year.
Eureka Mums operations manager Trinsa Lewis said the program had grown over four years to help 160 different children in 2018. “We started running it because some volunteers were talking about the expense of sending children off to school, so we started putting these bundles together,” Ms Lewis said.
“It’s important for both parents and students. It’s the little things like a new backpack or a new lunch box which helps young children to breach that unknown.
“But it also helps give a parent who is struggling financially the ability to send their children to school and for them to not be seen as different because they have brand new items.” The bundles include a new lunch box, drink bottle and back pack as essentials.
“But we also include the stationary, which you might not always need for school, but it allows children to do things at home as well,” Ms Lewis said
“We’ve got lots of families who, when they go shopping, add a few extra bits to their own bundles.
“We’ve had a couple of students who came in last week who had been selling chicken eggs and with that purchased items for us. There’s another two girls who come in every year and they bring in some bundles, it all adds up.
The items go out through a series of case workers while some school social workers also help with the distribution.
The campaign runs until January 31. If you wish to donate, you can drop off items at Eureka Mums at 15A Gray Street Sebastopol on Tuesday and Thursday from 12-1pm. If you are unable to donate at those times, email donate@eurekamums.org to organise a drop off time.
To learn more about Eureka Mums go HERE.
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