This Anti-Poverty Week (October 11-17), members of Nambucca/Macksville Evening VIEW Club are calling on the local community to sponsor a disadvantaged Australian child through leading children's education charity, The Smith Family.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The club sponsors six children through The Smith Family Learning for Life program to provide vital support for their education, but many more young Australians are in need of help.
Children across Australia have faced unprecedented challenges this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This impact has been felt even more acutely by students experiencing disadvantage.
Many were already behind before school closures, and without extra help, they're now at increased risk of staying behind.
President Jan of the Nambucca/Macksville Evening VIEW Club said joining a VIEW Club can make a real difference to children's lives.
"There are so many families out there struggling to pay the bills, and education essentials like computers, school books and excursions can fall to the bottom of the pile.
"The latest data shows that there are 1.2 million children living in poverty in Australia right now - and our club is doing something about this huge problem that sadly affects so many.
"Sponsoring a child through The Smith Family helps ease the burden on families in need, providing a combination of financial support, personal support and access to a range of out-of-school learning and mentoring programs to help children get the most out of their education.
VIEW Clubs have been helping to break the cycle of poverty for 60 years, and right now there are over 15,000 VIEW members across Australia who are fundraising and volunteering for The Smith Family.
Our goal is to help as many children living with disadvantage as possible, to thrive in their education so they can create better futures for themselves.
VIEW is proud to be the largest community sponsor of The Smith Family's Learning for Life program.
Last year, VIEW Clubs raised over $1.2 million for The Smith Family and collectively sponsor more than 1,400 Australian children in need.
VIEW members also volunteer over 70,000 hours of their time to help young people in their local communities through homework, reading and mentoring programs run by The Smith Family.
"In our area this year we have suffered through bushfires and job losses due to Covid 19, resulting in added hardship for families who may have already been doing it tough.
"We are not alone; disadvantaged children nationwide are feeling the effects. At the same time, we have been unable to hold meetings and participate in our usual fundraising activities.
"We are gradually resuming activities and are looking forward to getting back into the community with our street stalls and raffles as well as homemade cakes, pickles, jams and plants.
"We'd love more women of all ages to join our club so we can reach even more children in need through our fundraising and volunteering.
"Supporting a child while they are still at school prevents the need to support them as adults. Sponsoring a young person's education is an effective way to help them break the cycle of poverty."
To find out more about joining VIEW, visit view.org.au or call 1800 805 366.
To sponsor a child through The Smith Family, visit thesmithfamily.com.au or call 1800 633 622.
