Humanity
‘A billion people struggle to live each day on less than the cost of a bottle of water.’ (SU2)
How easy is it for you to save a life?
Humanity is the combination of SUPPORT to people and communities, to create a better future for our own community, as well as those less fortunate locally and internationally. It starts at home, SUPPORTing within our local community charitable causes on which we rely, sometimes regularly and can become complacent about, including Surf Life Saving. Humanity also includes poverty, health, homelessness, disaster, conflict and other humanitarian efforts. You can assist through donations, volunteering, mentoring, providing opportunities, fundraising and attending fundraising events.
The following is a list of Organisations you might be interested in SUPPORTing. Suggestions, Events and information are updated regularly to the site. You can Subscribe to the right and you’ll receive updates to your email. If there are other Organisations you feel strongly about and would like to bring to our attention, please CONTACT us, to let us know.
ORGANISATIONS
Second Chance Programme …click here
Second Chance Programme Fund Raising Group Inc (SCP) was set up to address the distressing problem of women’s homelessness. Sadly, the need for accommodation and support for homeless women is even greater now than it was when SCP started in 2001. And the biggest increase in homelessness has been in young women between the ages of 15- 19.
Médecins Sans Frontières …click here
Médecins Sans Frontières Sans Frontieres is an international, independent, medical-humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, health care exclusion and natural or man-made disasters in around 60 countries worldwide. In 2009 all funds for Médecins Sans Frontières’ work came from private donors. You can help continue their work in Somalia and elsewhere by making a donation today.
New Hope Cambodia …click here
New Hope Cambodia are a grass roots organization working within the families and community. They take a holistic approach to addressing the needs of families living in crisis situations. Whilst ‘free education for all’ is their priority, an important step in breaking the cycle of poverty, chronic malnutrition; ill health and appalling living conditions the students and families face every day cannot be ignored. New Hope provides disadvantaged children, youths and adults with free language and vocational education, free medical treatment for the community, women and children’s shelter & halfway house, community development & monthly food packages for malnourished families.
Australian Red Cross …click here
Australian Red Cross is part of the world’s largest humanitarian organisation, with over 100 million volunteers in 186 countries. The Movement includes the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as coordinating body, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) which works mostly in areas of conflict. Red Cross provides relief in times of crisis, be it big or small. Care when it’s needed most and commitment when others turn away. With more than 100 million volunteers worldwide and 60,000 members and volunteers in Australia they reach people and places like nobody else and care for local communities in Asia Pacific and Australia. Red Cross is there for people in need, no matter who you are, no matter where you live.
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INTERESTED IN MORE? Then check these out…
(for more Books or Websites just click the link)
The Life You Can Save: Acting Now to End World Poverty
www.secondchanceprogramme.com.au
www.msf.org.au
www.newhopecambodia.com
www.redcross.org.au
Back2Basics…Do you have even half an hour free in your week where you could help someone out who really needs it but doesn’t know who to ask? Ask the elderly neighbour if you could pick them up bread or milk while you’re at the shops, go and read to people in a nursing home who don’t get many visitors, if you have more time and would just like to spent it at the beach why not volunteer as a Life Saver?
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Looking for ARTICLES & BLOG POSTS? Then check these out…
Second Chance Programme (September 2010)
Fitted for Work Fashion Challenge (Autumn 2011)
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
On a related topic but slightly tangible, there are many people out there who need support or assistance and down know who to ask.
A couple of years ago I received a parking fine from a Policeman for parking where you weren’t supposed to, although there were no signs stating this, you just should have known. I went online to pay the fine and you can’t do it online because a Policeman, not Council issued it, you have to go to a Queensland Transport Office to pay it. Rather than just having a payment counter you have to wait in line behind the other 20 or so people who might be doing a driving test or a boat test or whatever else you can do there that takes 20 minutes at the counter. Getting rather irritated I filled out the suggestion box form stating it was ridiculous in this day and age you had to waste three hours of your time 30mins there, 30mins back then find a carpark and 1 hour, 55 minutes waiting to pay a fine. When I was finally called to the counter I commented (rather politely, as having worked in customer service I’m fully aware she personally has not made the system as it is) to the lady that it was a little ridiculous, maybe they should look into an online system or direct payments counter, as I and others really don’t have three hours to spare, particularly between 9.30 and 4.30pm. After she suggested I fill in a suggestion box form which I mentioned I had, she looked at me in a rather perplexed and sorry way and said ‘Don’t you know anyone who could come in and do it for you?’, I stopped, thought about it and then said ‘No, nobody’. She sympathetically and sincerely replied ‘Really you don’t know anyone who has a spare three hours to sit here and wait for you?’. ‘No. I really don’t.’
To be honest I was pleased I didn’t and that the people I know had things to do and places to go, but it made me wonder how many people do know a heap of people who have that much spare time they’d do it for them. Personally, I would have been much happy to save everyone’s time and energy initially with a street sign, but secondly with an online payment system for 10mins, rather than my time, their time, petrol, parking etc. But there are many people including those who are elderly who do need the assistance. Someone just to pop by and say hello, or grab some milk. In return they probably don’t get away much and can watch your place, collect the mail and water the garden while you’re away. They’d probably like to get out and feel useful. By becoming aware of these issues we can help create a better place for us all. For the record on relaying the story my mother did say she would have done it, but it would have been expensive for her to sit there and wait instead of doing something far more constructive.