With National Volunteer Week continuing until May 24, Coast Shelter is celebrating the contribution of its almost 300 committed and compassionate volunteers.
“Changing Communities, Changing Lives is a great theme for this year, a year where we have faced great change in how we live, how we work and how we connect with each other,” Volunteer Coordinator Kylie Hogan said.
“It is a time to celebrate the almost 6 million volunteers across the country who lend their time and energy to connect with others and help to change lives.
“Research from Volunteering Australia shows that volunteers provide a 450% rate of return for every dollar invested in an organisation’s charitable purpose.
“We spent time reviewing the impact that the support and services provided by our family of volunteers has made for Coast Shelter.
“So much has been made possible through the commitment of our dedicated volunteers.
“In the last year our amazing volunteers helped us serve those doing it tough in our community by providing 34,867 free meals, 1,000 food hampers, 100+ haircuts, 60 free podiatry sessions and supported 40 people to access an Interest Free Loan to help meet the basic cost of living.
“Not to mention the hundreds of volunteer hours in food donation pick-ups, gardening, painting, sorting in our warehouse, playgroup sessions and so much more.”
Coast Shelter CEO Rachel Willis said the organisation had had to make big changes to keep people safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have greatly missed our volunteers coming in each day and we want to make a special effort this year to celebrate their contributions,” she said.
“Our volunteers provide indispensable support to our organisation and to our community, and I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of them, we simply could not do what we do without you.”
Willis has urged Coat residents to wave a special smile of appreciation from their own homes.
“Upload your wave photo to social media and share using the hashtags #Coasties4Coasties #NVW2020 and #waveforvolunteers and tag Coast Shelter and Volunteering Australia,” she said.
Source:
Media release, May 18
Coast Shelter