KSS October eKourier

CHARITY

KENNARDS BACKS SLEEP UNDER THE STARS EVENT 2021 467 sleepers, 104 teams and 306,334 thousand dollars, that’s the total amount raised so far for this year's Stepping Stone House, Sleep Under the Stars event (SUTS).

REPURPOSING TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES

BREAD Australia (Barnabas Relief Education and Development) is a Christian humanitarian aid organisation that partners with local Australians to provide emergency relief and develop- ment in global communities. They initiated the “Repurpose” project to support communities in need in underprivileged countries. This project partners with local Australian companies and individuals by collecting their superseded goods and sending them to the countries that are in need. Shipping containers full of hospital equipment, bicycles, sewing machines, clothing, and more. BREAD see the value and effective- ness of in-kind donations. In their experience, coordinated in-kind donations will boost the donor economy and it will help the donor community to be directly involved in the humanitarian intervention. BREAD reached capacity at their Newington office to store the abundance of donated goods they were receiving and also a shipping container full of donated goods that was about to arrive. Amy from BREAD contacted Kennards Self Storage for help.

O f course, as I write this there are still 10 days to go and a big drive to exceed a record goal of $800,000 raised. This is KSS’s seventh year taking part as Platinum sponsors and also partici- pating as a Team, “Kennards Freedom Fighters” on the night. There are almost 44,000 people under the age of 25 who are experiencing homelessness, We know Covid-19 has seen a spike in rough sleeping, unemployment and financial hardship for our youth. Stepping Stone House provides safety and support for young people escaping neglect violence and abuse. So what does $800,000 do for the young people at Stepping Stone House?

chance to succeed in life by providing education support and counselling, and life skills such as learning to drive, cook and survive whatever life throws at them. $65 pays for a week's groceries for a youth at Stepping Stone House. $125 covers room set up and a welcome pack for a homeless young person. $200 pays the weekly electricity bill for all the residential houses. $400 places a young person into a mentor programme for one year. $500 provides a young person with school uniforms and school supplies for a whole year. $2,000 gives a person a week long confidenc, building adventure. Thank you to everyone who partici- pated this year or kindly donated. You have helped light the path for our disadvantaged youth.

Kennards were happy to be able to help BREAD with donated space.

The money raised will make a positive difference to their future.

Sharon Munro Executive Assistant

It will support 33 at-risk youth for an entire year, giving them a greater

Fiona Harding Business Development Manager

21 Kennards Kourier Oct 2021