Carevan Blacktown is overjoyed to report that we have become one of the many charities supported by the amazing organisation that is OzHarvest.
OzHarvest’s mission to “Nourish our Country by stopping good food from going to waste and delivering it to charities that help feed people in need” see’s this inspirational group gathering, cooking and distributing meals, pantry items, fresh food and veg to those most in need of this care and to charities, such as Carevan Blacktown.
Our part in this wonderful new collaboration is to do what we do best, and distribute these black and gold hampers of goodness and nutrition to the Carevan community who visit us each week for a meal, a cuppa and some extra kindness to support and nurture our most vulnerable community members.
We are enormously grateful to have been added to the OzHarvest family of recipients and cannot thank this inspirational, hardworking (and happy) team enough for their work in setting up this collaboration with Carevan Blacktown.
We look forward to working together with Ozharvest into the future and making things a little bit brighter still every week for those who visit Carevan Blacktown.
Visit the OzHarvest website to find out more about this ‘golden’ organisation and the wonderful work they do across the country and now supporting the Carevan and the community we serve.
Thank you so very much
https://www.ozharvest.org
https://www.ozharvest.org/who-we-are/
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
Over the last couple of weeks, Carevan Blacktown has had the wonderful opportunity to hold 2 Bunnings BBQs. This sizzling support is a much-loved Bunnings tradition and vital for many charitable organisations, including our little charity. It’s great to be able to do them again and we are HUGELY appreciative of the opportunity given us by Rouse Hill Bunnings, to raise some much need funds in this fun and interactive way.
Carevan called upon our sparkling, dancing, dedicated, hard-working and truly generous volunteers and supporters, at short notice, and were able to put together these two events with plenty of willing hands and generous donations of food enabling us to run two successful days … including today, Valentine’s day when the word LOVE and all variations sentiment, was all about… even in the Bunnings car park… and was at the heart of the amazing work our Carevan Family achieves
We had singing … some dancing … lots of sausages and LOVEly onions …and a whole lot of goodwill and care, put into action… more than just a red hearted card … our people came out to BE the CARE in Carevan.
Without our volunteers, we could not conduct meal services and our mission would be just a nice idea… our volunteers are AWESOME and on weeks like the past two, that’s never more obvious.
Huge Valentine’s LOVE to our BBQ volunteers Kym, KimBAlee, Tracey, Andrew, Taylor, Joel, Karenza, Annie and Stewart, Bruce, Jade, Daniel, Karen and Paul and Liam.. And to all our amazing team of volunteers who support Carevan week in and week out
Huge red virtual Roses to Naomi, Shahereen, Norwest Sunrise Rotary and Lions club for the donations of food… we cooked it up and served it with the extra dash of kindness that your donations bring!
Extra special shout out to our ‘protein/ bakery manager’ Tracey for work behind the scenes, for Kym who left today’s shindig to go home and make meals for Tuesday evening, to Taylor for the Technical support and for KimBAlee for the signs (and her dad) for the blackboard of LOVE … all the extra Carevan condiments that make it all so delicious!
Also, in our normal non-BBQ-ing world of Tuesday evening this week… a big beautiful bouquet to the Lalor Park Community Hub Markets, for their generous donation to Carevan and to Glaiza and Shahereen for their amazing kindness and generous donations… and to Glenda, Marlene and Daniel (and Oscar) for the delivery of clothing … we are truly, truly grateful ..
Finally, a big HUG (socially distanced of course) to Tina, Georgina and Tianna who gave up their evening to help with Tuesday’s service, managing clothing distribution like old hands. We cannot thank you all enough!
We are blessed by support in all forms and fashions and as Margaret Mead said ..we have No doubt this group of committed citizens can change the world.. or at least our little bit of it
Happy Valentine’s day AMAZING people
Follow the link to Carevan Blacktown’s Facebook page and join us for a training session on February 18th at 7pm
https://fb.me/e/fS4qK4qPv
Carevan newsletter
Carevan newsletter
Contentsn Upcoming changes and events: – Christmas Message – Our Christmas week – Our Finances – Our Committee – Bunnings BBQ n Our supporters
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Volume 1 Ι Issue 2 Ι 19 December 2020 |
Wow – what a year and it’s not quite finished. We started 2020 in the midst of Australia’s biggest drought and bush fire season recorded in recent history. Our Lalor Park family turned up amidst these trying times and we saw record numbers of new guests as the tough times were impacting us all.
In March we started to hear lots about the Coronavirus, we continued to go out and provide meals, groceries and clothing to our Lalor Park family. We saw numbers grow, including record numbers in the 2nd week of March. This was likely due to more and more people losing their work and struggling to provide for themselves and their families.
In April, as you all know, the NSW government introduced strict social distancing regulations but try as we might, it became impossible for us in an outdoor setting, to provide a COVID-19 safe environment. We made the toughest decision then, of our 9 year history, to withdraw our services until the COVID-19 restrictions eased.
We used this time productively though to work out a way in which we could deliver our service while providing the safest possible environment once government restrictions eased. We worked with the Blacktown Council and through their generosity, we were provided with free access to the Lalor Park Community Hall.
The committee worked on ways we could create an environment that allowed for the COVID safe requirements such as social distancing, hand sanitizing stations, maintaining a safe and warm environment so that, when the government restrictions were eased, we were able to return. It had been 9 weeks since we were last out and it was wonderful to be back.
The first night of our return we had 24 guests and this number has steadily increased to a weekly average of 64 guests. We still offer blankets, clothing, hot meals, groceries and have added haircuts to our list of services.
Whilst we watch the current Northern Beaches outbreak very closely, we will continue to ensure that we follow all government guidelines and regulations to ensure we do not compromise the safety of our volunteers, supporters and the Lalor Park community.
My huge thanks to all of our volunteers and supporters who have rallied around us to enable Carevan to continue to provide our service and to making a difference in the Lalor Park community.
22nd December
Carevan’s busiest week of the year is Christmas and this year, COVID-19 restrictions permitted, we are expecting record number of guests at Tuesday the 22nd of December’s Christmas dinner at the Lalor Park hall.
To comply with the restrictions, we will ensure that all our guests are seated for the meal service at both internal and external seating, we will have COVID-19 marshals, and we will segregate the hamper handing ceremony to ensure social distancing and as with every week, gloves and masks are available as required or desire.
We have lots of extra support this year including the Blacktown Workers Club and special thanks also to our regular supporters for increased care and contributions at this time of year, Foodbank, Roshni at the Blacktown Sai centre, Jeni Simmons, Marlene and Glenda, The Kings Langley Scout Group and Donna from Hunter Hampers.
Receiving a wonderful donation of Xmas hampers from Roshni Naidu and the Blacktown Sai Centre
25th December
We will also be providing a breakfast service BBQ on Christmas day commencing at 9am. The regular breakfast including, bacon, sausages and eggs will be provided. A huge thanks to Pamela Rope and the team from Aldi, for providing us with the generous donation of breakfast items, without which we could not go out on Christmas morning.
Any volunteers wanting to help on this morning will be welcomed. This breaky service will be held in the carpark, rather than the hall and we will be there from 0900-1100
Since returning after the COVID closure, we have received several generous donations from our supporters. The Blacktown Kildare Masonic Club have once again chosen Carevan as their local charity to support and we cannot thank them enough.
The Club and its kind members will never know how much their generous donation helps to keep us going. Without their support it would be incredibly difficult for Carevan to do what we do and we are grateful for their ongoing support, care and contribution.
We were also successful in applying for a grant through the Commonwealth Bank’s Community “SmartyGrants” program. One of our volunteers, Michael Harvey, an employee of the Commonwealth Bank, directed us to the grant process. This grant has been absolutely essential in enabling us to buy items such as food for Norwest and Tyndale Christian school’s Carevan cooking program, along with other running expenses and consumables, such as plates, take away containers, milk and coffee etc.
Carevan was also the recipient of a grant from the Blacktown Workers Club. This generous donation is entirely directed towards weekly food and pantry supplies from Foodbank, from which we put together the week’s hampers and with which Kym, Kimbalee and Tracey make meals to supplement and add to meals from Norwest.
Deputy Mayor, Julie Griffiths, continues to show us tremendous support and provided a generous donation to Carevan through the Blacktown Council, to assist with providing food and gifts for the special Christmas hampers for our two Christmas events as above.
We have been blessed over this difficult year with ongoing care from our regular supporters in their continued contributions. Genworth Financial Services and the Rotary clubs of Rosehill and Roseville/ Chatswood are long term supporters while Glaiza Huynh, of Dearest Lips, continues to donate a percentage of all her sales to Carevan.
Carevan are also indirect beneficiaries of a second donation for 2020 of $500 from Daily Fresh towards the Norwest Cooking program, supporting the school’s own contribution to Carevan.
Donna Hunter of Hunter Hampers, donates food every week to our meal services and Lissa and Pat of Blanket Patrol Western Sydney, come out every 2nd week, with clothing and blankets that the Lalor Park community love.
I can’t begin to tell you the work that the wonderful Carevan Committee and volunteers do to ensure that we go out every week. Every week Kym Corless and Tracy Priestly go to Foodbank in their lunch break and pick up food for our hampers. On most Tuesdays the two Ky(i)m’s cook food to be taken out (this is after their day jobs) There are pick-ups each week from Hunter Hampers, of food for hampers as well, along with desserts and fortnightly collection from Roshni’s, of pantry and other goods. Daniel brings clothing every week that he collects from people in his street.
Your current committee members are Lynne Wood, Kym Corless, Kimbalee Apps, Taylor Kew, Caroline Del Aguila and Andrew Scott.
We have been fortunate to be given an opportunity to host the Bunnings BBQ at Rouse Hill Bunnings on Saturday the 2ndof January. We will be looking for volunteers so anyone who can help out for a few hours would be welcomed. This is key opportunity for us raising funds. If you can help, please let one of the committee members know. Green Carevan shirts should be worn on the day.
There are so many supporters that we would like to thank for helping us make a difference to our Lalor Park family. Our supporters include;
-Tyndale Christian School – Norwest Christian School – Genworth -Blacktown Sai Lighthouse Temple – Hunter Hampers – Dearest Lips -Rotary Roseville /Chatswood & Rosehill – Blanket Patrol Western Sydney – Kellyville Anglican -Happytime Novelty Co – Zero Pac – Kellyville High School -Blacktown City Council – Share the Dignity – Kingslangly Scout Group -Blacktown Kildare Masonic Lodge – The Commonwealth Bank -Foodbank -Blacktown Workers Club |
Email; [email protected] website; carevanblacktown.org.au.
With thanks and season’s greetings to all,
Andrew Scott, CEO Carevan Blacktown
Carevan is now the very lucky recipient of a regular supply of freshly laid eggs, courtesy of some of the funkiest named chickens in the neighbourhood. 🐓
These fine feathered friends; Edna, Cassie, Pearl, Avery, Ginger, Daphne, Callie, Olive, Honey and Irene, have grown from little chicks to egg-laying beauties, and are now honorary volunteers for Carevan. 🐥
The girls will be providing freshly laid ‘eggyness’ direct to Norwest’s Carevan cooking program for meal preparation and we are EGGstatic to have them in the hen house 🥚
We were EGGcited to meet with the chook’s custodians; Brenda, Merryn, Piper and Mackenzie on Tuesday evening, along with the ‘spokes-chook’ Callie, a spectacular spotty feathered beauty, who came along in a special carry pack! 🐣
AND In another first for Carevan, Sophie and Linh, two lovely local hairdressers, have offered us their skillset and time to assist any of our guests who would like to trim their human feathers. 🥚 This lovely offer was taken up by 6 or so very happy guests at the first event and will be a regular gig at Carevan’s evenings out. We are so grateful for the ladies’ generous gift of community care. 🐓
So very many good eggs in the community, who reach out each and every week, to help Carevan and those we serve in some way. We thank you ALL for the thought, hard work, innovation, kindness and generosity of spirit and deed… you ALL help us keep Carevan sunny side up. 🐓