Christmas Giving with Adrift

For those of you who have been in our Adrift community for a while, you will understand that giving is part of our motivation to continue working. Each Xmas at Adrift we, as a cohesive team, select a cause or charity that we would like to help. The staff overwhelmingly voted for "The School Project" this year.

Started by the inspirational Donna Stolzenberg (left), current Victorian of the Year, The School Project is one of the six causes that sits under the umbrella of The National Homeless Collective. What really resonates with me, and even more so after meeting with Donna, is her mantra that for people to grow up successfully, they need to have experienced at some time in their lives, love.  To be able to look back on their childhood and  remember that they had at least an experience where someone cared. 

For a child who is caught in a cycle of homelessness, domestic violence and poverty through no fault of their own, the prospect of succeeding can be grim. Especially if the child ends up in foster care, alone, with nothing and feeling powerless and helpless. 

The School Project aims to help these kids avoid foster care wherever possible by assisting parents and family in creating an enriching environment for their children - and sometimes themselves. To ensure these kids, who are often wrenched from their homes and families and literally wake up in a strange place alone, know that someone has their back. That they aren't alone. That they mean something. At The School Project they aim to get to these kids when it most matters and provide them whatever they may need just to feel normal.  To enable them to fit in at school to have a school uniform, sports shoes - even just provide a lunch box!

I am a mother of 4 beautiful kids who are my whole life. They have wanted for nothing. They have grown into kind, caring, successful adults because they were, and are, loved. We as a community need to make sure Australian kids who have not been so lucky, are given an experience at some point in their difficult lives where they have felt someone actually cared. From there they can build. From there they may have a chance.

I was so inspired by Donna and what The School Project is and can do. We must as a community, make time for the most vulnerable amongst us. 

Adrift is a national brand and we are all Australian I was honoured this year to donate to a Victorian based charity that is leading the country in this wonderful initiative.

If you'd like to know more or donate to this amazing cause, please visit  https://www.nhcollective.org.au/the-school-project/.