Womanpower supports Bayside Women’s Shelter

During COVID, Bayside Women’s Shelter had advertised their urgent need for supplies via Facebook. Moved by this worthy cause, Womanpower Unit initiated a fundraising drive which garnered an impressive $1,200 from generous B’nai B’rith NSW members, family, and friends.

Half of this sum was used for an extensive online grocery order, arranged to be delivered directly to the Shelter’s Manager (the location of the Shelter is kept confidential for safety reasons). The Shelter team expressed their gratitude, marking the start of this collaboration.

Womanpower then used the remaining funds to provide gift vouchers for the Shelter’s families during Christmas, a gesture that was well-received. In collaboration with the Shelter, Womanpower also proposed supplying arriving families with essential bags containing clothing and toiletries, essentials they often lacked due to abrupt departures from violent situations. The community responded generously to the call for toiletries, allowing the team to successfully pack numerous bags during a dedicated event.

Encouraged by the success, Womanpower sought to further assist the women. The Shelter staff suggested “starter boxes”, containing basic household items like a kettle, toaster, and dinnerware for four, intended for families transitioning from the Shelter to a new home. Fortunately, a grant enabled Wpmanpower to fund this initiative.

We aim to make this project ongoing and are planning a packing event for anyone interested in contributing. The Shelter’s CEO, Sallianne Faulkner, expressed her gratitude at our International Women’s Day event, further motivating our Unit in this work.

In helping Bayside Women’s Shelter, Womanpower has found a way to make a meaningful impact. We invite anyone inspired by this initiative to join us.