Young social justice group helps fight homelessness

St Mary’s social justice group, Young.

At the beginning of every year St Mary’s Social Justice Group, Young decides on its projects for the next 12 months.

In 2017  a program on ‘Compass’ on the ABC focused on a special day  held each year in the Sydney Town Hall for homeless and poor people.  A number of members of the group had seen this program and suggested we should pick up one of the services and modify it a bit for our local area.

The project we undertook was to provide toiletries bags containing essential toiletry items and distributing them to local charities and hospitals for people who find themselves in need due to homelessness, financial distress or an unscheduled admission to hospital.

We asked for donations of basic toiletries suitable for men, women and families from the Parishioners of St Mary’s Young. We asked for basic items such as Shower gel, toothpaste and toothbrushes Shampoo, deodorant, combs etc and for those who were unable to provide toiletry items a donation of money to purchase extra items needed.  Members of the group made bags for the items.

There was an overwhelming response to the request and as a result 40 bags were filled and distributed. They were accepted with great enthusiasm both from the target organisations and the recipients of the bags.

We decided to do the same again in 2018 and the response was even greater this year. We have so far filled and distributed 52 bags with many more yet to be filled and distributed. This year bags were made by members of the group and other volunteers.

The Social Justice Group has been amazed and thankful at the generosity of the donations of items, money and time. This has proven to be a very practical way to provide basic needs for human dignity and a successful whole of Parish activity.

• This article was contributed.