Essential donation for families in need

Ballarat United Way received the call a few years ago from one of its agencies after the woman discovered her partner had been abusing one of the kids. 

Chief executive officer Geoff Sharp said while many people often thought of homelessness as an old man sleeping in the park, it was just as much about families and isolated older women who couldn’t afford rent.

“Last year in Ballarat alone there were 2500 people who needed help with housing and 800 of them were children,” he said.

“There is a growing need and a significant portion of that is due to domestic violence, sadly. People are needing to find places to live very quickly.”

Organisations such as Salvo Connect provide blankets, clothing and emergency accommodation to women and children in need, but costly white goods are harder to come by. 

To address the demand for supplies, The Good Guys Ballarat has donated a range of electronic household appliances, including microwaves, kettles and toasters, to Salvo Connect Western.

“For victims of domestic violence and people who have had to leave home it can be pretty hard to make a start, but at least with the basics they can get up and running,” Mr Sharp said of the donation.

“This is an example of a local business using what it’s good at to help out in the local community. I would like to see that as a bit of a challenge for all businesses because if we all do that we will start to meet the needs in the local community.”

Store manager James Garcian said his staff hoped the donation would make a tough time a little less stressful for families in need.

“Some of these tools are things  people need to help have a successful Christmas,” he said. 

“Every little bit we can do to help is what we’re about – we’re the good guys, that’s what we do.”