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You've found the blog for Sandlewood Op Shop.
We are a small not-for-profit shop in Moorooka (Brisbane) run by volunteers.
Profits from the shop go towards our work with disadvantaged and less fortunate members of the community to help make their lives brighter.
We look forward to seeing you at the shop!


Friday, July 27, 2012

Where have all the Philanthropists Gone?

It is a stark reality which we see every day. Things are tough, and people are doing it tough.  Many people in Queensland have been losing their jobs thanks to Government redundancies and families are struggling.

Sometimes the children from those struggling families, through no fault of their own, end up in Foster Care.  Foster Parents are  angels sent straight from heaven, they really are!  We have several foster parents who come into the shop to get things for "their" kids. One organisation who work closely with Foster families is Kyabra Community Association.  We have worked closely with Kyabra on a number of times, and it's an organisation who does some positively amazing work in our community.

One of the services provided by Kyabra Community Association is a Limited Hours Child Care (LHCC for short).  Kyabra LHCC is really in a bind.  Each year the qualified staff have been taking voluntary pay cuts just to keep the service afloat.  These highly dedicated staff are now in jeopardy of losing their jobs, and the service is in jeopardy of closing since the Federal and State Government has cut all funding to this (and similar) services.

Kyabra LHCC is uniquely different from other LHCC services in Brisbane.  Many of the children attending the LHCC are in foster care, or at risk of being in foster care.  It provides the parents with a respite if you like, allowing them time to attend meetings with Departments etc without having to take the children.

It also has joint programs with two local high schools 
and assists by placing their senior students who are studying for their Cert III in Child Care. This is such a strong and positive thing and the children at the centre absolutely LOVE the kids from the High School being there.

There is also a much higher child/adult ratio at Kyabra LHCC.  In addition to 2 qualified teaching staff, there are, at any given time up to 5 other volunteer staff.  This means at times the child/adult ratio is 2/1. 


I can assure you there's no place like it!
I have myself been fortunate enough to have my youngest daughter attend Kyabra LHCC.  My daughter was experiencing troubles at her Long Day Care, to the point that she would burst into tears every time we drove past the centre, pleading with me "please don't take me there!". On the days she had to attend, she would literally cry and work herself up so much that she would vomit.  


She was 18 months old when she was offered a place at Kyabra LHCC and from day one, she was a totally different child.  In the past 2 years, I have watched her develop into an amazingly confident, happy, loving and playful child.  She wakes up each morning asking if it's the day she goes to "Pat's Kindy" (Pat is the Director in the LHCC).  I have absolutely no doubt in my mind, that Pat, Sannie and the other staff at Kyabra have been instrumental in this transformation in my daughter.

But I digress, the point of this post... Kyabra LHCC is at very serious risk of closing down. At this point in time, it's touch and go - they will be able to get by until the end of 2012, but beyond that, it's anyone's guess...

They are currently looking for benefactors who would be willing to donate money to support their continuing service.  Any support is tax deductible.  



Please, I urge, if you know of anyone, or any companies who would be willing to donate towards this magnificent cause, please do so!


You can find out more information by emailing alani @ sandlewoodprojects. org. au (no spaces)


I can't keep singing "where have all the philanthropists gooooone?" in the ilk of Paula Cole's "where have all the cowboys gone?" ... sorry it's embedded in my head! Anyone else? LOL

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