We now have proper internet at the new house and are relatively settled in, so can post on a more regular basis. Exciting things are happening for us - new jobs, new year at uni, new milestones for our little boy. 2012 is looking pretty great!
So far this year we have purchased soup, baked beans, sanitary pads and toothbrushes. We are concentrating more on the toiletry items earlier in the year as they have no expiry date and we're not sure yet whether we will make several donations during the year or a big one at the end. Though the big Christmas donation is more exciting due to the volume, the need is year round, so we are probably leaning towards quarterly donations.
We recently received a newsletter from Foodbank about the work that they do. In 17 years they have distributed 25 million kilograms of food to people in need aroud WA. With global and local economic pressures, the demand on their services is only growing. And Foodbank is only one charity that collects and distributes food. There were some interesting financial stats in the newsletter as well - $20 provides food for 40 meals, and $120 will feed a family of four for a month. That really hit home. We spend $120 a week on food and groceries for 3 (and one doesn't really eat too much food!) and we are quite thrifty in what we buy. To think that the money that we spend in one week would feed a family for a month - gets you thinking.
On a different note, I put out a call on the Facebook page - where do you donate old clothes, linen etc too when you have a clean out? We normally leave donations in a Salvo's bin, who I know do amazing work. But I would like to see our donations have a more immediate effect. Someone suggested a local women's shelter so I googled and called one up - speaking to a lady who looks after 5-6 families in my area who have escaped from domestic violence - these are people in need of household goods. They often leave with not much more than the clothes on their backs. So our excess linen, glassware, cutlery, some books, kids and adult clothing is going to them.
An exciting development also - the University of Notre Dame Fremantle medical students will be starting their own One a Week Project collecting goods. This is really inspiring, but also slightly embarassing as I am a med student at the University of Western Australia and haven't got my collegues involved yet. But today, I have put out the UWA call so watch this space for updates on the UWA/ND challenge!
Wednesday 25 January 2012
Sunday 8 January 2012
Week 2
So, in between moving house (which is not enjoyable with a 1 year old, let me tell you...), we did manage to go grocery shopping and add item 2 to the One a Week Project box in our garage. This week we chose baked beans - high in protein but also a vegetarian option.
Also, we've used the opportunity of moving house to declutter. Which raises the point - what do you do with all of those old clothes, cutlery, dishes and linen? And the books? Is putting them in a donation bin the best option? Or is there somewhere that would put them to more immediate use? Any ideas would be fab! And let us know what you purchased this week. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Also, we've used the opportunity of moving house to declutter. Which raises the point - what do you do with all of those old clothes, cutlery, dishes and linen? And the books? Is putting them in a donation bin the best option? Or is there somewhere that would put them to more immediate use? Any ideas would be fab! And let us know what you purchased this week. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday 2 January 2012
2011 List Recap
For those playing at home, a recap of our donation for 2011 before the list becomes updated for 2012
Seems like something from the Hungry Caterpillar! Retrospectively, knowing what we know now, there are items on this list that were not the best choices (Cheezels, flour). But it was our first try and we have better guidelines now on what is needed. Can't wait to make our 2012 list!
- Christmas pudding
- Tinned spaghetti
- Tinned beetroot
- Tinned peas
- 2 x baby food
- Tinned lentils
- Milo
- 1kg rice
- 1L UHT soy milk
- 1L UHT milk
- Raspberry Jam
- Weet-bix
- Maternity pads
- Nursing pads
- 4x 5 pack of soap
- Hair conditioner
- Travel change mats
- 2x Baked beans with sausages
- Olive oil
- Tinned corn
- Newborn nappies
- Tomato sauce
- Cheezels
- Plain Flour
- Self Raising Flour
- Chickpeas
- 2 x Diced tomatoes
- Tinned tuna
- Jelly
- Tea bags
- 2 x Pasta Sauce
- Pasta
- Chicken Soup
- Washing Powder
- Peanut Butter
- Tin of infant formula
Seems like something from the Hungry Caterpillar! Retrospectively, knowing what we know now, there are items on this list that were not the best choices (Cheezels, flour). But it was our first try and we have better guidelines now on what is needed. Can't wait to make our 2012 list!
Sunday 1 January 2012
Things we learnt
Just before Christmas, we were able to donate more than 40kg of food, household goods and toiletries to Foodbank Western Australia, which would in turn be given to people in need at Christmas. Pretty amazing feeling. We met their amazing staff, most of whom are volunteers. We also met the people who collect food from Foodbank to distribute to a variety of people who, for whatever reason, cannot put enough food on their table.
A very humbling experience.
We now know that Foodbank does not just provide food for charity organisations, but also for school breakfasts in areas where children go to school hungry. They also provide education on healthy food choices and are a rehabilitation facility for female prisoners and an employment option for people with disabilities. Amazing work.
We were able to learn a lot about the donation process and it gave us some insights about how to go forward.There were a lot of pallets of food, but they were all the same. Big pallets of flour, of tinned fruit, bags of potato chips. All of this is helpful, but what is needed is complete meals (such as tinned soups, braised steak and onions), foods high in protein (meats, chickpeas, legumes, baked beans) and generally more healthy options. There is also a lack of variety in what is donated, and there is a serious lack of toiletry items - soap, washing powder, dishwashing liquid and the like. We donated nappies, baby formula and some baby food - these are also rarely given and desperately needed. We donated flour last year, thinking that people could find multiple uses for it - what we didn't think is that many of the people receiving these donations do not have kitchens or may not have the skills to bake bread or pasta. We now know the importance of ring pulls on cans, as the homeless may not have can openers handy.
So this year, we started off by buying a can of chunky soup/stew, fitting the brief of protein and a complete meal.We would like this year to be bigger and better than the last. It is amazing to us to have so many people come on board, to have been invited to talk about the project on ABC radio in Perth and to have inspired others to take up the challenge.
It doesn't matter if you buy a can a week, a can a month, or even one this year. A single item - that may only cost you an extra dollar in your weekly shop - will actually make a difference in a stranger's life. If you decide to join us on this journey, let us know what you buy every week on our Facebook page. Tell your friends, your family, get a co-op going at work. Let's make this a community effort and make a change for the better
A very humbling experience.
We now know that Foodbank does not just provide food for charity organisations, but also for school breakfasts in areas where children go to school hungry. They also provide education on healthy food choices and are a rehabilitation facility for female prisoners and an employment option for people with disabilities. Amazing work.
We were able to learn a lot about the donation process and it gave us some insights about how to go forward.There were a lot of pallets of food, but they were all the same. Big pallets of flour, of tinned fruit, bags of potato chips. All of this is helpful, but what is needed is complete meals (such as tinned soups, braised steak and onions), foods high in protein (meats, chickpeas, legumes, baked beans) and generally more healthy options. There is also a lack of variety in what is donated, and there is a serious lack of toiletry items - soap, washing powder, dishwashing liquid and the like. We donated nappies, baby formula and some baby food - these are also rarely given and desperately needed. We donated flour last year, thinking that people could find multiple uses for it - what we didn't think is that many of the people receiving these donations do not have kitchens or may not have the skills to bake bread or pasta. We now know the importance of ring pulls on cans, as the homeless may not have can openers handy.
So this year, we started off by buying a can of chunky soup/stew, fitting the brief of protein and a complete meal.We would like this year to be bigger and better than the last. It is amazing to us to have so many people come on board, to have been invited to talk about the project on ABC radio in Perth and to have inspired others to take up the challenge.
It doesn't matter if you buy a can a week, a can a month, or even one this year. A single item - that may only cost you an extra dollar in your weekly shop - will actually make a difference in a stranger's life. If you decide to join us on this journey, let us know what you buy every week on our Facebook page. Tell your friends, your family, get a co-op going at work. Let's make this a community effort and make a change for the better
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