Clubs come together to support emergency food relief in the Philippines.

Article by Whitehorse Rotaract.

On Wednesday 9th February the Rotaract Club of Whitehorse hosted a 'For A Meal Packing Night', an incredible organisation started by the Rotary Club of Canterbury that provides emergency food relief packages to the Philippines, all over the Asia Pacific region, and more recently to those impacted in our local areas by COVID and the extended lock downs, as well as refugees entering Australia who need support.

We were thrilled to welcome about 70 people to our event. This overwhelming support came from at least eight Rotary clubs and two Rotaract Clubs across District 9810 (including the Rotary Clubs of Nunawading, Box Hill Central, Mount Waverly, Canterbury, Mont Albert & Surrey Hills, Emerald & District, Croydon & Montrose, Maroondah, Rowville-Lysterfield and the Rotaract Club of Knox and Rotaract E-Club of Melbourne). We were excited to be visited by the District Governor Dr Daryl Moran and District Governor Elect Ken Miller.

There was also a strong show of Interactors, school groups, community members and of course friends and family. We also welcomed the Federal Member for Chisholm Gladys Liu and featured on the Whitehorse Leader Facebook Page. With this being our clubs first event of the year, and first in-person event in about two years we were ecstatic to witness the support that everyone showed us.

In under two hours we packed 4,000 bags of food, which will provide 20,000 meals to those who need emergency food relief. These meals have already been sent to Rotary Clubs in the Philippines who will ensure they are distributed to those who need them.

Volunteers were set up across workstations, where they worked to fill each bag with rice, lentils and oats, plus extra vitamins and minerals. These packs were then weighed, and heat sealed before being packed into boxes. Each box also contained a note that explained where this food had come from and who had packed it, plus a handwritten message of well-wishes written by the volunteers on the night.

Our Rotaract Club was thrilled with the turn out and what we achieved in just a few hours. It is a testament that when we put our minds to do something and have the support of the community around us we truly can serve to change lives. We can not wait to continue to work with our surrounding Rotary, Rotaract and Interact Clubs, and strengthen these vital relationships!