Loaded with care

PUBLICITY-SHY but unquestionably generous, Narre Warren South resident Elaine Smith is a major reason for Friends of Refugees acquiring a desperately-needed truck.
The Dandenong-based group had set a $30,000 crowdfunding target to buy a new truck to pick up and deliver donated furniture, whitegoods, food and other essentials for the region’s vast number of asylum seeker families.
Still short of the target, the plan was salvaged by Ms Smith who pitched in the $30,000 herself.
Her only regret was that she didn’t donate the money sooner.
It has left the volunteer group with a healthy near-$25,000 surplus to cover the truck’s running costs.
Ms Smith wanted to keep her donation quiet but was convinced by Friends of Refugees chief executive Sri Samy to help “inspire others”.
The benefactor sets a cracking example – a project manager for Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Coalition, founder for Women’s Friendship Cafe in Hampton Park as well as a foster-mum to unaccompanied minors.
Her philosophy is that she simply wants to help where there was greatest need.
“At first I thought I could do nothing. Then I watched other people I could relate to and I saw they were doing it.”
In 2008 she and husband Jeff moved from the beautiful coastal town of Lauriton in NSW to specifically help in Australia’s biggest refugee hot-spot – south-east Melbourne.
Ms Smith, a retired pharmacist, said she didn’t mind contributing a little of her superannuation, though her like-minded husband often prods her to give more.
“It seems unbelievable that Australia doesn’t protect refugees, doesn’t welcome them and then tries to make their life as hard as possible.
“It’s not the Australia I know so it’s up to us as individuals to do as much as possible.”
Without government funding, Friends of Refugees relies on volunteers and donors. The group needs sewing machines, laptops, lawn movers and whipper snippers as well as volunteers to teach asylum seekers to fix mowers.
To help, contact Ms Samy at contact@srisamy.com.au.
– CAM LUCADOU-WELLS