Kids in out-of-home care are getting a helping hand from a generous Narre Warren South couple.
Doug and Lesley Hutchinson have supported Cranbourne West-based charity Backpacks 4 Vic Kids (B4VK) for more than four years, after being introduced to them through the community service of their granddaughter Caitlyn, a Scout.
Backpacks 4 Vic Kids provides backpacks full of essential items – known as ME Packs – for children who have been removed from their homes in traumatic circumstances, including those going into out-of-home care and fleeing family violence.
Over the past few years, Mrs Hutchinson has made hundreds of drawstring bags, which are used as toiletry and stationery bags in the ME packs.
She has also made hundreds of soft toys, Santa sacks and bibs for the cause.
But she said her speciality were baby care and nappy bags, which are stuffed full of new or good condition clothes, bibs, nappies, a quilt, a soft toy and baby care products for younger children and infants in need, and delivered to children as ME Jnr packs.
Each one can take her 4.5 hours to make. She’s completed 155 this year so far, almost equalling her total of nearly 200 in 2020 and helping to occupy her over lockdown.
“I find that I cannot keep up with the demand,” Mrs Hutchinson said.
But it’s a cause she’s more than happy to support.
“This cause is important to me because it helps children who are in dire need through no fault of their own,” she explained.
“The children usually find themselves in a position where they have only the clothes on their backs when they have to be removed from a dangerous environment.
“The trauma they experience is lessened in a small way by the gift of basic necessities and a soft toy which shows them that people care about them and their situation.
“It is also important to me that I can use my skills to turn other people’s leftover fabrics into valuable items, therefore recycling them.”
Meanwhile, her husband is also contributing to the charity by making small wooden toys to include in the ME packs – something special for each child to be able to call their own.
He has also helped as a delivery driver, taking B4VK packs as far away as Warrnambool and Gippsland.
“My main area of support during lockdown was when Lesley was in her sewing room for days on end, I took over the kitchen,” he joked.
B4VK chief executive officer Sally Beard said demand for the charity’s services had increased over the pandemic.
“All the major organisations providing support to those kids and out of home care programs are declaring a rise in need due to the impact of Covid, and the Child Protection workers we have contact with have told us how much busier they are, working longer shifts and seeing many more children,” she said.
Each month, the charity delivers over 250 ME Packs. In August alone, at least 800 were on order.
Thanks to Mrs Hutchinson’s hard work and continued donations from the community, Ms Beard said B4VK had been able to increase the number of baby care bags it delivers each month.
“The average number of ME Jnr packs being delivered by us in sizes 0000, 000, 00 and 0 is 54 each month (that’s 54 babies we’re supporting each month) but we are working hard to increase our capacity to keep up with the increasing demand,” she said.
Mrs Hutchinson said more volunteers would help the cause.
“We need people to sew and knit, to work in the office, to sort donations, to fill baby care bags and backpacks and Santa sacks, drivers to collect donations and deliver backpacks and baby care bags to our regional depots and many other roles.
“Whatever your skills, we can gratefully find a contribution you can make. It is all for the children,” she said.
To find out more about B4VK or to find out how you can volunteer, visit backpacks4vickids.org.au
