Last week, a group of us—Graeme Hope, District Govenenor for District 9800, Daya Govender, Club President, Anne Murphy, Robert Pattison, and myself— attended the Hope in a Suitcase warehouse to assist with packing suitcases for this project.
We were moved by the dedication of Victorian Manager Julie Armstrong and her team of volunteers. Without any State financial assistance, this year they have packed and delivered over 1,500 suitcases to government agencies across both metropolitan and regional areas.
Each suitcase is thoughtfully filled with age- and gender-appropriate gifts, including the items donated through our own project. Seeing the quality and abundance of these gifts firsthand was truly inspiring. They are sure to bring immeasurable comfort and joy to the vulnerable children who receiving them during this most stressful and frightening time in their lives.
This project was made possible through the generous support of a Rotary Foundation District Grant using District Designated Funds (District 9800).
Nadia Hamilton