A caring Vinnies volunteer at one of our Support Centres was chatting with a grandmother who came in looking for help with some essentials - formula, food, nappies, and warm clothes for her grandkids. As they got talking, the grandmother opened up about how she'd been taking care of her three grandkids for weeks at a time, but she wasn't receiving any financial assistance.  The grandmother's small personal income was being overwhelmed due to her caring for her grandchildren, and she was not aware there were support services and/or payments to which she could be entitled. The volunteer phoned the Vinnies Safeguarding team (1800 4 SUPPORT) and was provided with additional information and contacts to give to the grandmother, including details on carer payments and other supports that could help care for her grandchildren.
 
The volunteer's call to Safeguarding was a powerful act of collective action, providing additional opportunities for the grandmother to receive assistance. 
 
Thank you to our wonderful volunteers!!! This is just a small demonstration of the large impact our volunteers have.

This article was written by Janice Stokes