Her Rochester home will be the base of operations after Friday’s launch and Cranbourne-based NTP (not-for-profit) Backpacks 4 VIC Kids will now have a Campaspe shire presence.
Belinda, who is the leader of Rocehster’s recently raised chapter of the Red Hat Ladies, said she had been inspired by the instigators of the charity and decided it was a worthy cause to add to her growing list of beneficiaries.
A clever promotional message and an understanding the role the organisation played in assisting a variety of “challenged kids’’ was enough for her to enlist the support of her “handyman’’ husband and before he knew it there was a sudden addition to the rear area of the couple’s expansive Queen St block.
A shipping contained was painted bright blue, signage featuring the rainbow-coloured loveheart that is the logo of the organisation was attached to the door and the shelves inside the container were filled with backpacks containing essential items.
The tag line attached to the message delivered by charity founder Sally Beard very much described the philosophy of Belinda Cooper-Green; “You have two hands for a reason, one to help yourself and a second to help others’’.
Before moving to Rochester, almost three years ago, Belinda was volunteering with the group at its warehouse in Cranbourne.
The backyard operation in Rochester is a fitting tribute to how the charity spent the first two years of its existence, way back in 2014 when it was based in the founder’s back yard.
“I worked in the warehouse packing the ME (My Essentials) Packs for some time,” she said.
The ME Packs and ME Junior Packs cater for children aged from birth to 17 years old in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania, for children who may be homeless, entering out-of-home care or emergency accommodation.
They contain everything from nappies to toiletries, clothing, sleepwear, a torch, blanket, toy or activity and are given to the children in the case of re-location.
There is also a School Essentials (SE) pack, which is also taiIored to suit the needs of children and have everything from drink bottles and lunch boxes to text books and pencils.
Last year the organisation delivered backpacks worth an estimated $1.75 million, not taking into account the 21,000-plus volunteer man hours.
That included 2760 ME Packs, almost $1000 SE packs and more than 5500 Santa Packs — a specially prepared Christmas backpack filled with gifts at a time which Belinda said for many children filled with emptiness and despair.
The Rochester distribution centre will also stock RS packs (Rough Sleeper) and trail the YO Packs (Youth Outreach).
“Fundraising is a big part of the program and, with the buying power of the charity, $100 gives us $480 worth of essentials,” she said.
The charity is operational throughout Victoria, but until now Bendigo was as close as it came to the Campaspe and Goulburn Valley region.
Rochester is now one of five Victorian minor sites and allows care providers to access the bags when required.
“When we were moving to Rochester I still wanted to be involved.
"I will have the whole thing fully set up this week,“ she said, explaining the shipping container had been donated by a company involved in the re-development of the Monash Fwy.
Her handyman husband has installed lights and added a security lock on the door.
It will now offer support to organisations such as kincare, foster care and emergency services, for displaced children in situations where kids have been left with nothing.
Belinda said she liked the concept of community members being able to make a little donation or something larger.
“People can contribute to the program in whatever way they can afford, something small to go in the bag or a whole bag,” she said.
The Rochester site has already been responsible for the delivery of 30 backpacks to an Echuca organisation that was in desperate need of support.
Backpacks designed for boys and girls, from babies to teenagers, are stocked on the shelves and will be available for distribution.
The launch on Friday is designed to allow people to see what it is available and how the program operates.
“It is much easier for people to come here than three hours to Melbourne,’’ Belinda said.
“I have already had some positive interaction with Probus, Lions, Rotary and the Op Shops,” she said.
The addition of the Backpacks 4 VIC Kids program to the busy small business operator’s schedule certainly ticks the box of her motto: “I like to keep busy and work hard, but do good at the same time”.
Belinda Cooper-Green can be contacted on 0479 114 275 for more information about the program and donations.
