Inner West Mums’ Gift to the Asylum Seekers Centre during Refugee Week

Last week, during Refugee Week (16–22 June), Inner West Mums showed our ongoing support for the important work of the Asylum Seekers Centre, providing $1000 worth of vouchers for the purchase of essential food and other non-food essentials for people seeking asylum in New South Wales.

The ASC, based in Newtown, provides practical and personal support for more than 3000 community-based asylum seekers. This independent not-for-profit organisation relies totally on grants, donations and volunteer support.

In December 2018, the Inner West Mums organised a Christmas food drive, raising $5000 for the purchase of basic food items and non-food essentials. A band of passionate volunteers then set to work assembling and delivering more than 100 food hampers to the ASC, each containing 17 food items and other non-food essentials.

Image courtesy of KAADE Imagery

There were some left-over funds, so Anita Vitanova decided to gift these to the ASC during Refugee Week. On Friday 21 June longtime Inner West Mums group member Tina Lopez kindly delivered the 50 x $20 shopping vouchers to the ASC in person.

The Asylum Seeker Centre gave the following acknowledgement: ‘Thank you to the Inner West Mums for the in-kind donation of food vouchers totalling $1,000.00 to the Asylum Seekers Centre (ASC). Your support for our food bank is greatly appreciated. For many people accessing the ASC services and experiencing financial hardship, this is a very welcome gift …This donation helps to provide practical support for people seeking asylum as they wait, with uncertainty, the outcome of their application for protection.’

We look forward to harnessing the power of the IWM community again in the future to continue to support the ASC.

Cover image: Tina delivering the food vouchers

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