Melbourne Grammar School student Peter was serving food at one of Anglicare Victoria’s inner-city homeless breakfast programs when something one of the clients was wearing caught his eye.
“He was wearing a Richmond footy top and I introduced myself as a Collingwood supporter. We had a couple of jokes about how the teams were going,” the year 10 student said with a smile.
“He continued the conversation into his own personal experiences and told me he was one of the ‘usuals’ at the breakfasts. His background wasn’t that different to mine.”
Peter’s service at the breakfast is just one part of the philanthropic work he and his fellow Melbourne Grammar Ross House students undertook across the school year in a partnership with Anglicare Victoria, in addition to awareness and fundraising efforts.
“I wrote an email to family and friends to inspire them to donate. I said there’s kids out there just like me, like the ones in your home, that have the same hopes and needs that we do. They’re just in a different situation,” Peter said.
To raise funds students took part in a sleep-out on campus, sleeping below their lockers outside in the quadrangle where they would usually spend time between classes.
Within half an hour of the donation page going live online, Ross House students had raised a cool $1000 for the cause.
And the number continued to grow.
Within days, the group had surpassed its $7500 target with the final donation figure totalling $10,905. It was one of the largest donations by a school group Anglicare Victoria had received – enough to fund an extra day of hot breakfasts at the program for an entire year.
House captain, year 12 Archie, said the about 70 students of Ross House pulled together to spread the word about the fundraiser and the community response had been astounding.
“Everyone got involved. The parents, the siblings, friends, cousins, step cousins, long-lost cousins,” he laughed.
“The community really kept the train on the rails and we’re just hoping it will lead to other schools or groups picking it up because it’s a good cause.”
Head of Ross House Ali McWhirter said the partnership with Anglicare Victoria was one of many initiatives across the school which focused on teaching students about the need for a holistic approach to philanthropy.
“It’s important for the students to think about the ongoing impact to community. Yes, it’s great you’re raising money, but how are we creating empathy at the same time and them to realise that this doesn’t just stop at the end of term,” Ali said.
“It’s not just about education for now, it’s about also setting up an understanding of the importance of philanthropy for life, giving to the community and looking outward.”
Melbourne Grammar’s engagement with Anglicare Victoria goes back many years, including last year’s donation from Bruce House of about 400 toys and 1,600 food and household items to Anglicare Victoria’s Toy Appeal.
“What we want our young people to understand is that they don’t walk in front of people, they don’t walk behind. We walk alongside people. As they walk alongside us,” Ali said.
“That understanding starts from prayer, from thinking about it means to be good friend or a good neighbour, from thinking about ways they can service their community.”
Is your school wanting to plan for our next generation of philanthropists? We can arrange presentations and hands-on experiences to learn about food insecurity and homelessness.
Get in touch with Penny Mitchell, our Relationship Manager Corporate and Schools Partnerships, on 0447 174 261 or via email at partnerships@anglicarevic.org.au.
