To our friends, volunteers, donors, partners and supporters, I wish to say that I am honoured to take on the role of President at 300 Blankets.
I cannot thank Warren enough for the unwavering dedication, drive and heart that he has brought to 300 Blankets since he co-founded the charity in 2012. He has been an inspiration to myself and so many others and I know that he will remain involved with 300 Blankets into the future. I am grateful to Warren and our team for giving me this incredible opportunity.
It’s extraordinary to think how much my volunteering and involvement with homelessness and our community has become a part of my life. Along the way I have had the privilege of meeting many extraordinary people in our Programs; our friends on the streets in Outreach, at Soul Kitchen, or as part of our Ice-olation Program deliveries; and of course none of these interactions would have been possible without our supporters and incredible volunteers.
In volunteering in our Programs I have had many unforgettable interactions and experiences. On Outreach it has been saying goodnight to one of our friends and leaving with smiles on our faces. Their fortitude has brought perspective to my life in ways that nothing else could. In sharing a meal with our friends at Soul Kitchen Braybrook and Soul Kitchen Preston, I have always felt as if I am attending a family dinner and the fact that our volunteers have been able to nurture this environment week on week is extraordinary. During an Ice-olation delivery it was seeing and hearing the gasps of disbelief and appreciation of a family receiving a food relief package, when at that point in the month, they had no idea how they were going to afford food for the next week.
These experiences have changed and shaped the way I value the concept of ‘family’ and the values that guide me forward. Behind my love for our friends, our charity and what we do, I am driven always by wanting to be there for people in their time of need – sometimes their greatest need – and provide the warmth of friendship because if ever I was in a similar predicament, I know I would want someone to care about me. 300 Blankets is fortunate to have an amazing leadership and management team who share these values, and with our amazing volunteers, I know that we are in an exceptional position to build upon the foundations laid by Warren as we look towards a continued future of keeping our community warm.