OUR FREE PROGRAMS
My Essentials (ME) Packs
Providing emergency supplies for Victorian children placed in out-of-home care is at the heart of what we do at B4VK. "ME" stands for My Essentials. What are the basic clothing and necessities that you think you might need if you were suddenly displaced? This is what we provide to those children in our community who find themselves in these circumstances.
Since 2015, we have supplied Victorian children with over 9,000 ME packs.
Often, children arrive in emergency accommodation with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. This could be pyjamas, or a school uniform. Our backpacks and nappy bags are filled with essential items to help get displaced children through the first 48 hours of care. The packs include basic toiletries, clothing, pyjamas, a torch and extra love items such as soft toys, blankets and games to provide some comfort as they fall asleep in a stranger's home. We are able to provide these items thanks to generous donations from both individuals and Australian businesses. To see how you or your business can help, please visit our what we need page.
Requests for backpacks and nappy bags come from social workers, Victoria police, Department of health and human services and beyond. Requests for packs must be made in writing via our supply request form.
School Essentials
B4VK is able to provide stationery packs and back to school items such as lunchboxes, drink bottles and combination padlocks to students of families facing financial hardship. Supply request forms for foster care agencies must be made in writing via this form.
Christmas 4 Kids in Care
Thank you to all who contributed to our 2021 Christmas 4 Kids in Care. What a success!
With your help we provided 4,738 children in out of home care, emergency accommodation and refuges something to smile about this Christmas.
Thank you to hundreds of sewers for our gorgeous Santa sacks, to those who donated gifts, soft toys and books, and to those who contributed to our Christmas Gift Appeal. Huge thanks to those who came and helped us select, pack, organise and deliver orders. It was a fantastic effort by all.
Valued and generous supporters included Adica Insurance, Nazareth College, Ballarat Clarendon College, Silverton Primary School, Safeguard Locksmiths, Hasbro, South Eastern Program Alliance staff, contractors and sub-contractors working on local level crossing removal projects and the Cranbourne Rail Duplication project, Western Program Alliance, Hippo Blue, 123 Read2Me, St Joan of Arc school Brighton, St Leonard’s College, Proteus Leadership, 12Boxing, NAB Preston, JPD, Firbank Grammar, JN Recruitment, Barry Bourke Motors, Aspire Clyde North, Haulotte, Imagine Day Care, Casey Manor Aged Care, MYER Melbourne, Peninsula Health, Good360, Port Phillip Rotary Club and many others.
We are very proud of our South West VIC Distribution Centre handling the collection of items, packing of Santa Sacks and delivering to children in their region. Well done Jenny and Peter King. Thank you to Ray White Real Estate Warrnambool, Morton Power for your generosity.
We feel truly grateful and blessed to be part of such a giving community!
This year we are expecting our Christmas 4 Kids in Care program to grow even more. We are seeking a major sponsor of our C4KiC program. Could that be you?
Program Sponsorship starts at $5,000, and covers administrative and operational costs to manage this program effectively. To express your interest, please email Alla.Andrews@b4vk.org.au or call us on 03 8712 9545.
