For kids whose education has been disrupted by domestic and family violence, the start of a school year can be especially stressful. The excitement of the excitement of choosing a lunchbox or bag to show their friends in the playground is just one more thing they’ll miss out on.
Children often arrive at domestic violence shelters without their school uniforms and other school essentials. It’s an unfortunate fact of life that children who stand out from their classmates run a higher risk of being bullied.
A drastic consequence of the upheaval in the lives of these children is that their education is often severely disrupted. Many leave their homes urgently and arrive at shelters without schoolbooks and other items.
A simple lunch box drive to assist children affected by domestic violence return back to school; what a great idea, and the Rotary Club of Forest Lake did not hesitate in supporting my request to fund this worthy cause. President Bruce Pocklington purchase a bag full of lunchboxes and after a respite from Rotary, I had the honour of delivering the lunchboxes to a collection point at the Kedron Emergency Services Building.