News
24 October, 2023
‘Buddy bags’ helping children in need
A Moreton Bay group is encouraging the community to help children in need in the lead-up to the festive season, via the charity titled ‘Buddy Bags’.
The charity is operated by the Raedel Support Group which was founded in Wamuran in August 2022, with the Group’s president Kerri Raedel saying the ‘Buddy Bags’ idea was “borne from an idea that all children deserve love – no matter where they are or who they are”.
‘Buddy Bags’ involves supplying bags of items to children with everyday needs no matter what situation they are in, such as illness, homelessness, in foster care, experiencing trauma or escaping domestic violence.
The project is solely funded by the community which supplies items for the bags including clothes, toiletries, toys, books, stationery, puzzles, stickers, games and journals.
All bags are delivered within the Moreton Bay Region for local children while the bags are separated into three categories – essential, birthday, and hygiene.
Caboolture Child Safety, Strathpine Child Safety and other foster care organisations (Refocus, Churches of Christ) are supplied with buddy bags, while the project also involves adhering to community requests from schools or individuals.
Redcliffe Child Safety recently started ordering bags as well.
“We have a massive Christmas project that we have been tasked with – 400 children in foster care at the Strathpine Child Safety office deserve to have love and presents at Christmas so ‘Buddy Bags’ has accepted the challenge,” Kerri said.
“We have committed to buying two presents for each child, and are asking for the community’s help.”
Kerri said sponsors were sought for the children, starting from $30 per bag while the Raedel Support Group also sought drop-off points for donations.
Kerri said a wish list directly from the department would be available by the end of the month, to reveal the items each child in need would hope to receive.
The shopping starts on November 1, with a convoy of cars to deliver on December 1.
Visit the Buddy Bags social media page, or contact raedelsg@gmail.com to come on board or find out more information.
