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In the wake of floods, bushfires, and hardships caused by the pandemic, helping charities is more important than ever. The ability to make a difference in the community is one of the most deeply rewarding things an organisation can do. While charitable donations can positively impact people’s lives, some organisations go the extra mile to support a worthy cause.
This year, staff from Blue Connections and Dell Technologies donated their time to support Anglicare Victoria, the state’s leading provider of out-of-home care services for children and young people. The inaugural Backpack Giving Day, held in partnership with Blue Connections and Dell Technologies, saw more than 200 children in Anglicare Victoria’s foster care, residential, and education programs receive a backpack filled with resources and equipment.
Erin Hokin, relationship manager – corporates and schools partnerships, Anglicare Victoria, said, “Anglicare Victoria provides out-of-home care services for those unable to live with their families and ensures they’re safe, supported, and nurtured during this time. For the young people in our care, entering a new home environment and going to a new school can be a daunting experience. Providing them with resources and equipment is an important part of ensuring they are comfortable and confident in their new setting.
“This tailored initiative between Anglicare Victoria, Blue Connections, and Dell Technologies stemmed from our FoodBoost Giving Day and blossomed into a unique program to support young people in out-of-home care and encourage them in their educational journey. Thanks to support from Blue Connections and Dell Technologies, we were able to pack home and education transition backpacks for more than 200 young people in our care. The backpacks were filled with comfort items such as plush toys, some basic clothing and toiletries, as well as equipment needed for school.”
The home transition packs were delivered to children in foster care, kinship care, and residential care across Victoria. Meanwhile, the education transition backpacks were supplied to children in their educational programs, including the TEACHaR (Transforming Educational Achievement of Children at Risk) program that assists children aged four to 18 years who need additional support in the classroom.
Jane Murphy, sales executive, Blue Connections, said, “The team at Blue Connections couldn’t be more thrilled to assist Anglicare Victoria in its annual tech refresh, but our relationship goes beyond technology. Lending a hand to support children in need is just one way Blue Connections can thank Anglicare Victoria for the inspiring work it does for young people in care. We’re thrilled to be part of a wonderful initiative that we hope grows bigger and better each year.”
The partnership between Blue Connections and Dell Technologies with Anglicare Victoria started in 2018, with both companies working together to refresh Anglicare Victoria's current technology through device lifecycle management (DLM). Blue Connections and Dell Technologies also helped Anglicare Victoria navigate COVID-19, and the almost eight months of lockdown, as it continued to support staff and provide critical services to the families and children it works with.
Erica Smith, head of marketing, Blue Connections, said, “Supporting Anglicare Victoria through COVID-19 opened our eyes to the incredible work the team does in supporting the local community. It inspired us to turn an initially small-scale event into a much larger event, partnering with Dell Technologies, and then extending the initiation to our loyal customers.”
Nick Griffith, senior manager channel sales, Dell Technologies, said, “At Dell Technologies, we foster a culture of giving back to our community and we’re fortunate to be able to work alongside Blue Connections and Anglicare Victoria to achieve positive change for children not only at home, but also in an educational environment. We’re privileged to have continual involvement in such an inspiring initiative and we hope to continue playing a small part in helping the lives of the young people in Anglicare Victoria’s care.”
To learn more, watch this video featuring Paul McDonald, CEO, Anglicare Victoria, speaking on how the backpacks will help encourage children to feel confident in a new home or school
