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He believes no child should be disadvantaged because of poverty. So, in 2016 Derryck started We Care Connect with a small group of volunteers.
Since then, We Care Connect has continued to grow, helping over 6,000 kids on the Central Coast. That’s over 150,000+ donations! But it’s not enough. There’s more work to do.
10,000 children live below the poverty line on the Central Coast and this number is doubled in the Hunter Region. Our mission: to reach more local kids and break the barrier of childhood poverty.
Young mum-to-be. Seven months pregnant and no family to support her, filling the nursery feels like a distant dream.
Mum and four kids. Have come from interstate escaping domestic violence, leaving all their belongings behind. Living in a small room in a hostel, they now have to rebuild their lives from scratch.
Pensioner Grandparents. Unexpectedly caring for traumatised grandchildren. With no car seats, they cannot even leave the house.
Family living below the poverty line. With a severe illness, dad is unable to work, and mum is taking care of their young children. The family cannot afford critical school items, and this is impacting on the children’s education. The eldest child is starting to avoid school so his friends and teachers won’t notice his struggle.
10-year-old birthday boy. Mum wants to celebrate her son but cannot afford to buy presents.
Emergency Foster Carer. A newborn baby is needing urgent care. The foster parents desperately need baby items – a cot, change table and linen.
Sadly, stories like these are far too common in our community.
We care about making a difference to the lives of these families, to the lives of these kids.
Why? Because poverty is more than deprivation – poverty stunts children’s emotional and mental development creating a new cycle of poverty.
Together we can change the story on childhood poverty.
We care.
We give donations that make a difference. Our quality standard? “Would I be delighted to receive this for my child?”
We connect.
Partnering with professional caseworkers from community centres and family support agencies who provide individual requests for the families they are helping.
Our volunteers prepare support packages tailored to the family’s needs. Support can include clothes, nappies, bedding, cots, prams, car seats, toys, books and other essential items that families of young children need.
The simple act of giving to families in need is at the heart of everything we do.
We Care about children living in poverty
We believe that that poverty should NOT be a barrier that prevents a child from thriving. We do this by giving children what they need to be safe, warm and cared for. We believe that the causes of poverty are complex but helping a child is simple.
Responding to need
When others suffer, we have the responsibility to reach out and help.
Partnership
We are part of a whole, we do not duplicate but we enhance the work of others.
We promote an effective program of collective action developing and building on partnerships – with our volunteers, donors and sponsors, case workers, community groups and individuals providing their support, expertise and assistance.
Community
We are a community program contributing with others to build a community that cares and shares. We enable the community to help those less fortunate in a meaningful and fulfilling way.
Action
We reach out at a person-to-person level, taking personal responsibility, not passing the onus to others, doing not talking.
Impact
Ensuring that donated items, time and expertise trusted to our care leverage maximum impact, acknowledging that we learn by experience.
Respect
Respect our recipients by providing only good quality items. Ensure that we have no barriers – recipients are identified by professional service workers, not by us.
Protecting our environment
Contribute to the protection of our environment by rehoming children’s clothing and supplies and reducing waste.
Robert Dixon
Jacqueline Klarkowski
Robyn Brown
Andrew Davison
Chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer
Director
30/07/2019
01/10/2018
09/10/2023
09/10/2023
Ariane Dixon
Director
30/07/2019
John Davison
Director
01/10/2018
Phillip Smith
Director
05/02/2024