Spreading the Message of Care, One Bag at a Time: St. Rita's College Students' Take Action

Care and Compassion Packs

In a world often marred by challenges, it's inspiring to see young minds taking proactive steps to make a difference. The students at St. Rita's College Clayfield recently demonstrated their commitment to creating a more just world by assembling care packages for women affected by domestic violence. This heartwarming initiative not only highlighted their compassion but also exemplified the power of collective action.

Broken to Brilliant's Involvement:

It all began when the school assistant reached out to Broken to Brilliant, seeking collaboration in distributing these much-needed care packs. The heartfelt request was met with open arms and Broken to Brilliant was genuinely grateful for the students' generous efforts.

Broken to Brilliant was requested to provide a list of ideas for the types of packs the girls could put together. Our recommendations for the students to consider for their care pack contents include:

1. Personal Packs: including personal essentials such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion – essentials that are expensive to replenish during adversity.

2. Cleaning Packs: these are practical items of cleaning supplies such as dishwashing liquid, washing powder, stain remover, and fabric softener.

3. Food Vouchers: in consideration of the diverse range of food allergies, the students could consider providing Coles or Woolworths food only vouchers, ensuring that recipients could purchase food that suited their dietary needs.

The Generosity of the Students:

The girls from St. Rita's College Clayfield truly embodied their school's mission of 'leading action for a just world.' Their dedication was evident when Broken to Brilliant received an email announcing that the students had prepared a remarkable 60 care packs for survivors. This outpouring of generosity was nothing short of heartwarming.

Care Pack Collection:

To collect the care packs, one of the directors from Broken to Brilliant, Kris made a special trip while en route to attending the Magic Ant Network fundraising lunch on September 22nd.

Each care pack was thoughtfully assembled by the students, who handpicked the essential items to include. Each pack’s contents were different. Their packs included deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, hairbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, cleanser, lip balm and sanitary items. These are all items that survivors desperately need and can find challenging and expensive to acquire after escaping abuse.

Sharing the compassion and care packs

Broken to Brilliant's efforts didn't stop at collecting the care packs. The impact of this act of kindness extended far and wide, as Broken to Brilliant distributed the care packs to survivors in need and we shared the packs with other organisations dedicated to supporting domestic violence survivors. These organisations included:

• A Youth Shelter in Mt. Gravatt

• Girls' Flexi Supported School in Sunnybank

• Murri Sisters in Beenleigh

• Broken to Brilliant Survivor Programs

• Sandbag Community Centre in Sandgate.

A Heartfelt Thank You:

One heartwarming moment came from a young lady at the youth shelter, who expressed her happiness and gratitude for receiving a care pack. She felt comforted knowing that people cared about her during her difficult times and extended her thanks to everyone involved.

The response from these organisations was overwhelmingly positive, with one expressing their gratitude in these words: "Thank you for the women's gift bags. We are so appreciative and blessed for our partnership with Broken to Brilliant."

Small Acts of Kindness

These acts of kindness may seem small, but they carry enormous significance in the lives of domestic violence survivors. They let survivors know that there are caring individuals and organisations that genuinely care about their well-being. It's a reminder that even the smallest act of kindness can provide hope and motivation for someone to take the brave steps needed to change their life. So, let us all take a cue from the students of St. Rita's College Clayfield and be kind, give a little, and together, we can change the world for the better.